II. Articulating a Strategic Framework

Data warehouse

Increased emphasis on information access for decision-making purposes and the availability of low-cost, high-speed technology has permitted the creation of databases that can be used for query purposes or for browsing while resolving the traditional issues of impact on the day-to-day performance of the main systems. Data are extracted from the main database on a periodic basis and are available in the "data warehouse" for use in decision support and executive support systems.

Tools that access a data warehouse are usually more flexible and intuitive than interfaces to legacy systems and thus simplify access to and retrieval of information by nontechnical personnel. Campus financial information organized by funding sources, by departments, or by expenditure categories are examples of data warehouse applications. The data warehouse may represent the total institutional database or may contain a subset (data mart) designed for use by a specific functional area. The value of the data warehouse is directly related to the availability and use of query tools.

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