1

GRADUATE SCHOOL – Research Paper TemplateCross check your research paper against this checklist prior to submitting your paper to the Graduate School for approval. NOTE: Actual template begins on the next pagePagination

An Arabic number (1,2,3..) is assigned to each page. The title page is #1 and the number is typed on the page. All pages are counted and listed and the total number listed in the appropriate

space on the abstract page. All page numbers are in Times New Roman No title information (aka running head) is included next to the page number.

Title/Submission information/Abstract pages Use correct spelling and grammar [(particularly possessives, e.g. student’s vs. students’ or teacher’s vs. teachers’) as well as affect vs. effect)].

Abstract page Check for misspellings. 200 words in length Title is formatted using bold and italics.

Table of Contents Table of Contents is centered on the page and formatted in bold. No entry for Acknowledgements or Table of Contents. Entries included for List of Tables and/or List of Figures if you have created those. If fewer than 3 tables and/or 3 figures appear in the paper, incorporate the Table #, Title and Page# directly in the Table of Contents; order by page number.

Each Appendix has a title, e.g. Appendix A: How I Survived Graduate School Citations (in-text)

APA format All in-text citations are listed in the References section.Tables and Figures

List(s) of Tables and/or Figures are used only when the paper contains more than 2 tables and/or figures.

List(s) of Tables and/or Figures appear on separate pages. The format for listing tables (or figures) is as follows: Table (or Figure) #: Title of table…….pg #

Margins Margins should be 1 inch all around the paper.

Body of the Work “Introduction” should not be a sub-heading.

Appendices Appendices are titled and paginated Reference List

A-Z order Hanging indent format Insert one space after each period that separates each part of the reference Use italics according to APA. Include digital object identifier (DOI) for reference citations from on-line databases. If no DOI number exists, find the journal homepage and provide that URL. (See: APA manual p. 198-199)

All web pages appear in black type (not blue). Hint: Web addresses that appear in blue are “linked” address; once the link is removed the text will appear in black.

1

Author: Misevicz, Jon TTitle: Upgrade Path for Critical Business SystemsThe accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial

completion of the requirements for the

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Information Communication Technology

Research Adviser: Steven Schlough, Ph.D

Submission Term/Year: Winter, 2013

Number of Pages:s 54

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition

I understand that this research report must be officially approved by the Graduate School and that an electronic copy of the approved version will be made available through the University Library website

I attest that the research report is my original work (that any copyrightable materials have been used with the permission of the original authors), and as such, it is automatically protected by the laws, rules, and regulations of the U.S. Copyright Office.

My research adviser has approved the content and quality of this paper.

STUDENT:

NAME Jon Misevicz DATE: 11/29/2013

ADVISER: (Committee Chair if MS Plan A or EdS Thesis or Field Project/Problem):

NAME       DATE:      

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This section for MS Plan A Thesis or EdS Thesis/Field Project papers onlyCommittee members (other than your adviser who is listed in the section above)

1. CMTE MEMBER’S NAME:       DATE:      

2. CMTE MEMBER’S NAME:       DATE:      

3. CMTE MEMBER’S NAME:       DATE:      

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This section to be completed by the Graduate SchoolThis final research report has been approved by the Graduate School.

Director, Office of Graduate Studies:       DATE:      

2

Misevicz, Jon T. Upgrade Path for Critical Business Systems. .

Abstract

A completed abstract page includes preliminary information formatted as above, as well as a

concise summary of the paper. The abstract page is part of the research report (i.e. paper). All

pages are numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, etc.) The text is double spaced; margins are 1

inch as in the balance of the paper.

Abstracts should be no longer than 200 words in length. Page 25-27 in the APA

manual can be consulted for tips regarding the qualities of a good abstract. Close

attention should be paid to grammar and spelling; papers with misspellings and

typographical errors will be returned as will abstracts that do not follow formatting as

illustrated in this document.

3

Acknowledgments

Many students like to acknowledge people who have significantly contributed to their

graduate education on this page and are welcome to do so. Remember, however, that

Acknowledgments are not part of the scholarly work; Acknowledgments and its page number are

not listed in the Table of Contents.

4

Table of Contents

...................................................................................................................................................Page

List of Tables...................................................................................................................................6

List of Figures..................................................................................................................................8

Chapter I: Introduction..................................................................................................................10

Statement of the Problem...................................................................................................11

Purpose of the Study..........................................................................................................12

Assumptions of the Study..................................................................................................12

Definition of Terms............................................................................................................12

Methodology......................................................................................................................13

Chapter II: Literature Review........................................................................................................14

Process for ERP Upgrade...................................................................................................14

Framework for Upgrading ERP.........................................................................................15

Technical Elements of the Upgrade...................................................................................18

Data Conversion Issues......................................................................................................19

Data Corruption.................................................................................................................21

Chapter III: Methodology..............................................................................................................25

Data Sample Environment.................................................................................................25

Data Collection..................................................................................................................26

Data Analysis Methoids.....................................................................................................26

Chapter IV: Results........................................................................................................................28

Item Analysis....................................................................................................................28

Chapter V: Discussion...................................................................................................................29

5

Limitations........................................................................................................................29

Conclusions........................................................................................................................29

Recommendations..............................................................................................................29

References......................................................................................................................................30

Appendix A: An Introduction to APA Style. Research Paper FAQS; Provided here

for your reference only; don’t include in your paper......................................................33

Appendix B: How to Complete a Research Project.......................................................................34

Appendix C: Crediting Sources – Quoting, Paraphrasing and Plagiarism....................................36

NOTE: This thesis template is a meant to guide you in formatting your paper according to APA (6th ed.). The number of chapters as well as the chapter headings and sub-headings contained in a research paper will vary depending on the type of research project. Plan B projects, in particular, vary by discipline and, depending on the topic and the kind of research project, will use a variety of appropriate headings and sub-headings; students should work closely with their adviser when creating the research paper structure for their project.

6

List of Tables

Table 1: Stats, Stats and More Stats…………..…………………………………………10

Table 2: Stats, Stats and More Stats. The title of this table is more than a single line; indent the second line just like this…………..……………………………13

If you’ve constructed more than a couple of tables and plan to place them in the body of your paper, include a list of them in a List of Tables. List the table number, name and page on which the table can be found (example above). If you only have a couple of tables, do not construct a List of Tables, simply include the title of the table and its page number in the Table of Contents in the appropriate place in the pagination order.

Note 1: Not all papers will have a List of Tables (see above).Note 2: Pay close attention to the purpose and format of your tables and figures. Tables and figures are meant to provide a quick graphical reference to the textual discussion within your paper; as such, they should be concise. For a quick visual reference for formatting a variety of tables consult the APA manual. Below is information about producing tables as well as an example of APA table format.

IMPORTANT: Previously published tables are copyright protected and cannot be used without permission of the copyright holder. Do not include them in your paper, even if adapted, without permission.

How to Make a Table in APA Style Using Word XP Click on Table, then go to Insert and follow it right to Table. Figure out how many rows and columns you need. If you aren’t right the first time, you

can add or delete them later by going to Insert and Delete under Table. Click on Auto Format in the lower right side of the pop-up. Find Simple 1 (which is green and toward the end of the options) and click on it. Where it says “Apply special formats to” toward the bottom of the screen unclick (i.e.,

get rid of the check mark in the box) all but “heading rows.” Hit okay.

On the next page you’ll find an example of a properly constructed table. Some of the lines may appear in green; if you print using grayscale (file, print, properties, color, check grayscale, ok) the green will not appear. Also, the light gray lines will not print out; they are there for your reference.

7

Table 4

I Am Equipped with the Computer Technology I Need To Work Efficiently in My Classroom

Response Frequency (N=143) Percentage

Disagree 27 18.9%

Neutral 26 18.2%

Agree 89 62.3%

How to Make a Table in APA Style Using Excel 2007 Insert your information into the cells in the way you would want it to appear in the table. Click on Home, then go to Format as Table. Click on New Table Style… at the bottom . A window will pop up. Under the Table Elements click Whole Table, then click Format. A second window will pop up. You can control the font on the Excel sheet, so click on

the table labeled Border. For the Line Style choose the single thin line on the bottom left. For the Border click the

top horizontal line, the mid horizontal line, and the bottom horizontal line. Then choose the color green from the drop down box under the label Color.

Click OK. Clicking ok will close the second window and take you back to the first. Click OK on

this window. You have just created a custom table style. Now highlight the cells that contain your

table data and click the Format as Table button again. This time select your custom style at the top.

Save. Copy and paste into your Word document.

If you have fairly simplistic information and do not want to go through the trouble of using an actual table, you can use the border and underline functions to make it since only horizontal lines are allowed.

UW-Stout Graduate School formatting standard indicates that tables are to be double-spaced. However, if the table is longer than one page double-spaced, use 1.5 or single spacing. If your material is lengthy, consider including it in an appendix rather than in the body of the paper.

8

List of Figures

Figures are graphical representations used to provide a rich visual representation of information. A figure can be a photograph, bar chart, pie chart, flow chart, line drawing, etc. A properly constructed figure should stand on its own and convey a salient point to the reader. A properly formatted figure includes a figure number and a “caption” which also serves as a title of sorts that explains the figure. The caption/title is brief, but gives the reader enough information to completely understand the figure. A “legend” that explains symbols, abbreviations and terms used in the figure may also be included. A figure number, caption/title, and legend are formatted to appear below the figure. A title should not appear within the figure itself. See example of correctly formatted figure below. Not all papers will have figures; consult the APA manual for more information regarding this. IMPORTANT NOTE: Previously published figures are copyright protected and cannot be used without permission of the copyright holder. Do not include them in your paper, even if adapted, without permission.

Figures in the Body of Your Work

Figure 12. Surviving bacterial count (CFU/g) in ice cream with varying levels of inulin (0% control, 1.5% and 3.0% w/w) during 28-day storage period with repeated thaw-freze cycles(-20C/-5C . From Boughida, N. (2011). Effect of Inulin on the Survival of Lactic Acid and Probiotic Bacteria in Ice Cream. Retrieved from http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/lib/thesis/2011/2011boughidan.pdf Reprinted with permission.

Figures Listed in the Table of Contents or in a Separate ListList 1-2 figures in the Table of Contents by page number (see example below). If you include more than 2 figures in your paper, create a List of Figures. List the number, title and page (same format as for Tables; see example below).

9

Figure 1: Surviving bacterial count (CFU/g) in ice cream with varying levels of inulin during 28 days storage period..……………………………………………….…………………….40

10

Chapter I: Introduction

Company XYZ has been at the forefront of custom medium voltage switchgear

manufacturing and is well known in the industry for their accurate wiring and knowledgeable

field service staff. Over the previous six years the company has changed hands and switched

from a failing business model to a more successful one that focuses on quality and cutting down

on manufacturing times. The company has been steadily increasing business and adding more

advanced schematics to their electrical designs. This process is starting to strain the two pieces

of critical business intelligence software which have been a low priority for capital during the

company’s restructuring. During this time the company’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

software, and the mechanical design and data management software, Solidworks Product Data

Management (PDM), have been superseded by improved versions (Bloomer, 2013). This

coupled with the older versions that the company runs, places the company on the cusp of being

out of the software’s life cycle of support (Graphic Systems, 2013).

The vendor for company XYZ’s ERP software, Infor Visual Enterprise (Infor), has stated

that they will be withdrawing support for the version of the software that the company is

currently running, which is release 6.5.4. Infor will no longer issue service releases for bug or

security issues as well as no longer providing ongoing support for this version. The current

maintenance contract allows the company to freely upgrade to the most current version but there

is a caveat to any upgrade plans. The versions beyond release 6.5.4 rely on either Microsoft SQL

(MSSQL) or Oracle SQL to be the database engine. The version currently installed requires a no

longer supported database engine called Unify SQLBASE (Gupta, 2007). Infor recommends

installing MSSQL for any upgrade, which would require a migration between from SQLBASE to

MSSQL database engine.

11

The need to convert the data from one database engine to a complete different

architecture poses various data translations issues, along with needing to convert from one table

data type to another data type. It is akin to translating from one language to another, but needing

to maintain 100% accuracy or the ERP software will not function correctly. This is the main

hindrance to any plans to continue using the Infor software, along with needing a plan to mitigate

an estimated 9% data corruption within the previous 12 years of stored data.

The Solidworks PDM software has been pushed beyond the designed limits of its

recommended design. The currently running version of the management software was designed

for a small workgroup of 2-6 users and a database size of 10 Gigabytes (Dassult Systems, 2013).

The currently implementation has 8-12 concurrent users and a database size approaching 110

Gigabytes (TASHAUS, 2013). The company has received warnings from the software’s local

support division, Graphic System (GRX). That our performance will degreed exponentially as it

is continued to be used. System refreshes and restarts of the software are taking between five and

six hours, which is multiplied by each engineer downtime, which quickly adds up to a significant

amount of lost productivity as the universe of parts in the software is not available for use.

Company XYZ currently pays $19,000 yearly for support from GRX, which has started to

exhibit increased support times due to the nature of our installation (Graphic Systems 2012-

2013). GRX has recommended that given the size and growth over the past two years that the

company should upgrade to the Enterprise version of the software, at a cost of $60,000.

Statement of the Problem

Should the company invest the time and money into upgrading both, one or neither of

these systems? Given the current nature of the business, would it be a benefit to continue using

these software platforms or invest in another package which may have more benefits or invest in

12

training and upgrading the current systems. Indecision in this matter could lead to a serious loss

of data and productivity if these systems go offline with no available higher level support.

Purpose of the Study

Expanding the understanding of the details or requirements to perform the proposed

upgrades to the software which critical business systems run is mandatory to give a clear set of

upgrade options. Given the nature of the business, and assuming the company’s inter-

departmental business practices are fully detailed and have been vetted for redundant tasks, and

streamlining (Pomfret , 2009). The focus of any study would be one options for maximizing

potential and minimizing cost. The objectives of this study and to determine if the current

software meets the needs of the business, is cost efficient, and is flexible enough to meet the

nature of the company. It will determine a best possible path for meeting all those objectives.

Assumptions of the Study

It is being assumed that the company has already established that current business

practices are solid and a good foundation to build upon. In addition, it is assumed that the

hardware and network infrastructure will take place in a virtual environment, and enough

operation system licenses are available to manage the servers.

Definition of Terms

Database Engine. Software which manages the creation, updating, and deletion of data

from a database. This study will focus on the challenges in migrating between two opposing

database engines.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Integrates system of software modules which

allow real time viewing of core business processes. The ERP will refer to the main software

which manages production, purchasing, sales, material and accounting functions.

13

Software Life Cycle. Different states of development, release and retirement of versions

of software. According to Wikipedia the last state of a software’s life cycle is end-of-life which

means that the product has outlived its useful life and will no longer be supported.

Software Maintenance. Support paid annually by the company to the vendor to

maintain modifications, and support for defects or errors.

Limitations of the Study

The limitations of this study will not include paths in which costs will exceed five years

of software maintenance for a given software product. The results will not be the only path, but

a recommendation which can be modified by the company’s leadership team.

Methodology

The rest of this document will detail a literature review on procedures which have been

tested for migrating data. The study will focus on concerns in migrating data from SQLBASE to

MSSQL and will discuss case studies in upgrading or reimplementation of Solidworks PDM.

The recommendations for both solutions will be found in this document for independent cross-

review.

14

Chapter II: Literature Review

Should the company invest the time and money into upgrading both, one or neither of

these systems? This is a question that Company XYZ should take a detailed look at. The

elements that put together a successfully implementation are immense but can be narrowed down

to detailing the process, looking at successful case studies, and detailing the technical

information. By working within the framework of companies that have had positive results in

the Visual software, a more successful implementation can occur.

Process for ERP Upgrade

The planned process for upgrading an ERP software has been known to contain

numerous pitfalls which can be avoided by precise preparation. Most companies plan at great

expense to verify that any impending implantation or upgrade is successful but yet it is reported

that between 75 (Hong & Kim, 2002; Retting, 2007) and 90 (Scott & Vessey, 2000; Martin,

1998) percent of all implementation end with the impression of being unsuccessful. This

percentage should be taken as a generalization because the definition of unsuccessful will vary

widely from person to person.

The process of upgrading critical business software has a proven history with several

manufactures to draw best practices and conclusions from, but according to Catersel the rate of

failures is not decreasing with time as it logically should as procedures become more refined and

tested (Castersels, Helms, & Batenburg, 2009). The reasons for this trend have been reported

broadly over several different fields and a few common trends emerged which will aid in any

large upgrade project in the application of what to expect and causes of failures.

The common trends that have started to emerge have become a familiar warning bell to

project managers when dealing with a software upgrade of this magnitude. One of these top

15

trends is that when finalizing an upgrade on new software it is never tested with a full

complement of end users. When first installed any system can maintain a few users but the

system should be tested as if it were handing 100%-130% of normal capacity (Otieno, 2010).

This is typically called stress testing and can often make small insignificant anomalies widen into

those which will cause downtime when brining the software online.

Along with stress testing the physical hardware, the process of bringing the new software

online should be tested, and then refined and tested again. This is called doing a ‘Mock go Live”

(Scanlon, 2012). This allows unforeseen complications to be detected and a plan of action

created for dealing with these when the costs and risks are very low. If these issues presented

themselves on the implementation date it has the potential of disrupting any number of timelines

and may even cause the failure of the upgrade. Some of the issues which cause the

implementation to fail often can be traced back to the data. Doing a intensive analysis of the

data, to remove corrupt and malformed pieces before bringing them over to a new system has the

possibility of delaying the schedules go live date or creating incorrect numbers, analysis or

production times. The corrupt data often goes hand in hand with the failure to review business

practices. (Bosilj-Vuksic & Spremic, 2004)

Framework for Upgrading ERP

The Infor Visual Enterprise ERP has a history of successful upgrades and

implementations to draw up when creating a project plan. Some of these successful case studies

show that the software is a good fit for the type of manufacturing that Company XYZ has been

successful at. For example when Walworth, a fluid control manufacturer upgraded their system

software to the latest version, they standardized their reporting software and then focused on

verifying the financial information in a test environment before going live (Visual, 2009).

16

Similar to Company XYZ, Walworth needed to continue supporting a manufacturing

environment which consistently delivered a high level of customization. By following the

structured implementation project guidelines Walworth was able to speed up their monthly

closing of financials with little downtime.

In comparison Termo Fabrication, a manufacturer of plastic enclosure for industry,

focused on the ability to manage their production schedule to implement an easy lean

manufacturing environment (Visual, 2007). They tested their implementation in a live test

environment which provided their users with needed familiarity as well as to receive feedback

using live data alongside their current scheduling and purchasing software to fine tune the

installation. Termo Fabrication was able to do this 39 days after signing the contract, a full 50

days earlier than the planned go live date but having the schedule set, communicating to their

employees, and quickly addressing corrupt data. This allowed them to quickly increase sales and

turn-around time on products which speed up the return on investment.

Along with the previous two case studies, Graphicast, a premier supplies of zinc

aluminum alloy casting, focused on the need to trim consumption and leverage the ability to

simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios with their production schedule. They teamed up with the local

Visual consultant and were able to quickly schedule an implementation. By doing an analysis of

their business practices they were able to reduce time involved to manufacture a product, and the

amount of capital tied up in WIP. This allowed Graphicast to re-invest that capital back into the

company, and reduce overtime by $100,000 (Infor 2012). This reinforces the need to have a

structured plan in place, and the ability to quickly address problems as they occur.

When Darmex, a high-quality chemical manufacture, wanted to upgrade their current

Visual Installation to the most recent version to help meet their ISO9000 certification goals they

17

contacted a set of consultants to help aid in the implementation. The consultants analyzed the

company’s business practices, and the need for a material planning software to work in

conjunction with Darmex theory of constraints philosophy poised a challenge. The management

team worked quickly with the consultants to mitigate any issues with their Item Master to help

reduce the manufacturing cost per unit (Synergy Resources, 2009). By following the advice of

the consultant’s project manager, and taking the analysis seriously Darmex was able to

implement on schedule with little additional issues afterword. The attention given to verifying

that the data within the system was accurate before processing the upgrade allowed Darmex to

bring the complex concurrent manufacturing scheduler online ahead of schedule. By doing this

it saved the company costs on shipping overseas to more than 30 countries.

The complex project planning did not go unnoticed to UPCO a leading US manufacture

of oil field equipment. Their unique line of capital equipment often had long project deadlines,

with many elements coming together at once, of which any part could delay the end shipment.

UPCO noticed in advance that they needed to implement a resource planning system to meet the

expected growth it was receiving but couldn’t find the capacity to process (Visual Business

Systems 2011). The UPCO did an intensive two day assessment of the manufacturing floor and

received a detailed report on how to and ERP could plan capacity. The project would change the

way business was done on the production floor and received feedback from employees which

they took the time to address, explain why and what was going on. After implementation they

were able to meet 100% of their expected work as well as increasing capacity within the

production floor by 35%.

The path for upgrading any critical piece of business intelligence software should follow

a few steps to help aid in the success of the project. It is imperative that the need for upgrading

18

the software be explained to the end users and their questions should be addressed in a timely

manner. This is a critical mistake that many companies disregard which breaks down the

communication with and within departments and tends to generate an “Us vs Them” mentality

between management and workers (Boweman, 2005). By creating this type of intercompany

environment it often leads to incomplete tasks, and/or data integrity errors. Either one can

quickly derail a schedule, and the eventual implementation. The previous case studies detail

benefits to have a robust testing environment for users to access real production data, and testing

the critical modules that they would be using. Communicating and setting up the test

environment will reduce the risk to two of the most common mistakes which undermine an ERP

upgrade process (Herring & Scanlon, 2013).

The case studies and their results offer a glimpse to what sort of items create the

framework to build a solid foundation for upgrading or implementation. The participation of

management and project managers is essential (Wenrich, 2007) for a successful project. By

communicating the intended goals, and having a path for user feedback, many user created issues

can be accommodated before they transform into lost productivity and push back deadlines

which both have their own unique effects on the workplace.

Technical Elements of the Upgrade.

The technical elements in converting the database engine from SQLBase to Microsoft

SQL (MSSQL) are more finite than they are with the previous generation of database engines

and require the ability to stream a connection between both databases, then read, convert and

insert each record into the new database. The need to upgrade the database engine is determined

as the base requirements for any further upgrades of the Visual Enterprise ERP (Infor, 2006)

19

require MSSQL database engine as SQLBase has reached the end of the life cycle in relation to

Infor’s Visual Enterprise and is no longer supported.

The way each database engine operates when processing records differs immensely.

Current the SQLBase engine processes changes and record selection on the client or user’s

computer. This has been known to cause an apparent slowness to the end user (Manage Engine,

2011-2012) when using remote workstation, connected via a wireless connection or if the

application is operation on older computer hardware. This is because the software is making

several connections to the server when transferring records between the user’s computer and the

database. The application slows down as it needs to wait for a response from the database with

each request for a new record. These requests could number in the several thousand with each

session.

When using a modern SQL server like MSSQL the background operations are contained

on the database server rather than the end users machine (Sun) The program ask the server to

make a selection of records then compiles them in a data packet to send to the end users machine

in a single transmission or batches of transmissions instead of individual transitions back and

forth as with SQLbase. A recent survey of case studies of companies who switched to MSSQL

report the ability to process up to 19 times the workload than before (Microsoft, 2012). In

addition to the workload, it also offers a set of standards used by many third party applications,

which is a noted key step to having a successful implementation (Herring & Scanlon 2013). The

conversation is without its own concerns because both databases store records differently.

Data Conversions Issues

Converting between the two database element requires custom program to first make a

connection to the existing SQLBase database, read the record, covert the data into an acceptable

20

type before inserting it into the new MSSQL database. This process has been accomplished

before but companies are reluctant to offer up proprietary software without a cost, but there is an

involved technical community online which has discussed the issues which will be encountered.

The first major data conversion to be addressed is the way that each database managed

time format. SQLBase stores the time in a long format which is formatted in 24 hour military

time up to the millisecond. MSSQL reciprocating database field only records the data and not

the time, and an inline converting of the time at record insert is not allowed (PetedeLux, 2008).

To convert the data it first must be read into a string format, then using a function trim off the

preceding time from the end of the string until only the date remains. Then when inserting the

string MSSQL will do an inline convert to the proper date field.

The next issue is very similar in nature in the way each system stores long binary text

data. Within SQLBase it converts text into a binary format before storing in a basic binary

format field. MSSQL does not have a comparable data type but it essentially stores binary data in

an image format (Juststarted, 2007). Since this has become common, Microsoft built in the

feature to do an inline convert of a string, but not the binary data directly. Using a similar

process to the long date, a program will read the binary data from the server then convert it to a

string. It then formats the string to remove special text characters which may cause data

corruption errors before inserting into MSSQL.

Processing the database upgrade is a technical problem and can be remedied by an

efficiently writing database conversion utility. During the analysis done by Company XYZ’s

management in the fourth quarter of 2011 it was shown that although there was an abundance of

historical data stored in the ERP, there was also a high percentage of errors associated with the

21

input of bad data (Roberto, 2012). The conclusion was confirmed by a review of the support

ticket logs in relation to fixing incorrect values within the database during 2011-12.

The analysis showed three common errors which accounted for the biggest loss of time

and money as determined by how long it took to reverse the error and what the consequences

were to the company if the error was not discovered. The two primary consequences of not

correcting data error where a reduction in the trust of any analysis of data stored within it and

costing the company unnecessary resources in terms of capital (Babu, Borisov, Mandagere &

Uttamchandani, 2011). It is also reasonable to conclude that if enterprise level servers with error

correcting memory are used to store the database software, it would greatly if not entirely

eliminate the likelihood of hard induce errors. When taking the hardware out of the equation it

leave the human element which accounts for most of the data errors reported.

Data Corruption

The data corruption that accounted for the top three spots on the report was caused by

human error and should have been caught if standard business workflow procedures were

followed. This shows that during the upgrade process, these elements should be addressed as

efficiently as possible to ensure a successful upgrade. The dates which mark milestones for

production and purchasing when creating a customer order often showed an incorrect date, or a

malformed date such as 2102 instead of 2012 or 15/9/2012 instead of 9/15/2012. These dates are

used to make run purchasing decisions on when to order parts for manufacturing when

production times are measured in terms of months. With incorrect dates raw materials and

specific parts are not ordered on time or all (Perry, 2013). Because of these errors Company

XYZ’s purchasing has made the decision to not follow the inputted purchase date after missing

several critical purchases dates and now requires all purchased items to be onsite on the date that

22

the order is ready to start production instead of when the part is being placed within the order

which could be several months later. This has the side effect of tying up capital with expensive

custom inventory parts which sit on the production floor for months before being used.

Multiple instances of incorrect multipliers and labor costs have been entered into

manufacturing operations which calculate the cost of parts for sales and engineering. Normally

these tables are protected by a robust security system where only specific users have access to

make changes (Goel, Kiran & Garg, 2011). One such incident was discovered during end of

month accounting in October 2011 which showed a part having been created, and the

engineering master associated with that part had a multiplier of 2.1 instead of 3.1 Such an error

caused the ERP to undervalued the part by 33% and reduced labor costs associated with the part.

The profit margin on such a part was in the mid 20%. This means the company lost on every

order which included this part. The error was traced back and it had been in place for two years

resulting in several thousand dollars of loss because of a data error. The error was caused by

multiple people having security access to change costing numbers within an item master.

The item master within the ERP software is used as a driver for nearly all modules and

correct maintenance of this area ensures that small changes do not ripple through the

organization (O’Leary, 2004). Incorrect or misunderstood changes will have effects unseen if

not done but an experienced user. During a cycle count of raw materials in June 2013 it was

noticed that the unit of measurement was changed on a raw copper that was ordered in pounds

and the unit was switched to kilograms. It was discovered that it had only been in place for

about a week and it was revered without any major consequence. This changed had already

caused orders for material to be incorrect, which would have cause a delay because of lack of

materials. Another side effect was that the price of the copper was never updated with the

23

change, which means work orders showed less material required, artificially inflating the profit

margin on advanced orders.

Equally important is the need to detail Company XYZ’s business procedures which can

be the source of corrupt data. Doing a detailed analyses of how information is entered into the

ERP will often uncover unforeseen problems which can be corrected early in the process. One

of the common reasons this needs to be done is there was a mentality in the past that top level

leadership decided how they wanted to do business and then picked a software package. This

practiced was changed when the age of modern ERP systems came of age (Tsai, Chen, Hwang &

Hsu, 2010). Although most are flexible to a certain degree there are those embedded elements

which are written as the core to best business practices. There needs to be an honest discussion

among top management to matching business process to the company’s ERP, which if not done

could derail the implementation.

By modeling the business practices to the ERP model Company XYZ can take advantage

of the tested best practices already implemented into the software though years of trial and error.

By conforming the business procedures to the model the ERP details it often lowers the cost of

implementation (Bosilj-Vuksic & Spremic, 2004) as well as brings a spotlight on the

organization as a whole. An often overlooked benefit of conforming to the model is being able

to take advantage of the wide knowledge base of existing users who often have already asked

many of the questions and tested the answers. By limited the scope to only the ERP system that

meet 90-100% of the company’s practices would do a disservice to Company XYZ’s ability to

move ahead in its industry.

The case studies have shown that paying attention to several factors can make or break

and ERP upgrade. By looking at the previous example it shows that detailing a project path and

24

communication are key elements that go along with the technical aspects of the endeavor. The

technical elements need to be tested ahead of time and their results verified before

implementation. By doing so it could head off major time consuming issues later when going

live with the system.

25

Chapter III: Methodology

The possibility of incorrect information generating reports being considered accurate

drives a need to verify the data which the organization uses to reinforce business decisions. One

option which holds an end result of updating Company XYZ’s ERP to a modern database engine

to improve the efficiency also includes the added benefit of requiring a complete validation of

the production database before being able to convert into a new database. To assess the validity

of the database before conducting any analysis of upgrade possibilities, a study should be

conducted which will cycle the individual records though the conversion verification process.

Data Sample Environment

The sampling data for the analysis needs to be a recent replica of the production database

used by Company XYZ. In addition, to successfully analyze the data a replication of the

production environment also needs to be generated. This environment will be isolated from

other users, and have the ability to be refreshed with current data on a regular basis. The rational

for creating this environment is to ensure no tampering would occur to clean up inconsistent

data, and to identify the work procedures, or business practices which may be the source of any

data anomalies. By identifying repeated incorrect information entered into the database, then the

method of entry can then be scrutinized and replicated to verify if it is the procedure or a

software related issue. If when collecting examples for analysis, users can correct or change

entries it would be detrimental to any findings of the root cause of the inconsistencies.

In addition the test environment would be isolated from the production environment

when running detailed database queries which could have the side effect of impacting the

responsiveness of the production environment. These data collection queries could take several

minutes each and would prevent other users from accessing the same resources, thereby slowing

26

down production. There is a chance that during the collection of data that the database engine

would stop responding and lock out all users. If this were to happen in a production

environment, it would delay several departments and users, in addition to possibly generating

abnormal data during the instance.

Data Collection

To quickly and accurately conduct the analysis, the test environment must be configured

with access to the database’s administration account. These credentials should not be similar to

the current production administration account. Using the administrator’s account the data

collection software will perform a series of database integrity checks as detailed by the vendor to

verify the integrity of the data before the conversion. When anomalies are detected, an event

will be recorded which will at a minimum collect the source table, columns that contained the

inconstancy and the complete record which will be recorded in comma separated value (.csv)

format.

Data Analysis Methods

Every event triggered will be sorted by the table within the database in which the event

originated and then imported into Microsoft Excel. The analysis would narrow in on events of a

similar nature and identify the method of input. To do this the current work instructions for that

department would be followed to verify whether the inconstancy was a product of the end user or

can be attributed to the software. After identification of the bad data, a correct update scrip

would be generated so that the process of vetting ay upgrade could continue.

Summary

The end point of conducting this analysis is to identify the sources of corrupt data within

the database. This isn’t designed to change established business procedures but to report on the

27

sources impeding the process of upgrading the software and providing accurate reporting. The

results shouldn’t be taken as the only solution but a possible path for upgrading the software.

28

Chapter IV: Results

Start with another introduction, you might briefly reiterate the purpose of the study and

how it was conducted, e.g. a survey was given…. Your sub-headings for this chapter also will

vary considerably: some people use each question as a sub-heading and some don’t. If you do

use each question as a sub-heading, write out the question rather than just “Question 1.” The

purpose is to provide the reader with at- a-glance information about the nature and scope of your

paper.

Item Analysis

Use tables when appropriate, but don’t overuse them or discuss the whole table in text.

Discuss the high points in text, providing the table for further details. All tables should conform

to the APA style manual (see pages 125-150). See pages 6 and 7 of this document for more

information about tables as well as an example. Tables are different than figures, name and refer

to them appropriately. Information about figures can be found beginning on page 150 of the APA

manual.

There is no hard rule as to whether a summary at the end of this chapter should be

provided since chapter 5 is often a summary. Discuss this with your advisor.

29

Chapter V: Discussion

Again, start with an introduction. Summarize what has happened in your paper so far.

This chapter will also vary considerably in headings and organization; what follows is a

suggestion or possibility.

Limitations

State them again.

Conclusions

Hit the high points of your findings. There should be a relationship to the literature

review: did your study correlate with previous research or did you find something different?

Recommendations

Recommend some further research or a change in practices.

30

References

Babu, Shivanth & Borisov, Nedyalko & Mandagere, Nagapramod & Uttamchandani, Sandeep (April 2011). Dealing Proactively with Data Corruption: Challenges and Opportunities. Data Engineering Workshops (ICDEW), 2011 IEE 27th International Conference.

Bloomer, Naomi VBS (Feb 2013). Personal Communication

Bosilj-Vuksic, Vesna & Spremic, Maro (Sept2004). ERP System Implmentation and Business Process Change: A Case Study of a Pharmaceutical Company. Journal of Computing and Information Technology.

Bouwman, H. & Van Den Hoof, B. & Van De Wijngaert, L. & Van Dijk, J. (2005). Information and Communication Technology in Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

C. Rettig, The Trouble With Enterprise Software, MIT Sloan management review. Volume 49,Issue 1,pp.21-27,(2007).

Catersels, R & Helms, R.W. & Batenburge, R. (July 2009). Exploring the gap between the practical and theoretical work of ERP implementation: results of a global survey. University Partnership with M&I Partners. Netherlands.

Dassault Systems, (2013). PDM System Requirements Retrieved from: http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/pdmsystemrequirements.html

Goel, Shivani & Kiran, Ravi & Garg, Deepak. (Dec 2011). A framework for efficient enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation in technical educational institutions. African Journal of Business Management, Vol 5(34). Pp. 12197-13204). Doi:10.5897/AJBM11.1349

Graphic Systems (2012-2013). Review of Service Tickets

Graphic Systems (March 2013). Personal Communication

Gupta Technology(2007). Leveraging the Benefits of SQLBASE 11 in Database Applications. Retreived from: http://www.guptatechnologies.com/downloads/Leveraging_the_Benefits_of_SQLBase_11_White_Paper.pdf

Herring, Kevin and Scanlon, Shawn (May 2013). Ten Critical ERP Upgrade Mistakes. Retrieved from: http://jdedwards.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/10-critical-erp-upgrade-mistakes Infor Enterprise Software Solutions. (2006). System Requirements for Installation. New York, NY.

Infor Business Systems (2010) Graphicast Inc Upgrade Case Study.

31

J.E. Scott and I. Vessey, Implementing Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: The Role of Learning from Failure, Information Systems Frontiers. Volume 2,Issue 2,pp.213-232,(2000).

Juststarted. (2007, Oct 1). SQL Binary data (image type). Message Posted to: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/8beaaccb-9c3b-4e0b-85cc-1d041c6c6ded/sql-binary-data-image-type-into-ms-word?forum=vbinterop

K.K. Hong and Y.G. Kim, The critical success factors for ERP implementation: an organizational fit perspective, Information & Management. Volume 40,Issue 1,pp.25-40,(2002).

M.H. Martin, Smart Managing, Fortune. Volume 137,Issue 2,pp.149-151,(1998).

Manage Engine. (2011-2012). Review of Help Desk Tickets – Software.

Microsoft Corp (March 2012). Bet on Soft – Case Study. Retrieved from: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?CaseStudyID=710000000130

O’Leary, Daniel E. (2004). Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems: An Empirical Analysis of Benefits. Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting. Vol. 1 pp. 63-72

Otieno, Jim (April 2010). Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Implementation and Upgrade (A Kenyan Study). Retrieved from: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/6458/1/JOTIENO-THESIS.pdf

Perry, James (June 2013). Personal Communication.

PetedeLux. (2008, Nov 10). Centura Sqlbase to SqlServer 2005. Message Posted to: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/f726d46e-13c7-4f1b-bde1-af4ed4aeca8c/centura-sqlbase-to-sqlserver-2005?forum=sqlintegrationservices

Pomfret, Dorothea (2009). Lean Project Management: a Study of Application Retrieved from: http://www.pmi-sic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&Itemid=999

Roberto, Jim. (Oct 2012). Personal Communication.

Scanlon, Shawn (July 2012). Simple steps to keep your next ERP upgrade eon time and budget. Retrieved from: http://www.networkworld.com/news/tech/2012/073012-erp-upgrade-261278.html

32

Sun (n.a.) Server Side and Client Side Processing. Retrieved from: http://gis.opkansas.org/website/jsp_tutor/lesson2_compare.htm

Synergy Resources (2009). Darmex Case Study.

TASHAUS. (Feb 2013). System overview and stress testing. Appleton WI.

Tsai, Wen-Hsien & Chen, Shu-Ping, & Hawng, Elliot & Hsu, jui-Ling (Sept 2010). A study of the impact of Business Process on the ERP System Effectiveness, Internationa journal of Business and Management. Volume 5, No. 9

Visual Business Systems (2007). Termo Fabrication Upgrade Case Study

Visual Business Systems (2011). Upco Implementation Case Study

Visual Business Systems (2009). Walworth Implementation Case Study

Wenrich, Kristi. (2007). Lessons Learned During a Decade of ERP Experience: A Case Study. International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems. Retrieved from: http://www.irma-international.org/viewtitle/3951/

33

Appendix A: An Introduction to APA Style and Research Paper FAQs.

You’ll find helpful resources for producing your paper at the URLs below

APA Style for UW-Stout Master’s Theseshttp://libguides.uwstout.edu/apa_thesis

Research Paper Frequently Asked Questionshttp://www.uwstout.edu/grad/faq_paper.cfm

34

Appendix B: How to Complete a Research Project

Complete a Research Project? Yes; you can do it!So now you’re in graduate school and expected to engage in a culminating research project and write a paper; you’re beginning to panic. We all know that stepping out of our comfort zone initiates a growth process and also increases our stress level. So how do you mitigate the amount of stress associated with the research project process? Here are some tips:

Find comfort in knowing you’re not alone and that scores of people just like you have successfully completed a research project/paper.

Surround yourself with supportive colleagues – classmates, faculty members, an adviser with whom you connect. You need a cadre of people to act as sounding boards, editors, word processing & statistical consultants, etc.

If you’re uncomfortable asking questions, conquer your fear; people become knowledgeable by asking questions – it’s what a graduate student is supposed to do. After all, if you knew all the answers you wouldn’t be in school!

Enough of the “warm, fuzzy” stuff; it’s time to get busy on that project!______________________________________________________________

Where do you start? First of all, understand WHY you’re writing this paper.Why Complete a Research Project and Write A Research Paper?The point of this piece of formalized instruction is to help you to understand how:

knowledge is created to find sources of “scholarly” information

o (Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not all free and available “on the web.” In fact, access to many of the most reliable sources of information are available only in electronic databases purchased – for large sums of money - by libraries for the use of faculty, students & staff at that institution)

to evaluate the reliability of information, i.e., whether items reported as facts have actually been proven to be true

to analyze and interpret literature to effectively express important ideas utilizing your insight and ability to analyze to contribute to a body of knowledge through research and presentation

How to Begin the Project? Read, Question, Take Notes and Record Citations1. As you progress through your coursework reading assignments including those in your

textbook, start paying attention to the topics that pique your interest. 2. Begin to identify principal authors and reference works about that topic either by

checking out the in-text citations, the references/bibliography section of the text you’re reading or by using library tools to identify relevant materials. Make friends with a Reference Librarian! S/he can be helpful in directing you to relevant materials.

35

How to Begin the Project? Read, Question, Take Notes and Record Citations (cont’d)3. As you begin retrieving documents; read the abstracts, they will help you weed out the

articles that are only peripherally related to your interest area. 4. Record the questions that come to you while reading. Read with a critical eye – don’t be

afraid to question the points the researcher is making, the methodology, etc.5. Notice how the paper is written. If you find a particularly good article in terms of style

and structure, use it as a model for your own paper6. After you’ve finished reading the article, make summary notes (in your own words

including agreements/disagreements you might have with the author) and record citations!

7. Narrow your focus down to one question. A typical research project answers one very narrowly focused question

How to Begin the Paper 1. Create an outline2. Utilize writing guides to help focus your writing and develop your ability to produce an

effective paper Numerous research paper writing guides are available. A helpful and practical guide that includes writing tips for all sections of the research paper, including tips for writing a quality literature review see:

Brightwell, G. (1998). Writing up Research: The Guidebook. Retrieved July 1, 2011 from Asian Institute of Technology, Language Center: http://www.ait.ac.th/education/LanguageCenter/ait-writing-services/guide-book/index.htm

NOTES: 1. The guide referenced above should be used to assist you in writing your paper. As it

does not use APA formatting style for references, it should not be used in lieu of the UW-Stout Thesis template for formatting your research paper.

2. For instruction in formatting your paper according to UW-Stout guidelines see the research paper template at : http://www.uwstout.edu/grad/research.cfm

3.

36

Appendix C: Crediting Sources - Quoting, Paraphrasing and Plagiarism

Building an accurate knowledge base is a labor-intensive, relatively slow process

that relies on the ethics of each researcher involved. In this electronic era it is easy,

accidently or purposefully, to cut and paste from the work of others and attribute those

ideas to one’s self.

In order to avoid that, every researcher needs to be confident in the methods used

to cite resources, i.e., giving credit to those who helped formulate the ideas outlined in a

paper. Following are excerpts from the American Psychological Association (APA)

Publication Manual (6th ed.) regarding the use of references.

Direct Quotations

Credit direct quotations of online material by providing the author, year, and page

number information in parentheses. Many electronic sources do not provide page

numbers. If paragraph numbers are visible, use them in place of page numbers. Use the

abbreviation para (p.171).

If headings are included in the paper, and neither paragraph nor page numbers are

visible, cite the heading and the number of the paragraph following it to direct the reader

to the location of the quoted material (p.172).

In some cases in which no page or paragraph numbers are visible, headings may

be too unwieldy to cite in full. Instead, use a short title enclosed in quotation marks for

the parenthetical citation (p. 172).

Paraphrasing

37

When paraphrasing or referring to an idea contained in another work, you are

encouraged to provide a page or paragraph number, especially when it would help an

interested reader locate the relevant passage in a long of complex text (p. 171).

Plagiarism

Authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own work. Whether

paraphrasing, quoting an author directly, or describing an idea that influenced your work,

you must credit the source. To avoid charges of plagiarism, take careful notes as you

research to keep track of your sources and cite those sources…(p. 170) .

GSResearchPaperTemplate8.30.2012.