INTEGRATION OF DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Abstract: A host system such as a performance management system (1) uses an integration engine (18) to automatically capture data from external systems such as a switch. The engine (18) allows the user to configure it for population of columns in a data container according to simple or advanced filtering mappings. Data is further consolidated according to agents in containers associated with the external systems. Data dictionary rules define how fields for information management function (6) are generated.

Description: "Integration of Data Processing Systems" INTRODUCTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to integration of data processing system to allow effective and automatic data transfer. An example is a performance management system capturing data from a switch, a work force manager, and other external systems. Prior Art Discussion Various mechanisms are known for transfer of data, such as flat (ASCII) file transfer and use of APIs. However, they do not provide for very comprehensive transfer of data in a versatile and automated manner to the extent that the systems are effectively integrated. Objects of the Invention An object of the invention is to provide an integration engine which performs data transfer in a manner which is sufficiently comprehensive and "intelligent" to. effectively integrate at least two data processing systems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided an integration engine for transfer of source data from a data processing external system to a data processing host system, the integration engine comprising:- a configuration function comprising means for defining the external system data to be exported, mappings to be applied to the exported data, and target locations in the host system for imported data, and an execution function comprising means for translating the mappings into executable program code, and for executing the code to import data into the host system. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for generating an external system dataset, mappings dataset, and a parameter value dataset. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for definition of target locations in the host system as data container columns. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for defining mathematical function mappings in which source data from a plurality of locations in the external system is processed. In one embodiment, the execution function comprises means for consolidating the imported data according to persons for whom there are records in the host system. In one embodiment, the execution function comprises means for writing the consolidated data to a plurality of data containers of which there is at least one per external system. In one embodiment, data associated with each person is written to a single dataset in each container. In one embodiment, the execution function comprises means for merging selected data from said containers into a single foreign data container comprising a single dataset per person. In one embodiment, the execution function comprises means for generating interfacing with an information management function of the host system to generate output results. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for defining filtering of the source data. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for storing mapping operator statement for mapping of data from an external system to a data container. In one embodiment, the configuration function comprises means for associating the statements 11 with parameter fields, having variable values. In one embodiment, the host system is a performance management system and the external system is a customer services system. According to another aspect, the invention provides a host system comprising:- an integration engine as claimed in any preceding claim, information management functions for processing the imported data. In one embodiment, the host system is a performance management system further comprising:- a call centre configuration function for configuring call centre parameters in a configuration dataset, and a data dictionary function for formulating under user instructions, calculation rules, value inputs for rules, and storage parameters for database fields. In one embodiment, the user interface, the configuration functions, and the performance management functions together have a structure of classes for instantiating objects in a user interface layer, a business logic layer, and a data services layer. In one embodiment, the business logic class instantiates business logic objects having code of a configuration or an information function, and means for terminating the object at the end of a user session. In one embodiment, the business logic layer executes on a business server. In one embodiment, the data services layer comprises a class for instantiating data services objects residing on a database server and means for terminating said objects after a user session. In one embodiment, the system comprises a transaction server for executing data services layer functions. In one embodiment, the transaction server comprises means for maintaining a pool of data services objects together and for maintaining a. pool of database connections. In one embodiment, dynamic library links for the objects are registered using proxy stub pairs on both a client and a server. In one embodiment, the integration engine comprises means for writing imported data to a foreign data table after execution of mappings and selection of particular fields, and in which the data is consolidated into one dataset per agent, and the information management functions comprises means for generating performance management results according to data definitions generated by the data dictionary function. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is an overview block diagram of a performance management system; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the physical architecture of the performance management system; Figs. 3 and 4 are sample screen shots illustrating operation of a data dictionary maintenance function; Figs. 5 and 6 are sample screen shots illustrating operation of an integration engine; Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating data transfer paths; and Figs. 8 to 10 are sample screens illustrating operation of the integration engine. Description of the Embodiments Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a performance management system 1 for the management of performance in a customer services environment and reporting on same. The system 1 interfaces with external performance measurement systems 2 comprising a switch 3, a work force manager 4, and third party systems 5 that store performance measurement data within a structured database and can produce reports on either employee, application, departmental or organisational performance. The system 1 comprises information management functions 6 which use data from a KPI (key performance indicator) table 10 and a results & ratings table 11 within a database 9 to perform calculations pertaining to individual performance of employees, in addition to the overall performance within the customer services centre. The information management functions 6 interact with an HTML user interface 7 to display to the end-user the results of the calculations performed on performance. The database 9 also contains configuration data tables 12. The contents of these tables allow the system 1 to be tailored to suit individual organisations, thus minimising the need for bespoke development of the system to suit particular business operations. The configuration data is captured through use of configuration functions 8, and a Windows™-based interface 13, which provides the user with a GUI to specify the unique characteristics of the organisation. At a high level, the database 9 captures raw data from the external systems 2 in a comprehensive and automated manner using an integration engine 18. The performance data is provided in real time via the HTML user interface 7 in response to appropriate requests /enquiries. The performance data may relate to individual customer service agents, to teams, or to overall departments and even site locations. Performance is measured against objectives set up during configuration, and also against KPIs. Like objectives, KPIs have targets but are not rated. However they do not relate to persons, but instead to an organisation or department as a whole. The architecture of the system 1 is shown in Fig. 2 It has a three-tier architecture, which consists of a user interface layer 15 supporting the interfaces 7 and 13, a business services layer 16 supporting the functions 6 and 8, and a data services layer 17 supporting the database 9 and the integration engine 18. The functions are instantiated as objects from user interface, business logic, and data services classes. Objects are instantiated for a task such as a user enquiry session a d are terminated at the end. User Interface Layer 15 There are two types of user interface as follows. The Browser Interface 7 This consists of a set of Web classes that reside on a Web server. Objects instantiated from these classes send HTML to a client browser. The primary role of the browser 7 is to view the data in a variety of ways i.e. graphically, tabular, by day, by month, by year. The browser front-end allows the measurement and management of performance. The measurement is by viewing the data in a variety of forms, and the management is by allowing the user to specify (according to his security privileges) targets, development plans, comments and even override results. The Web server interfaces with user Web clients 14. The Interface 13 This consists of a set of forms which reside in the user interface layer 15. It sends the configuration data directly to the business services layer. The primary role of the interface 13 is to configure the browser 7 and to determine the behaviour of the data within the system 1. The Windows interface allows 'tailoring' of the system to meet the specific requirements and characteristics of the contact management centre, thus omitting the need for expensive customisation of the product. Business Services Layer 16 This layer comprises a business server on which resides the functions 6 and 8. These functions perform all calculations and all validations The interface 13 directly accesses the business server whilst the interface 7 accesses the business server via the Web server. Data Services Layer 17 The data services layer 17 comprises a data server hosting the database 9. This layers performs data integration with the external systems. A data server hosts data services objects in addition to the actual database 9. The business server calls the data services object, which then in turn relrieve data from the database 9. The system 1 also comprises a transaction server. This handles all of the database transactions between the objects in the business layer and the objects in the data services layer. It holds a pool of objects together, maintains a pool of database connections, and allows improved scalability and performance Dynamic Library Links (DLLs) are registered using proxy stub pairs on both the servers and on the clients. When a function 6 requires the DLL, the proxy stub pairs direct the function to the DLL stored on the server. The proxy stub pairs therefore enable the objects to communicate with each other across multiple servers. The configuration functions 8 include a call centre configuration function, a hierarchy maintenance function, and a data dictionary maintenance function. The information management functions 6 handle aspects such as personal development, setting objectives for agents, and processing agent awards. The integration engine 18 together with the data dictionary function provide comprehensive data for the information management functions 6. The call centre configuration function is used via the Windows™ interface to construct the conceptual organisational hierarchy. The organisation can configure up to ten hierarchical levels. Fig. 3(a) shows an example for an organisation that has seven levels from agent through to the global organisation view. The screen of Fig. 3(b) then allows the user to determine functional access (at the browser end) to the various performance management functions for each level as specified in the system hierarchy in Fig. 3(a). This is inputted in a simple Yes/No cellular structure. Because the defined organisational hierarchy forms a basis for the operation of many other functions, amendments to the same can only be made by a senior systems administrator with the appropriate access and user rights. The call centre configuration function is coded in Visual Basic™ and refers to the characteristics of the customer services centre. After the call centre configuration has been defined a hierarchy configuration is then set up for each site using the hierarchy maintenance function. The fields completed for site configuration are call centre name, call centre ID, year and week start values, system days, close off data, currency mask and a moratorium value. The data dictionary maintenance function allows users to manipulate the measurement data that has been imported from the third party performance measurement systems. The primary purpose is to formulate the performance management system objective fields from all the data fields imported from the external third party databases or performance measurement systems. A sample screen is shown in Fig. 4(a), in which the user is creating a new data dictionary field that forms the measurement of schedule adherence (the percentage of time an agent actually spends signed-on to their phone against the time they were scheduled to be there). As illustrated, the user inputs a name description, associates the data dictionary field to a level in the hierarchy, and specifies the period against which the measurement data is captured. The level must be chosen from the set established when creating the organisation hierarchy. A second screen, shown in Fig. 4(b), is used to assign the data dictionary name to a database field or a combination of database fields and defining how these fields are to be calculated. The calculation is defined by a Value 1 /Operator/ Value 2 sequence. In the example Fig. 4(b), the user selects the field [fgn_value5] which relates to the actual time the agent was signed-in (taken from the ACD) and divides this by [fgn_value21] which relates to the amount of time they had been scheduled to be signed-in (taken from the Workforce Management System). The following table sets out the field descriptions in more detail. The following table sets out the command options. Fig. 4(c) shows an input screen used to define the data dictionaiy rules. These rules define how the result for the field is entered, displayed, and calculated. As illustiated in Fig. 4(c) the minimum and maximum values are set, as is the display mask. In this case ##% means that the result will be displayed as a % and rounded up with no decimal places. The over-ride check box allows the organisation to control whether or not these results can be over-ridden by a user's manager. The following table describes the inputs in more detail. The following are the command options The following are the business rules. Typical A data dictionary is to be created for Average Handling Time Scenario (AHT), this will also be later used as a Key Performance Indicator. The level for the AHT would have be the level higher than the highest level specified in Hierarchy Maintenance, i.e.: if the highest level in Hierarchy Maintenance was Organisation' at Level 7, then the Data Dictionary for AHT must be specified at Level 8. The following are the best practices. It will be appreciated that the information management functions 6 require a comprehensive range of import data to adequately perform the required processing with use of the data dictionary configuration. As stated above the imports are performed by the integration engine 18. The integration engine allows flexibility in the nature of valid source data systems. The integration engine 18 comprises a configuration function. This generates an integration folder comprising external systems, mappings, and parameters sub- folders. These sub-folders effectively configure the integration engine 18. The configuration function generates a display as shown in Fig. 5 for selection of the external system ODBC data source and to input the username, password, and additional parameters. This registers the external system. The configuration function then defines the external system data to be extracted in the form of mappings. The mappings are between one or more data sources of the external system and a data container column in the system database 9. Any SQL arithmetic may be applied under user instructions by the configuration function. The sample screen of Fig. 6 illustrates definition of a simple mapping in which data from two columns of the external system is added and the result imported into a data container column of the system 1. The mappings may perform filtering according to set criteria, in an "advanced" panel, described below. The integration engine 18 translates each configured mapping into an ODBC SQL statement for extraction system. All mappings are processed together so that the integration engine 18 generates the most efficient SQL statements so that data is extracted with execution of as few SQL statements as possible. This ensures that the import to the system 1 has the minimum impact on performance of the relevant external system. Referring now to Fig. 7, the external systems are indicted generally by the numeral 50. In a step 51 the SQL statements are executed to implement the defined mappings and transfer data to an ODBC container 52. The integration engine then in step 53 consolidates the imported data by employee and delivers the consolidated data to separate containers 54. The containers are in this embodiment SWTCHDATA, WFMDATA, and ACCSSDATA one for each external system The data is consolidated so that for each container each agent has only one row of data attributed to him/her. The consolidated data is delivered to the containers 54 according to a data container column configurator defined in a data container table. In step 55, the integration engine then merges selected data from these containers into an internal ForeignData Container table 56 consolidated into 1 row (made up of multiple fields) per employee. The merged data is then used for generating results in step 56 according to the data dictionary definitions 57. In more detail, the following are the field descriptions for the initial stage of configuring the integration engine for integration of a new performance management system with a switch. The following are the command options. Referring again to Fig. 5, this screen allows the user to specify a name for the external data source, and configure the external system by using either the data source or connection string. This screen is launched by activating the 'New' or 'Edit' command button from 'System' tab on the main screen. In a typical scenario, a call centre needs to interface a performance management system with their workforce management system. Therefore, the external systems configuration screen is launched from the main screen by activating the 'Add' command button. The user specifies the name of the external system as 'Workforce' and then decides how the external system should be configured by either entering the connection string or specifying the data source. The user selects a data source, and enters a username and password. To test that the username and password are correct the user activates the 'Connect' command button, which returns a dialogue box that the connection was successful. The following are the field descriptions. The following are the command options. Referring again to Fig. 6, this screen allows the user to map the external systems database columns with columns in the data containers. It also allows the call centre to associate a name with the column in the data container that would populate the DATAFIELDNAME table and hence be displayed to the user in the data dictionary maintenance. The screen also allows the user to specify formulae with the source data fields, so that the Acumen Data Containers can hold calculated data. This function allows this whilst ensuring that the minimum amount of SQL expressions are executed, hence optimising performance. In a typical scenario, a call centre needs to integrate a performance management system with their switch. Therefore, all the required fields within the switch need to be mapped onto the switch data containers. The implementation consultant would launch the screen of Fig. 6 and enter the name of the data field within the system 1 that the column in the switch would correspond to. The implementation consultant then selects the data container and column within the data container that the specified external system column is to be mapped to, and the measurement period for the data. The implementation consultant then specifies the source system as 'Switch' and selects the column within the table that needs to be mapped to the data container. By double clicking a column in the 'Column' list box, that column appears below in the column expression text box. The Consultant may use the 'Column' list box to double click a number of columns - successive columns appear in the column expression text box separated by pluses. For example, double clicking 'CD ZALL TLME' followed by 'CD_NUM_C ALLS' would result in 'CD_CALL_TIME + CD_NUM_CALLS'. The Consultant may then edit this to be 'CD_CALL_TIME / CD_NUM_CALLS'. The implementation consultant specifies for each table a unique identifier (Agent ID) for each agent. Also, if available, a date column within each table must be specified. The following are the command options. As stated above, the integration engine 18 provides for advanced mapping with complex filtering of source data. Referring to Fig. 8 a data container mapping screen is used when the 'Column Expression' functionality of the 'General' tab is insufficient to map the required data. Having configured all fields of the mapping on the general tab rather than using the Column Chooser Combo and Column Expression Text Box, the consultant uses the Advanced tab to define the data to be retrieved. The consultant enters an SQL 'select' statement that returns one 'column' of data - although that may be derived from a number of columns from one or more tables on the system. The consultant may also filter data to be returned by use of an SQL 'where' clause in the 'select' expression. In addition to entering valid SQL, the consultant may include parameters in the SQL text. Parameters are used to substitute variable values into the SQL expression. The parameter values may be changed as often as required and are substituted into the SQL expression just before it is executed during the overnight processing. Parameters are described in more detail below. In a typical scenario, the call centre may want to measure agents based on a 'compliance' form of data, for example, that the agent has not had more than three short calls. The consultant creates a new data field named 'Short Call Compliance' and chooses the data container, its column and measurement period. The system and table are chosen and then the Agent Id and Date columns are selected. The consultant wants to return a ' 1 ' where the number of short calls are less than or equal to three. The 'Advanced' tab is chosen and the consultant enters 'select 1 from DAGENT where SHORTFALLS <= 3'. Alternatively, the consultant may use a parameter instead of the constant '3' - e.g. 'select 1 from DAGENT where SHORTFALLS <= :MAX_SHT_C ALLS' The following describes the fields. The following are the command options. Referring to Fig. 9 a secondary screen for parameters is shown. Parameters may be used in the SQL entered by a consultant on the Advanced tab of the Data Container Mapping screen. The screen allows the user to view all the parameters configured within the system. The screen primary function is to maintain these data fields by allowing users to add, edit or delete data fields. There are several 'System' parameters such as ':EXTRACT_FROM_DATE' and ':EXTRACT_TO_DATE' that may not be edited or deleted from the system. In a typical scenario, a call centre wants to combine agent data between two days where an agent is working a nightshift. In this case, the Advanced SQL option is used and the consultant wants to filter data where the STARTTLME column is greater than or equal to the nightshift start time. Rather than including the current nightshift start time (2200) into the SQL expressions, a parameter named ':ShiftStart' is created with a value of 2200. The ': Shifts tart' parameter name is used in the SQL expressions. Later, the nightshift start time is changed to 2230 - the consultant only needs to change the parameter value. The following are the field descriptions. The following are the command options. Referring to Fig. 10 a sub-screen for specifying parameter properties is illustrated. This screen enables the user to alter the Name, Description, Type and Value of existing Parameters and to enter these details for new Parameters. It is launched by activating the 'New' or 'Edit' buttons of the Parameter browser. As an example, a consultant requires a parameter to be used in a Data Container Mapping's Advanced SQL statement. The 'New' button is activated on the parameter browser to display this screen. The user enters the parameter name starting with a colon, provides a description of the purpose of the parameter, selects the Numeric type and enters a numeric initial value for the parameter. The following are the field descriptions. The following are the command options. It will be appreciated that the invention provides for comprehensive integration of a system such as a performance management system with an external system. The integration engine 18 allows automatic and comprehensive transfer of data so that the systems are comprehensively integrated. This is important for optimum operation of the host system so that the fields are fully populated both with raw data and filtered or processed data. The integration engine 18 operates particularly well with the data dictionary of the host system. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described but may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims: Claims 1. An integration engine for transfer of source data from a data processing external system to a data processing host system, the integration engine comprising:- a configuration function comprising means for defining the external system data to be exported, mappings to be applied to the exported data, and target locations in the host system for imported data, and „ an execution function comprising means for translating the mappings into executable program code, and for executing the code to import data into the host system. 2. An integration engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuration function comprises means for generating an external system dataset, mappings dataset, and a parameter value dataset. 3. An integration engine as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the configuration function comprises means for definition of target locations in the host system as data container columns. 4. An integration engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuration function comprises means for defining mathematical function mappings in which source data from a plurality of locations in the external system is processed. 5. An integration engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the execution function comprises means for consolidating the imported data according to persons for whom there are records in the host system. 6. An integration engine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the execution function comprises means for writing the consolidated data to a plurality of data containers of which there is at least one per external system. 7. An integration engine as claimed in claim 6, wherein data associated with each person is written to a single dataset in each container. 8. An integration engine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the execution function comprises means for merging selected data from said containers into a single foreign data container comprising a single dataset per person. 9. An integration engine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the execution function comprises means for generating interfacing with an information management function of the host system to generate output results. 10. An integration engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuration function comprises means for defining filtering of the source data. 11. An integration engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the configuration function comprises means for storing mapping operator statement for mapping of data from an external system to a data container. 12. An integration engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the configuration function comprises means for associating the statements 11 with parameter fields, having variable values. 13. An integration engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the host system is a performance management system and the external system is a customer services system. 14. A host system comprising:- an integration engine as claimed in any preceding claim, information management functions for processing the imported data. 15. A host system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the host system is a performance management system further comprising:- a call centre configuration function for configuring call centre parameters in a configuration dataset, and a data dictionary function for formulating under user instructions, calculation rules, value inputs for rules, and storage parameters for database fields. 16. A performance management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the user interface, the configuration functions, and the performance management functions together have a structure of classes for instantiating objects in a user interface layer, a business logic layer, and a data services layer. 17. A performance management system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the business logic class instantiates business logic objects having code of a configuration or an information function, and means for terminating the object at the end of a user session. 18. A performance management system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the business logic layer executes on a business server. 19. A performance management system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the data services layer comprises a class for instantiating data sendees objects residing on a database server and means for terminating said objects after a user session. 20. A performance management system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the system comprises a transaction server for executing data, services layer functions. 21. A performance management system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transaction server comprises means for maintaining a pool of data services objects together and for maintaining a pool of database connections. 22. A performance management system as claimed in claim 16, wherein dynamic library links for the objects are registered using proxy stub pairs on both a client and a server. 23. A performance management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein: the integration engine comprises means for writing imported data to a foreign data table after execution of mappings and selection of particular fields, and in which the data is consolidated into one dataset per agent, and the information management functions comprises means for generating performance management results according to data definitions generated by the data dictionary function.

Inventors: MCGLOIN CATHAL, MCGLOIN RAYMOND, MCGLOIN, CATHAL, MCGLOIN, RAYMOND
Applicants: MCGLOIN CATHAL, MCGLOIN RAYMOND, PERFORMIX RES LTD, MCGLOIN, CATHAL, MCGLOIN, RAYMOND, PERFORMIX RESEARCH LIMITED
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: G06Q10, H04M3