- Broad Features
- Specific Features
- Login/Authorizations
-
Scorecards
- How does Scorecards work and how does Information get distributed?
- Can a user configure a new scorecard?
- Can a user share scorecards?
- Is there authorization at a scorecard level?
- Can a user edit an existing scorecard Scorecard?
- What information is typically distributed through scorecards?
- Can a User analyse information on a scorecard?
- Metrics
- Analysis/Analytic Tools
- Alerts/Monitors
- Collaboration
- Data Modeling
-
Dynamic Data Management
- How does MetrixTrack manage changing data structures- Product mix changes, team restructuring, Re-Organizations, Business Changes?
- How does MetrixTrack manage a new Data Source?
- How does MetrixTrack deal with unstructured data?
- How does MetrixTrack manage data retrieval when the Source Data changes its structure?
- Deployment
- Maintenance
- Pricing
-
Customization
- What if Users have specific customizations to be made! How does MetrixTrack handle it?
- Can MetrixTrack scorecards be customized to every individual user in an Enterprise, there could be 100's?
- How does MetrixTrack handle multiple business contexts on the same platform? Doesn't that require a lot of Customization as in traditional solutions?
Broad Features
What does MetrixLine do?- MetrixLine is a next generation Data2Metrics Company
- MetrixLine D2M Platform, converting Data collected across the enterprise to meaningful Metrics for every Manager
- MetrixLine products use newer technologies of data organization and calculation to make converting Data to Metrics/Information easy and simple for enterprises
- Enterprises use MetrixLine to solve their most complex data2metrics needs, where there are many data sources and the requirement to have real time metrics for decisions is very high
- MetrixTrack is the first of the Next Generation Data2Metrics Platform
- MetrixTrack does the following
- Collects data from multiple Data Sources in a fully automated way at multiple frequencies
- Organizes Data for Metrics delivery using proprietary MetrixLine IP based algorithms
- Transforms the data to Information and Metrics as per the needs of the Enterprise
- Presents the information through multiple formats of Scorecards, Reports, Dashboards, Alerts, Monitors etc.
- Provides Analytics tools to model and analyze Metrics
- Builds predictive intelligence and risk intelligence for the consumption of individual users
- Enterprises using MetrixTrack move from a very manual, multi layered data extraction and presentation to a totally automated, highly configurable, sophisticated platform with far superior individualization and Analysis Tools
- MetrixTrack is a Web based delivery platform. It is an Enterprise Metrics Portal
- MetrixTrack operates as a Central Intelligence Portal for the entire Enterise covering all the functions of the Business
- Managers can login and access all the relevant Metrics from any part of the Organization over the Web
- Enterprises get the benefit of a Centralized Metrics Intelligence Portal for all Metrics spread across the Organization giving the Power of information to Everyone through simple access.
- MetrixLine has the unique capability of serving all verticals and all horizontal layers of an organization through a centralized Metrics platform
- MetrixLine serves the needs of all Business Managers, Product Managers, Financial Controllers, Production Managers, Operations Managers, Process Efficiency Managers who need Metrics to take the right decisions
- MetrixLine meets the needs of Executives, Middle Managers, Program Coordinators, Process Managers, Location Managers, Team Leaders and all layers which look at Metrics for their job functions
- Enterprises using MetrixTrack can now get a central Metrics server, Organization views combining all functions of sales, production, service, etc all in one picture.
- MetrixTrack also stores history to ensure no knowledge at any level or vertical is lost.
Specific Features
How does MetrixTrack get data across the Organization?- MetrixTrack uses a Connector Module to go out and fetch data from various data sources (Databases, Applications, Spreadsheets, Emails, File Folders etc.)
- MetrixTrack Connectors are preset to frequencies of data updates, hence to ensure that the final Metrics delivered are up to date/time
- The Connector module uses the transport layer most viable over JDBC/ODBC, API etc.
- Enterprises using MetrixTrack clearly save a lot of effort and costs (not measuring the efficiencies) of automated data collection. This resolves the big issue of information distrust as it is automated completely.
- MetrixTrack has a unique and smart technology to organize data
- Data comes in from multiple sources. MetrixTrack organizes the data around intelligence of the Metrics Context rather than database normalization
- Organized data is run through calculation algorithms configured to deliver the metrics
- Metrics and Intelligent use of Metrics are easily configured by the user
- Enterprises clearly benefit from this very smart, very short, very clean and simple "raw data" to "Information" transformation cycles
- This normalization and transformation which has traditionally been very effort intensive and time consuming is reduced to hours and days due to effective use of technology
- MetrixTrack has the capability to centrally deliver pin pointed customized information to every individual manager across the enterprise in real time
- MetrixTrack uses a configurable scorecarding framework to have individual Users configure the metrics and information for their tasks
- MetrixTrack User Interface is configurable to the extent that new Scorecards and Dashboards can be configured by users on the fly without any requirement of tech or specialized resources
- MetrixTrack uses best in class presentation tools like charts, tables, graphs, dials, 3D Charts, and many more tools used in Corporate environments to understand data
- Users in an enterprises find the Presentation layer extremely effective as they don’t have to define new projects and look for resources to define new scorecards, reports or dashboards
Login/Authorizations
If MetrixTrack is a Central Intelligence Server - How does it manage authorization to data across the organization?- MetrixTrack has a very comprehensive and deep authorization framework, make it a very viable Central Repository of all Enterprise Intelligence
- Metrics and Information is stored based on contexts and hence providing authorizations to individual managers for their specific contexts is possible
- For Example, A Team Manager can be authorized to view only the Team Metrics and a Marketing Manager can be authorized to view only specific Marketing Metrics
- Enterprises benefit from providing Authorization based Metrics to every Manager and is managed through a very simple Admin UI
- MetrixTrack is capable of defining Authorization at individual levels, vertical levels and horizontal levels
- MetrixTrack can roll up Authorization to Information/Metrics where Metrics aggregate at every higher level
- MetrixTrack can horizontally build Authorization levels to ensure roll-up aggregations happen across all verticals and horizontal levels are maintained
- Enterprises use this authorization framework to define scorecards at an individual level, define scorecards for multiple levels and have individuals access a particular level or any combination of verticals and the above.
- MetrixTrack uses its very unique multidimensional multi variant algorithm to organize Metrics and information
- This permits MetrixTrack to authorize users to access data at the lowest level to a combination at the highest level
- Individual users can see only their Information, Team Managers can view Metrics only for their teams and A Product manager can have access to the specific team at a specific location within the Product Organization
- This ability to give focused information access to multiple users within the organization makes it comprehensive and a true Enterprise solution for information dissemination
Scorecards
How does Scorecards work and how does Information get distributed?- Scorecards are snapshots of information Users view within a context, they are also called dashboards
- Users can define what information are to be viewed in each Scorecard and how (breakdowns, trends, comparatives etc.)
- Users build these scorecards through very simple UI and then categorize them as per their decision requirements and build the framework of categories
- user driven intelligent categorization of configured scorecard is a big cost and effort savings from the traditional reports without history
- All Metrics and Information is updated in the scorecard frameworks which users build for themselves as data is updated in the backend data sources
- On MetrixTrack, users build their own scorecards and maintain the Scorecard Category framework from within the Metrics Framework delivered
- Users configure Metrics and Analysis, edit existing Scorecards using simple UI and logical work benches
- From within the framework of Metrics already within MetrixTrack, users can completely configure all their scorecards
- Enterprises find this to be a big cost and effort savings from the traditional approach of having to configure and deliver every new report or report changes
- Users can configure a sharing network for the Scorecards configured through Email, Login based sharing, Alerts based sharing, Annotation based collaboration and many other sharing tools
- Users can configure a scorecard to reach an email mailbox of multiple users at pre-scheduled times and frequencies so that updated scorecards reach individual mailboxes
- Users can also extract scorecard information into xl sheets and share them
- Enterprises can create shared environments around Scorecards to make information gathering, updating and sharing very simple without any expensive collaboration effort
- Users can have multiple levels of sharing to make it convenient to share information at all levels
- Users can define View/Analyze/Edit rights to the other Users they share the information with
- Every User can define what level of sharing is permissible for each Scorecard within their framework, hence making it convenient to share the right information with the respective persons in the Organization
- Enterprises can build the Information sharing frameworks and still have individuals work within their own Information environments for faster and easier sharing of relevant information.
- Every user can use edit functionality to make changes to the scorecards authorized to the users workspace
- User can add/change/delete metrics onto any scorecard and create a completely customized picture to aid decisions
- User can use multiple Analytic Tools to analyze any Metric , Drill down, Define Trend windows, Correlations, Comparatives and paste them into any scorecard
- All these edits are automatically set-up for real time updates
- Enterprises benefit from this central and authorization based Platform to ensure that the overall effort and time to retrieve Metrics from multiple corners is reduced to configuring them once centrally and retrieving them easily from multiple users.
- Scorecards display Metrics which are simple to complex calculations of data from multiple sources
- Scorecards display Alerts and Monitors used to view different levels of optimizations on any Metric
- Scorecards display conversations various users have about certain Metrics which matter to multiple decision makers
- Scorecards can be configured to compare various metrics in the form of Charts (multiple types)
- Customized representations of Metrics and Analysis are also done by Users in an Enterprise
- MetrixTrack provides multiple Analysis and Statistical tools users can use across any metric in any scorecard
- Users can analyze a set of Data in a chart/representation or can pick any specific data point and run any Analysis tool
- For Example - User can run a Root Cause Analysis on Cost for the last 6 months or specifically on May08 data point
- This versatility of providing Analysis Tools for every point of data or set of data points seen by the User gives help to a lot of Decision aid to managers
- Providing Analysis on the presentation layer is a next generation breakthrough of the MetrixTrack platform
Metrics
What are Metrics in MetrixTrack?- A Metric is a numerical unit measuring a business context.
- A Metric is a result from the MetrixTrack Calculation engine which has the capability of easily configuring simple to complex algorithms for any metric
- The Calculation Engine works with a data normalization engine which intelligently collects data from multiple data sources and applications and normalizes the business context and time periods
- Metrics are period and business context dependent all configurable through simple UI provided to the User
- Enterprises now can use to build Metrics across any part of the Organization and Business and centrally manage them
- Configuring any Metric involves access to the data collected and then an algorithm connecting them mathematically
- Users can configure any new Metric from the data available through simple UI defining the data and the algorithm
- MetrixTrack's built in IP takes care of defining the periods, calculations and all the contextual intelligence around the Metric to provide real analysis based on the User configuration
- There is no additional coding or development cycle required for all data connected to - a big change from traditional solutions
- Enterprises reduce their turnaround time to deliver new metrics and edits on existing metrics by months and also reduce their effort by large magnitudes doing the same within traditional solutions
- A Scorecard is a picture created by a User which has many representations of the same or multiple Metrics
- A Scorecard is a snapshot of certain questions which the User would like to monitor on a regular basis and is updated in real time
- For Example - A product Performance Scorecard could have Metrics like Product Volume, product Revenue, Product Cost, Product Inventory, Product Sales Velocity etc. all on One Scorecard to give a real time snapshot of the product
- Further the product Scorecard could have the related pictures of product Sales breakdown by region, by Team, By Sub Products, By Campaign etc.
- Scorecards could use multiple representations to answer User Questions like Charts, Trends, Monitors etc.
- MetrixTrack has the inbuilt Intelligence to configure and align metrics to defined Organization and Business contexts
- For Example - Business contexts like product mixes, customer segments, regions, Organization structures keep changing making the Metrics and contextual root causes, drill downs and calculations carry forwards very challenging
- MetrixTrack has the very unique capability of intelligently realigning all the Metrics Framework with all its Analysis and calculations based on simple re-org configurations through UI
- This is very powerful as it makes MetrixTrack very adaptable and scaleable for all current and future Metric Frameworks at no cost or effort
Analysis/Analytic Tools
What are Analysis Tools in MetrixTrack?- Users view metrics which are updated in real time but Metrics are not actionable unless Users are able to Analyze them in real time
- MetrixTrack Analysis Tools provide Users with the required tools to Analyze metrics and immediately identify areas where their decisions will be more focused and impactful
- MetrixTrack provides Analysis tools which cover Information Analysis and Statistics and this list is growing
- Example of the Analysis Tools within the MetrixTrack framework are Root Cause Analysis, Trending, Period over Period, What-If, Correlations, Percentiles, Medians, Averages, etc
- Users typically look at Metrics within their decision contexts and want to either analyze a set of data points or a specific Point
- Users can choose a Metric or multiple Metrics and define a time period or a precise time for which they would like the Metric to be analyzed
- Users can then run any Analysis Tool on this set of Data Point(s) chosen and MetrixTrack returns the analysis
- Based on the Results, Users can further run any other Analysis tool, this making it possible to quickly do a complete analysis using simple clicks and drags
- MetrixTrack is a unique platform which combines the power of delivering Real Time Metrics and giving the power of realtime web based Analysis tools to the users empowering them with actionable intelligence
- As this is a rapidly changing and growing module, do check with info@metrixline with the latest list of Analysis Tools
Collaboration
What are Alerts and Monitors in MetrixTrack?- As a user on MetrixTrack monitors 10's of Metrics within the user area, it is quite difficult to monitor all Metrics at multiple frequencies and view them and analyze them
- MetrixTrack has an Alerts and Monitor configurator which the User can use to configure Metric thresholds and limits and MetrixTrack takes care of monitoring the thresholds with real time updates
- When the limits and conditions set on the user are met, MetrixTrack triggers emails, Alarms, Red/Amber?Green lights to inform the User that attention is required within the decision framework
- This feature on MetrixTrack enables Users to track numerous metrics within conditions suited to their context and ensures that slippages and decision points are caught in real time
- Users and Senior Managers look at a lot of Metrics and relations/Correlations between multiple moving Metrics
- It is sometimes very difficult to monitor and track dozens of Metrics which are rapidly changing at multiple time periods
- Alerts and Monitors help Users/Managers configure exact conditions in very creative ways to ensure that failures or actionable conditions are caught as exceptions and are notified in real time
- Managers can now manage multiple conditions and build learning into the framework to make decisions in real time
- All Alerts and Monitors along with the context and conditions are defined and configured by the users through very simple UI
- Multiple Users can define different conditions for the same metric based on their individual decision contexts
- All Alerts and Monitors defined by Users can be shared by the User with other Users within the enterprise
- This helps an Enterprise build a very effective multi-learning and monitoring system over time where user experiences are captured and mutiple Managers benefit
Collaboration
What are the Collaboration Tools a User can use on MetrixTrack?- MetrixTrack Scorecards are designed for high level of collaboration between users
- Users can use Discussion Boards to discuss and comment about certain Metric behavior so that all other Users
- Users can schedule emails with specific metrics and presentations to be sent to other Users and defined frequencies thus improving efficiencies of reporting contexts to many people across the organization totally automated
- Users can export all metrics and presentations into XL, PowerPoint, PDF, MS Word (coming) and schedule them thus making sharing of reports easier
- Most of the updation and configuring reports and scorecards being a one time exercise, Enterprises benefit a lot from saving cost and effort of updating, generating and sharing of information
- Using collaboration, Users can totally automate the updation, sharing, commenting, reviewing, emailing of all relevant information across the enterprise
- The saving in cost and effort is tremendous and now Users don’t have to worry about the right information not reaching the appropriate decision makers
- It improves efficiencies of enterprises as decision makers focus on the decisions and not on getting the information and validating it
- Enterprises benefit from the reduction in costs, time and effort of key managers in collecting updated information and building context for their decisions, and spending the same in making informed and correct decisions.
Data Modeling
Can a User model Data for Analysis- MetrixTrack provides the Enterprise the unique ability to store history of all Metrics across all functions and structures of the Business
- Users can define and extract any part of information across any Metric for any period and context and stage it for any Analysis tool
- MetrixTrack provides a very unique modeling UI to make it simple for Users to select precise and multiple scenarios of data for analysis
- The power of real time analysis is now with the user through simple user Interfaces. MetrixLine researches and works very closely with its Clients to ensure all of the Client User requirements are possible thought its UI
- MetrixTrack provides most of the Analysis and Statistical tool required for Users to model predictive scenarios
- MetrixTrack provides the UI for Users to select the scenario and time periods and define the case for predictive computation
- MetrixTrack predictive modeler can work on a perpetual mode hence giving useful insights to managers
Dynamic Data Management
How does MetrixTrack manage changing data structures- Product mix changes, team restructuring, Re-Organizations, Business Changes?- MetrixTrack data modeling algorithms are built on next-gen use of data mapping and modeling
- MetrixTrack has inbuilt intelligence to look for structural dynamic changes in data coming in and then internally running change modeling algorithms to all affected data
- MetrixTrack provides a far superior solution for contextual changes than traditional approaches which are time and effort consuming even for minor changes
- MetrixTrack is a platform designed to manage changes as that is the reality of current organizations
- Organizations add new data sources all the time as newer solutions are required for greater efficiency
- Adding a new data source is a simple incremental effort to MetrixTrack - Additional data mapping and transport configuration
- MetrixTrack has a unique connector technology developed to make data mapping and connection building to a few simple steps
- Effort for adding a new data source is no more than a few days of deployment and testing.
- Most of Corporate data is researched to be in unstructured formats , XL sheets being the leader in storing information. Also a lot of Corporate data gets collected in XL formats
- MetrixTrack has a module ETrax which helps Users upload their unstructured data over a simple web link into MetrixTrack
- ETrax has inbuilt intelligence to break this up into intelligent pieces and manage it within the core of MetrixTrack functionality
- Corporate now convert unstructured data into very structured Metrics with the full functionality of the MetrixTrack platform for analysis and scorecarding
- Datasources are constantly evolving and changing to incorporate newer challenges on collecting data within Enterprises
- When data structures change, MetrixTrack connectors detect the changes for specific data and prompt maintainence immediately
- An incremental effort of data mapping is required to have MetrixTrack updating in real time again.
Deployment
How is MetrixTrack deployed in an Enterprise?- MetrixTrack has two models of deployment - Internal and External - Both hosted ASP based architectures
- External ASP requires MetrixTrack to be deployed within the MetrixLine datacenter and MetrixTrack securely connecting to the datasources (both internal and external) of the enterprise and extracting data
- Internal ASP requires MetrixTrack to be deployed within the Enterprise firewall and connecting to the multiple datasources over the internal network
- MetrixTrack can be deployed as a hybrid - a mix of the above two scenarios.
- Yes, MetrixTrack has its own data store where it stores all extracted data and Enterprise Metrics
- MetrixTrack builds intelligence around the data which comes in from multiple data sources - a next gen data normalization technology and stores it within the MetrixTrack database
- MetrixTrack stores all calculated Metrics which are Corporate Intelligence, maintaining history and all the learning of multiple Managers
- User Admins can extract all data and Metrics from the MetrixTrack server
- MetrixTrack provides simple API's for data extraction
- MetrixTrack can itself become a datasource to many other applications who need readily available Metrics post transformation from enterprise Data
- MetrixTrack is a closed application developed within the framework of J2EE/WebServices/Ajax/Flex3
- MetrixTrack requires the OS-Database-AppServer-WebServer-Browser infrastructure
- MetrixTrack can be deployed using any of the databases MS Sql, Oracle, MySql. It is database agnostic but any other database will require a week long porting and testing
- MetrixTrack uses an application server Tomcat. Any other application server is possible but would require a week to 10 days of additional testing
- MetrixTrack works on OS - Windows, Linux, Unix (certain variants - check with us)
Maintenance
How is MetrixTrack maintained within an Enterprise?- MetrixTrack has two maintenance tracks - Context maintenance and Application maintenance
- Application maintenance is managed for downtime, updates, upgrades by a 24/7 MetrixLine team which has a secure remote connection to the MetrixTrack server
- Context maintenance is to manage connectors, Metric frameworks, configurations etc. which is done over the phone/email and a secure connection MetrixLine maintains to the MetrixTrack server
- Overall maintenance cost and effort is brought to minimums with this very unique MetrixLine maintenance model. Enterprises don’t spend time and effort maintaining and focus on core tasks.
- MetrixLine provides a very unique and pathbreaking Maintenance module to its Clients
- MetrixLine provides no cost upgrades and updates to the application for the length of the relationship
- MetrixLine provides no cost configuration and change management services to its Clients for the length of the relationship
- MetrixLine is able to provide this unique blackbox of unlimited no cost services because of the ability and the confidence in the MetrixTrack platform and the built in intelligence
- MetrixLine provides three types of services as an ongoing engagement with its Clients
- Scorecard Configuration Services - Building new, Editing existing, new Metrics, new Analysis
- Connector maintenance Services - Maintain all the connectors to various datasources, configuring new datasources
- Feature/Tool enhancement and addition services - specific requirements of its Clients are incorporated into the development road map
Pricing
How is MetrixTrack Priced?- MetrixTrack is uniquely priced as an Enterprise SAAS. Enterprices can now load this entire problem on MetrixLine for a fixed and predictable cost per month
- The pricing level is based on the Enterprise/Division level commitment to the relationship. There is no purchase price risk for an Enterprise.
- All maintenance services are covered within this pricing structure.
- Enterprises finally can solve this entire problem of Data-Information, its ongoing maintenance, all future enhancements within a fixed and predictable cost.
- Enterprises spend a lot of money, time and effort on converting data to information which is meaningful to its managers. The real cost of the problem is this need is constantly changing, hence it’s a black hole of unending costs for any enterprise
- MetrixLine helps the enterprise to put a fixed value to this spend and not worry about the endless changes in individual information requirements from its managers
- MetrixLine also centralizes all information for all its managers, hence reduces the cost and effort of information multiplicity across the organization
- MetrixLine takes all the risks of buying and maintaining critical enterprise solution on a predictable costing model
- MetrixLine customers do not worry about the multiple steps and effort/cost of manual data transformation to information. All of it gets seamlessly automated and updated in real time
- MetrixLine customers do not worry about multiple edits, new ideas, new requirements for information, new scorecards, distribution of information, information not reaching its consumers, adding costs for new information, additional costs for new reports
- MetrixLine users do not worry about costs or effort when new data sources are added to the mix, organization changes happen, product mixes happen, business contexts change as MetrixTrack intelligently handles all of these
- MetrixTrack reduces the cost of effort of collecting and transforming data to Reports by nearly 10 times across the enterprise (researched based on the way traditional and current solutions operate)
- MetrixTrack makes most information Managers need customized to individuals and with real time updates, provides immense value in informed decision making
- MetrixTrack total cost of ownership (with all the challenges covered by similar or currently used processes) is about 10-20% of what Enterprises currently spend on solving the same problem
Customization
What if Users have specific customizations to be made! How does MetrixTrack handle it?- User customizations are typically in two areas - User Customized Reports and User Customized Analysis
- MetrixTrack has a Customization UI module which can e used to deliver Customized Reports.
- MetrixTrack incorporates the unique Analysis requirements into its road map and delivers on them
- MetrixTrack has the ability to define a unique set of Scorecards for every individual User in an enterprise
- MetrixTrack manages and updates all the scorecards defined for every user across the enterprise
- MetrixTrack features, analysis tools and other platform value add's are available to all User frameworks
- MetrixTrack is a platform built on generic mathematics principles and intelligent normalization algorithms to ensure that any Context within and organization can be configured within the same principles
- Transforming data to information requires mathematical conversions and transformations - MetrixTrack is capable of building any of this complexity into its existing framework
- MetrixTrack can deliver most Metrics contexts using any mix of structured and unstructured data
