Page 224 - Data Architecture

Chapter 6.2: Introduction to Data Vault Modeling

Fig. 6.2.2 Business keys across lines of business.

Note that the critical path is an important part to overhead cost reduction, time to market
delivery, and quality improvements. By identifying the critical path in the organization,
the company can achieve “better, faster, and cheaper” throughout the enterprise.
Identifying and tracking the data through the business processes is necessary to trace the
critical path through the company's business processes.

Within each of the business processes, the business keys are identified. Business keys are
how the source systems and the individuals in the organization track and manage the
data/contracts underneath. The business keys (in this example, SLS123) originate in the
sales systems. As illustrated in this example, when these keys cross the process
boundaries from sales to procurement, a manual process takes place. The result of the

manual process is a change to the example business key from SLS123 to ⁎P123MFG.
Unfortunately, the manual change to the business keys in this example is not recorded
anywhere except in an external Excel spreadsheet.

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