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"To integrate is noble, to succeed - divine!"
Integration Challenge Panel
Chris Brown, Senior Systems Analyst, Hewitt Associates
Dana Freeman, President and CEO, HRchitect, Inc.
Brad Harris, Founder, Modulelink
“Integration Challenge Panel”, April 28, 2003Chris Brown, Senior Systems Analyst, Hewitt Associates
Benefits Outsourcing Overview
Client outsources some/all of 401(k), pension, healthcare administration
Client owns demographic and payroll dataWe accept and apply changes (“elections”) based
on user request (e.g. birth of child) and client data (e.g. change to part-time status)
We drive external systems based on elections (e.g. tell a carrier/HMO to cover the child, tell payroll to change payroll deductions)
Current Architecture
Classic 3-tier model, built around batch interfaces Big Iron, Mainframes
• z/OS servers in a 3-way sysplex• Employment, pay, benefits history for 13 million
participants stored in DB2 Our application is Object-Oriented COBOL
frontable by Java Re-architecting not an option
Problem: Latency
Inherent latency, typically up to two weeks for message to get from HRIS to carrier
Bad customer experience!
Reducing Latency
Obviously can reduce latency by moving away from huge weekly batch files toward transaction-based messages
But what should messages contain?Need to be able to apply changes to 250+
client HR and payroll and 500+ carriers
Solution: HR-XML
Data model is good enough and platform-neutral
Easy to fit in existing architecture MQSeries & homegrown Java handlers Web Services & J2EE implementation Even batch mode on z/OS (390 mainframe)
Using XSL to transform HR-XML to our “native” transaction layout
“Integration Challenge Panel”, April 28, 2003Dana Freeman, President and CEO, HRchitect, Inc.
Software Vendor Challenges Developing custom point to point integration
solutions to multiple complementary software vendors is risky and expensive
R&D budget is spent on developing, certifying and maintaining custom integration instead of enhancing the core product
Only the complementary vendors with the highest ROI (impact on sales revenue) can be justified
Software Vendor Challenges Formal alliance partnerships are normally required
to develop, certify and maintain the integration
If complementary vendors begin to offer competitive products, alliance partnerships break down and ongoing maintenance of the integration becomes a challenge
Joint customers get caught in the middle and customer satisfaction may be impacted
HR-XML Software Vendor Value Proposition
Invest in integrating to one HR-XML standard to support multiple complementary software vendors
Maintain ongoing integration commitments and keep your customers satisfied even when alliance partners become competitors
Lots of complementary software partners increases the HR-XML value proposition
Transactions requiring real-time integration (HTTPS) make HR-XML more attractive
Customer Challenges Developing custom point to point integration solutions
between complementary software vendors requires specialized skills and is expensive
IT budget is spent on developing, testing and maintaining custom integration instead of new IT initiatives with greater ROI
Freedom of Choice - vendor supported integration is only available for a limited number of complementary software vendors
If vendor alliance partnerships break down, the customer ends up owning the ongoing maintenance of the integration
HR-XML Customer Value Proposition
Shifts the integration development and maintenance responsibility to the software vendors
Freedom of Choice – select from a wider variety of complementary software vendors
Risk Mitigation – vendors are more likely to continue supporting the integration even if they become competitors
Leverage HR-XML specifications to exchange data with custom developed in-house applications
HR-XML Background Checking Specification Example
Applicant TrackingSystem
HRMS
Background CheckVendor
For Certain Transfers and PromotionsHRMS Requests Background Check
Background Check Vendor Returns Pass/Fail CodeHRMS User Accesses Vendor’s System for Details
ATS Requests Background CheckBackground Check Vendor Returns Pass/Fail Code
ATS User Accesses Vendor’s System for Details
HRMS Sends Control Data to ATSATS Sends New Hires to HRMS
HR-XML Adoption Challenges Software vendors must support the specifications
Legacy products do not support XML New generation products do support XML Integration tool kits including middleware i.e. webMethods, Vitria etc. XML and other enabling technologies are “wet cement”
Customers need to adopt XML and a real-time integration approach
Legacy systems do not support XML Batch/FTP is often still the preferred approach XML overhead and processing efficiency
“Integration Challenge Panel”, April 28, 2003Brad Harris, Founder, Modulelink
