AdvantageCS: Data Quality Experts

Maintaining Data Accuracy for Your Technical Ecosystem

Advantage typically lives at the heart of our clients’ technical ecosystem with business-critical data freely flowing into and out of it. As such, the open system architecture needs to be carefully maintained to preserve the integrity of these systems and their associated data sets. It should come as no surprise that this requires a carefully thought-out approach to achieve system accuracy, reliability, and consistency. After 40+ years of Advantage installations, we know that maintaining data accuracy significantly increases your operational efficiency, improves customer satisfaction, and reduces overall organizational costs.

Advantage’s Built-In Testing Framework for Data Scenario Identification

Advantage supports this initiative through a built-in, flexible testing framework that clients implement as part of their initial go-live and then maintain through production operations. By using this framework, clients can identify data scenarios that either may already be issues or that may become future issues without action. In fact, we find that when our clients perform regular ongoing testing, they reduce overall operation costs and increase opportunity costs. These benefits are not only realized internally but can also help clients improve overall customer satisfaction by providing a more effective and personalized experience leading to increased customer loyalty and retention.

Types of Tests Available in Advantage’s Testing Framework

The testing framework allows you to monitor data scenarios and alert the appropriate personnel with the results. The types of tests include:

• Third-party order creation anomalies (e.g., incorrect promotion usage)

• Unusual activity (e.g., hundreds of back orders due to stock receipt issues)

• Incomplete setup (e.g., product data master feed missing key data elements for G/L mapping)

• Operational deficiencies (e.g., failure to configure credit card processing correctly)

• Permissions issues (e.g., unauthorized customer credits due to incorrect security configuration)

• Regression testing (e.g., verify core set of 100 transactions result in desired outcomes)

Flexibility and Automation in Advantage’s Testing Framework

Advantage’s tests can be run either as you need them (ad hoc) or you have the option to set up these tests to run automatically on a recurring basis, at your convenience. You can also tailor specific tests for your unique needs, perhaps categorizing them into a “library of tests.” For additional efficiency, you can also automate and run numerous tests together. For example, prior to advancing your continuity customers to the next book in the series, you can run a group of tests that check for sufficient warehouse inventory, make sure that your promotional inserts are ready, and verify the next book’s pricing is accurate.

Achieving Success in Today’s Data-Driven Economy with Advantage’s Testing Framework

Advantage records information about every single system test performed along with the results. These are all available for viewing right within the Advantage application. Test results can then be downloaded to your desktop, opened in Excel, or used in conjunction with Advantage’s reporting (or your third-party reporting tools).

Advantage’s testing framework is designed to help you succeed in today’s data-driven economy. Please contact us if you're interested in learning more!