Enterprise Data Definitions and
Chart of Accounts Review
State agencies have historically done a good job of collecting enterprise data regularly for systems already in place. There are many examples–the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), the Personnel Detail Report and population statistics, just to name a few. But when agencies are asked for information by the Governor, the Legislature, the public or special interest groups on new and emerging issues, the requested data is not often readily available and there are no processes in place for its collection. For some agencies, leveraging common data even within the agency can be difficult, and it becomes even more challenging when we receive requests for comparable information across multiple agencies.
This is due in large part to two things: 1) the number of separate and distinct applications used by agencies, and 2) the fact that state government hasn’t previously identified and adopted a set of common, enterprise-wide data elements and standards required to be used by agencies in agency systems. This makes responding to new requests for information cumbersome and time consuming. Without the benefit of having available uniform common data elements meaning the same thing, the information may not be what the requestor wanted.
The EDD/COA project documented what unmet enterprise information needs exist and how collecting the data to meet those needs will affect statewide systems, agency systems and the state’s chart of accounts. The project discussed the business case to modify the current suite of financial, administrative and performance measurement systems, or replace them. Through collaboration with agencies, the EDD/COA project enterprise-wide data management challenges including difficulty in retrieving data, lack of integration of similar data, and questions on the reliability of data obtained from multiple sources.
The final report is available at http://www.ofm.wa.gov/edd/documentation.asp.
For more information, visit the EDD/COA website.