Data Integration
Data Integration takes records from one system and moves them to another. In the context of Liaison and higher education admissions, we're talking about moving person and application records, and sometimes application documents, from Liaison's platform to your local systems.
While each software platform has its own tools and requirements, the general features of each data integration are the same. A data integration has 8 elements, as shown below.
This help center provides specific guidance on each of those elements, as well as guidance on the data integration project as a whole.
Just getting started? Review the Planning for Data Integration and Using CAS Application Data After Loading it Locally articles before moving on. If you know just what you need help with, dive right in.
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- Mapping Out Your Data Integration Project
- Data integration projects are straightforward. This section lays everything out step-by-step, including guides to help you choose the right approach and team, and instructions on what needs to get done in what order.
- Collecting Applicant Data
- Data integrations start as soon as information is first collected. This section provides guidance and specific instructions on how to configure your CAS application with an eye towards ease of integration.
- Structuring CAS Application Data
- The way information is stored affects both how it can be retrieved and what it will look like. This section explains how CAS applicant information is stored, and what that means for retrieving it.
- Extracting Your Data
- Liaison has versatile tools for extracting data and documents. This section details how to retrieve data and documents using those tools.
- Moving Your Data
- Your data and documents have to be retrieved from Liaison and delivered to your local systems before they can be loaded. This section outlines the different ways to move your CAS applicant information between systems.
- Transforming Your Data
- Many local systems have specific requirements for uploaded information. This section walks through frequently required transformations and how to determine if you need to do them.
- Loading Your Data
- Each local system is different, and each implementation on campus is different. All the same, loading information falls into familiar patterns across the various systems. This section describes the possible approaches to loading data to your local system.
- Implementing Quality Control in Your Integration
- Data integration is only successful if it allows people to do their jobs using the information loaded from one system to another. This section lays out the quality control checks needed to ensure that your data integration enables your intended business use.
- Identifying Uses for Your Data
- The most important element of any data integration is your intended use for the information once it's transferred to your local systems. Setting the goal for your data integration will make subsequent decisions easier and will focus your efforts on the important stuff. This section lists the possible uses for CAS applicant data in local systems.