RPG New Visualization Release: Undergraduate Major Comparisons by Quarter

The Report Prioritization Group just released the newest addition to the BI Portal: Undergraduate Major Comparison by Quarter

In this news story we explain the purpose and benefits of the new visualization. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to write help@uw.edu and put “BI Portal Report Question: UG Major Comparisons by Quarter” in the subject line.

It’s All in the Name!

We admit, the visualization has a long name, Undergraduate Major Comparisons by Quarter. But each word explains something about the tool’s function.

Undergraduate Major: This report allows you to see a population of Undergraduates associated with a major in a given quarter. This dashboard only looks at Undergraduates because an undergraduate can change majors throughout their academic career. They may start as “Pre-Major” then declare a major later, or once they’re “in a major” they may move to another one from quarter to quarter.
Comparison by Quarter: This visualization allows you to compare a cohort of students across two “reference quarters” like Autumn 2019 and Autumn 2020. The bar on the left shows you the students “in the major” in the first quarter, then shows “where those students were” in the second reference quarter.

How-To:

First, use the quarter filters to choose the two reference quarters that you want to see:

Use the second set of filters to identify the major(s) you want to visualize:

The bar on the left shows you students associated with the major in the “cohort quarter”, the bar on the right shows you the same cohort of students in the future “target” quarter.

You can click a comparison category to filter the detailed table below the bars!

Users and Use Cases:

The primary audience for this report is the academic advising community, and several UW advisers provided significant input on the report’s design! The following are real use cases from our data user community:

The visualization has three primary use cases:

Advisers in Pre-Major Programs need to:
- Observe if a student leaves a program at a given campus and joins a program at another campus.
- Observe if a student stays at at a given campus, and declares a major. In that case, they want to know the major they joined, and the department that manages it. This helps them to allocate time partnering with those departments so that they can better represent students.
Departmental Advisers (those who are responsible for students after they ‘declare a major’ e.g. Geography, Computer Science…)
- Observe changes to the population of students they are responsible for. Here, they want to see the ‘flow of students in and out of the major’.
Advisers can track students in given majors who are not registered for both incoming quarter (Cohort Quarter ) and/or outgoing quarter (Target Quarter)

Questions?

This report references important institutional concepts like Change of Major, Underrepresented Minority Status, and many others. If you have questions about the meaning of these or any other terms, please explore these links or find more detail in the Knowledge Navigator.

As always, if you have any questions, please write help@uw.edu and put “BI Portal Question: UG Major Comparison by Quarter” in the subject line.

Salary and Wage Expense Bug Fix: Missing Current Fiscal Year

In response to user feedback, the Enterprise Reporting and Analytics team just released an update to resolve a bug in the Salary and Wage Expense Detail report in the BI Portal.

Change Summary:

A user reported that the “Year” filter was excluding the current Fiscal Year (2021). By default, the report filters by Calendar Year, but you can filter by Fiscal Year by choosing “Fiscal Year” from the “Period” Filter.

This is what the filter options looked by before the update:

And after the update. You can now select the current Fiscal Year!

Additional Resources:

It can sometimes be confusing to keep all of the different financial years straight, “it’s 2020, and we’re in the 2021 FY, but the 2019 Biennium…”

For a quick reference, we recommend you try the UW Calendars dashboard on the BI Portal! This tool shows you for today, or any date, where the UW is at on the academic calendar, federal fiscal calendar, state biennium calendar, and so on. See for yourself: UW Calendars

Also, we’re updating our report format for a simpler and more modern look and feel. To read more about these changes, check out this news story: 8 Things You Should Know About Our BI Portal Report Format Updates

Questions and Feedback:

This report references many UW institutional concepts, including Account Code and Budget Number. To get detailed definitions for these and other terms, please check out Knowledge Navigator!

As always, if you have any questions or if you would like to provide feedback, please write help@uw.edu and put “BI Portal Question: Salary and Wage Expense Detail” in the subject line.

RPG Release: Student Degree Information (Duplication Bug Fix)

In response to user feedback, the Report Prioritization Group just released an update to resolve a bug in the Student Degree Information report the BI Portal.

Change Summary:

A user let us know that the report was incorrectly duplicating students. We identified the issue and determined that the report was displaying multiple identical rows for students that had multiple applications to UW. We resolved this so that the report no longer duplicates rows for students with multiple UW applications.

Please note, the report does intentionally display multiple rows for students in other cases, such as:

When a user chooses multiple Degrees and a student has earned (or applied) for more than one degree in the filter list
When a student earns (or applies) for more than one degree in a selected quarter
When a student earns (or applies) for more than one degree in a quarter other than the selected quarter.

To see examples, please try out the “Report Type” filter!

In this release, we also added an interpretation guide to the BI Portal for this report. If you’ve ever wondered how the “Report Type” filter works, or what the rules are for the colorful rows, that’s all written up in the Interpretation Guide! See for yourself:

Questions and Feedback:

Don’t forget, we are currently updating our report format to a simplified and modern look and feel. For a summary of these changes, please read: 8 Things You Should Know About Our BI Portal Report Format Updates

This report references many UW institutional concepts, including UW Grade Point Average and Degree. To get detailed definitions for this and other terms, please check out Knowledge Navigator!

As always, if you have any questions or if you would like to provide feedback, please write help@uw.edu and put “RPG: Student Degree Information report” in the subject line.

Knowledge Navigator Expands Meta Tag Feature

The meta tag feature in Knowledge Navigator (KN) https://metadata.uw.edu has been expanded to provide one more tool to help you search for categorized metadata objects.

What are meta tags?

Just like the categories on a blog or keywords in a search tool, meta tags help you find all content that is related by that category or keyword.

Where do I find meta tags in Knowledge Navigator?

Meta tags are shown under the search field on KN’s home page next to the words “Quick Search.”

Meta tags can also be found under Details > Meta Tags: on a metadata object’s page.

See the above example at https://metadata.uw.edu/Catalog/ViewItem/Term/9fff2571-071f-455c-a3da-57abaae64336

How can I use meta tags?

Use meta tags for targeted searching of categorized metadata objects. Click on a meta tag to navigate to a Tag Search Results page which will display all metadata objects with that meta tag.

Tag Search Results page for the meta tag Institutional Definition. See this example at https://metadata.uw.edu/search/tags?tag=fc400488-e5bc-11e7-80c1-9a214cf093a.
A description details why the set of metadata objects has been categorized with this particular meta tag. For example, the Institutional Definition meta tag categorizes Business Terms that have been approved by a Data Steward.

Where do meta tags come from?

Meta tags are created on an as needed basis by the Metadata Manager. To suggest a new meta tag, please contact help@uw.edu. Use “KN Meta Tag Suggestion” in the subject line.

Need help or have questions? Send an email to help@uw.edu with “KN meta tags” in the subject line.

UWSDBDataStore Reorg on October 24, 2020

The student database (SDB) will go through a reorganization on October 24, 2020 which will cause changes in the Enterprise Data Warehouse database, UWSDBDataStore. These changes to the objects will be available in the UWSDBDataStore on Monday, October 26, 2020.
However, data on the new objects will be available as soon as the Data Custodians submit the security role definitions and the SIS team loads the data.

(last modified: 10.26.2020)

*Please Note:The scope listed below isn’t final until 1 week before the reorg. Please continuously monitor this site for the most current update.

New columns to be added

Table Name	Column Name	Data Type	Description
sf_evaluation	sf_aut_enrl_lock	char(1)	Autumn Enrollment Lock
	sf_spr_enrl_lock	char(1)	Spring Enrollment Lock
	sf_sum_enrl_lock	char(1)	Summer Enrollment Lock
	sf_win_enrl_lock	char(1)	Winter Enrollment Lock
	s_sched1_data_fld	char(1)	Information about the data in the ‘student filed schedule’ 1 field
	p_sched1_data_fld	char(1)	Information about the data in the ‘parent filed schedule’ 1 field
sf_tuition	t_pt_10cred	int	Part-time tuition for 10 credits (prof)
	t_pt_11cred	int	Part-time tuition for 11 credits (prof)
	t_pt_12cred	int	Part-time tuition for 12 credits (prof)
student_2	finaid_docs_guid	char(36)	Unique 36-character GUID for every student in the Fin-Aid Documents CRM system.
time_schedule	remote_learn_cd	char(2)	Track sections units offered in-person(IP), via remote learning(RL) and either(E) way.

Data Type changes

Table Name	Column Name	Old Data Type	New Data Type
sr_adm_appl	appl_source_id	int	decimal(10,0)
sr_adm_appl	appl_copy_src_id	int	decimal(10,0)

Send all questions and concerns to help@uw.edu, with the subject line: “UWSDBDataStore Reorg 10.24.2020“.

2020 CIP Codes Load Into EDW

On Tuesday, October 6, 2020, the new 2020 CIP Series will be loaded into the Enterprise Data Warehouse. This affects any table that contains CIPKeyId. The tables that contain CIP code reference data are dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear in EDWPresentation.

What is included in CIP code updates?

Part 1: CIP codes with descriptions from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Part 2: Federal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) indicator provided by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This indicator is updated at irregular intervals. The most current data is from 2016.

Part 3: Washington State STEM indicators provided by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) in Olympia. This data is updated yearly.

Currently we have CIP codes (part 1) with their descriptions from NCES.
Federal STEM indicator (part 2) from 2016 matches what is currently in dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear.
Washington State STEM indicators (part 3) will be delivered to us sometime in the near future from OFM.

What is being loaded into dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear?

The Office of Planning and Budgeting (OPB) has given us the authorization to load the new 2020 CIP codes, with mapping to the Federal STEM indicators from 2016 and Washington State STEM indicators from 2019. Once new STEM indicators from ICE and OFM become available, we will update them accordingly in dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear

How may this affect you?

There are new CIP codes for 2020 that did not exist in 2010. A subset of these CIP codes has been entered into the Student Database (SDB). So you may see CIP codes that are in dimCIPCurrent or CIPAcademicYear but not in the SDB.
The STEM indicators for 2020 CIP codes to be published, both from ICE and OFM, are mapped based on their relationship to 2010 CIP codes. When we receive new indicator values from ICE and OFM, the relationship may or may not be the same.
The 2020 CIP codes that are not in the 2010 version will have no STEM indicators.

Why is dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear being loaded without all of the updated data?

There is a need throughout campus for these new CIP codes and STEM indicators. Since a subset of 2020 CIP codes has been added to SDB, and dimCIPCurrent and CIPAcademicYear are the only places storing the relationship between the CIP codes and the STEM indicators, OPB, Registrar, and the Graduate School have requested EDW to load and publish the data.

Questions or concerns?

If you have questions or concerns, please email us at help@uw.edu with “2020 CIP Codes” in the subject line.

New Tableau License Model and Price

As of July 1st, 2020, Tableau Prep is no longer available for free with your Tableau Desktop license. Tableau bundled Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep into a new license type – Tableau Creator. This license type is a month-to-month, subscription-based model.

This change in the licensing model impacts only the purchase of a new Tableau license.

What is different about the new licensing model vs. the current model?

New licenses do not have the initial $1,200 license fee.
The new annual cost for Tableau Desktop (Creator) will be 52 per month (not the current rate of $35 per month)

Who is impacted by this change?

Only new purchases of Tableau Desktop are impacted.
Current owners of Tableau Desktop will continue to be charged $35/month

When is the new Tableau licensing model taking effect?

October 1, 2020.

Questions

I currently own a Tableau Desktop license. I would like to use Tableau Prep in the near future. Do I need to buy a new license?
- No, you do not have to purchase a new license. We will transfer your license to the new Tableau Creator license. There is no cost for this transfer, however your monthly subscription will increase from $35/month to $52/month from the time of the transition to the new license model.
If I already use Tableau Desktop, are these changes impacting me in any way?
- No, these changes do not impact you. You will continue to be charged $35/month.
Will the cost of the current Tableau licenses increase due to this change? If yes, when?
- Eventually, yes. Tableau requires us to convert all of the Tableau licenses to Tableau Creator licenses by 2024. There will be no cost associated with the conversion; however, the monthly subscription rate will be more than $35/month. We are not converting any licenses to the new model this current fiscal year. We are working with Tableau and UW on a detailed transition timeline.

Additional Questions?

If you have any additional questions about these updates, please write help@uw.edu with “Tableau: New License Model” in the subject line.

RPG Release: UW Admissions Cube Now Available!

The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here — the UW Admissions cube is now available. This story will prepare you to confidently connect to and analyze historical admissions data!

Connect to the Cube:

Unlike a report which you can run in the browser, you have to connect to a cube with an analysis tool (like Excel or Tableau).

Why bury the lede? Here’s how you can connect to the cube with Excel 2016 and begin analyzing UW Admissions data:

First, open up a new Excel workbook. Then, on the top header, go to Data, click Get External Data, then From Other Sources, and From Analysis Services.
A pop-up should appear on your screen called Data Connection Wizard.
- For Server Name, copy/paste: cubes.uw.edu
- Use Windows Authentication.
- Click Next.
You don’t need to make any more selections. Click Next.
Finally, you can click Finish.
You should now have a pop-up to import the data. Select where you want the table to be located on the worksheet and you can press OK.

That’s it! You’re connected and can begin dragging, dropping, and analyzing UW Admissions data.

What is the UW Admissions Cube?

The UW Admissions cube is a powerful and flexible new data tool that helps you easily access and analyze historical UW Admissions data. Here, “UW Admissions” data means “applications to UW”. We’ve heard many questions about “applications to programs”, but that data does not exist in a central location, and is not in the UW Admissions cube.

Instead, what you’ll find in the UW Admissions cube are UW historical applications and applicant data at the aggregate and granular level.

Want to see a count of applicants who requested a specific major for the last 10 years? The cube allows you to do that. Want to apply breakdowns like First Generation or Application Type? The answer is a click away.

Who Should Use It?

The cube was built for anyone who needs access to historical Undergraduate and Graduate UW Admissions data to do their work. This includes Advisers, Program Coordinators, Time Schedule Coordinators, Institutional Researchers, and Admissions Officers at all three campuses!

During development we received feedback and input from campus stakeholders representing:

UW Office of Planning and Budgeting (OPB), UW Tacoma, and UW Bothell Institutional Research Offices
UW Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell Admissions Offices
The Graduate School
Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity
College-Level Deans’ Analysts
UW Advising Community

Thank you all for your feedback, testing, and contributions!

How to Learn More

If you’ve ever used an Excel Pivot table then we’re confident that you can learn the cube technology. But if you need help getting connected, understanding data definitions, or doing basic analysis, we have a solution for that!

Please visit our Reporting and Analytics Training space for self-service training content including:

Shareable PDFs
How to Videos

Training Space

Please note, because these resources display secure data, the training space requires EDW Access. To learn more about how to request EDW access, visit IT Connect: Request Access to Reports, Analytics, and Data

Questions:

As always, if you have any feedback or questions, please don’t hestitate to write us at help@uw.edu with “UW Admissions Cube” in the subject line.

The UW Admissions cube is the result of the amazing cross-campus partnership called the Report Prioritization Group. If you’d like to learn more about RPG, please visit Report Prioritization Group (RPG).

Spend Financial Data Now Available in EDW

In October of 2018, in partnership with the Financial Data Group, the UW-IT Information Management team completed the capture of all suppliers from the University’s Procurement Accounting System (PAS) in the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). The next step in securing PAS data focused on the Spend financials and Diversity indicators for those suppliers.

With access to PAS Supplier, Spend and Diversity Data, campus departments can get information to help them evaluate, manage and plan their financial expenditures as well as meet all their Federal reporting requirements.

How Can You Use PAS Data?

To answer questions like:

In the calendar year 2019, how much did my department spend with vendor XYZ?
In fiscal year 2017, what financial transactions in my department fall under a particular budget code?
What percentage of my department’s spending was done with Diverse Suppliers in the last biennium?

See Eric Elkins Knowledge Base Article (https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/EDAKB/sec.AP_factDiversitySpend) for additional insights into using PAS data in EDW.

Why is PAS Data Important?

In addition to meeting Federal reporting requirements for all University expenditures, accurate Spend and Diversity information helps campus departments exercise effective and efficient financial management. The specificity and reliability of PAS Supplier, Diversity and Spend Data allows for precision analysis, accountability, and decision-making. Departments can discover expenditure duplications, reallocate budgets to fit department goals and achieve other financial objectives.

With the Diversity indicators captured in the newly available PAS dataset, users can verify their departments spending across diverse suppliers including, but not limited to, women-owned, veteran-owned and minority-owned businesses.

In addition, PAS Supplier Data that is secured and available is critical to accommodating the Financial Transformation, one of the University’s largest and most important undertakings in recent years. Financial Transformation relies on all University financial data to be accurate, protected and accessible.

The successful partnership between UW-IT IM and the Financial Data Group to provide this much-needed PAS data will ensure that the University will have access to reliable, standardized, accurate and secured spend and diversity information for years to come.

Questions?

If you have questions, please write help@uw.edu and put “PAS: Spend and Diversity Project” in the subject line.

UW Autopilot: New computer configuration now available for MWS customers

A new computer configuration option for new MWS computers — UW Autopilot — is now available. This process automates the setup and preconfiguration of Windows 10 computers, without the need to manually configure the computer on campus. Because the entire solution is cloud-based, the device does not require an on-campus presence to complete.

UW staff working remotely can more easily set up their computers, including domain-join, security settings, Microsoft 365 Apps, MWS virtual private network (VPN), and more. This new option is being offered by the Managed Workstation Service as part of our efforts to support remote work.

New computers can be enrolled by selecting Autopilot during the ordering process from CDW-G or Dell and existing computers can be manually enrolled in Autopilot. Learn how on IT Connect.

Check out the Autopilot documentation on IT Connect to guide you through the process.