Who do I work for?

I work for a company called Vernacare in Bolton. We make single use, macerateable bedpans, male and female urinals, wash bowls, comodes, macerators and many other similar items for use in hospitals worldwide.

Our single use products are made from paper-pulp, which itself is made from recycled newspaper. What makes our products special is the fact that when they have been used they are thrown into a macerator, a machine that mashes up the product and its contents up and sends them down the drain. No manual washing and no cross contamination. As local comedian Peter Kay would undoubtedly comment, its the future - and he'd be right.

We are the global leader in such products and at one time we had pretty much a global monopoly, but in the last few years other companies have got in on the act, effectively copying our designs and making them cheaper too, so we have a new challenge on our hands.

This is where I come in. As Group MIS Developer, I am in charge of handling the sales data and all the databases in the company. Our people need to see where we're making sales, but also where we're losing sales and we need to be able to win back those lost customers. As a result, our sales team rely on accurate, up-to-date sales information.

There currently exists a couple of data warehouses, on for the UK data and a global DW for our 'rest of the world' data. These have been set up by my predecessor and as it stands, they work. This leads me to my first question - why do we need any new data warehouses?

Introduction - Why should you read this blog?

After about four years working with various aspects of SQL Server (2 years with SSRS and two as a Database Developer), I was offered a job working for a manufacturer of medical suppplies in Bolton, Lancashire, UK. The main function of my job is to redevelop and rebuild at least two data warehouses, plus managing the group's MIS function. Trouble is, I've never built a data warehouse before. Now don't think I blagged my way through the interview process. They knew up front that I had little or no experience of working with data warehousing but what I do have, and what I demonstrated in my interview, is a belief that this is something I can do, and do it well. Besides, there were only four candidates and if there's one thing I know I can do, its interview better than most people - more on that later. This blog was created to chart my progress and to handle the undoubtedly steep learning curve that is about to unfold before me. If you read my blog entries, you can learn with me - maybe even help out when I get stuck!