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- Improve strategic decision making...
“With timeXtender® we solved two challenges with one tool: we moved our current
BI solution from Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to 2005 in a matter of days, and at
the same time, we were able to connect easily and elegantly to our IBM DB2/AS 400 database.”
Mr. Flemming Andersen, IT-Manager, JP Group.
International auto parts manufacturer, JP Group, improves strategic decision making and experiences hassle-free migration from Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to 2005.
“With timeXtender® we solved two challenges with one tool: we moved our current BI solution from 2000 to 2005 in a matter of days, and at the same time, we were able to connect easily and elegantly to our IBM DB2/AS 400 database.” 
When JP group decided to move their BI solution from Microsoft® SQL Server™, they chose timeXtender as an integral part of their new solution. JP Group is a market leader in manufacturing, exporting, and importing auto parts. To remain a market leader, JP Group relies on access to up-to-date reports and insights that make sound strategic decisions possible. JP Group also has a company policy of keeping step with IT development, and therefore wanted to move their Business Intelligence solution from Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to 2005.
The challenges
Once the decision had been made to move their BI solution, JP Group faced the following challenges:
• Achieve independence from consultants
• Migrate within a limited timeframe
• Migrate cubes and dimensions from Microsoft® SQL Server™ to Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005
• Connect to the company’s IBM DB2 AS400 database
 Moving their existing BI solution to Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 using their current tools would require IT manager Flemming Andersen to spend at least three weeks recoding the solution. If JP Group were to hand over the coding assignment to external consultants, they would be dependent on consultants whenever a change needed to be made to the solution.
And JP Group preferred a tool that could be used in-house but without the risk that one man could end up as a bottleneck in the process.
Furthermore, once the solution was moved to Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005, it would not be possible to communicate directly with JP Group’s IMB AS400 database.
In addition, JP Group found that despite the existence of a BI solution they still did not have trustworthy information to base their business decisions on.
“The information we had to act on was not reliable,” says Andersen. JP Group was therefore also looking to find a way to ensure the integrity of their data.
The solution
timeXtender was introduced to IT manager Andersen by their Targit partner. JP Group rejected the traditional handcoded solution because of dependency on consultants and the length of implementation time.
“With the help of a timeXtender technical specialist, it took me only three days to learn how to use the tool,” says Andersen. JP Group did look to IBM for a tool to connect to the AS 400 database but rejected their solution because it could only solve that one particular problem.
As it turned out, timeXtender could not only move data from Microsoft® SQL Server™ to Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005, but it also included a DB2 connector as standard. And the entire migration could be completed within a few days. “We set aside three weeks for moving our data warehouse from Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to 2005. With timextender it took us only three days,” says Andersen.
Smooth transition 
JP Group had recently introduced Targit as the new front end and they
wanted to ensure a smooth transition without end-users noticing that the data was processed through a new system.
“First and foremost, I did not want the front-end users to notice any change in the way they work at all. But I certainly also wanted to avoid confusion and frustration over switching to a new engine so soon after implementing Targit”, says Martin Pedersen, CEO at JP Group. The ability to implement timeXtender without it affecting end users was therefore a deciding factor.
Quality data
After introducing timeXtender, the quality of strategic information has improved significantly due to the data cleansing features of timeXtender. At JP Group, they are now able to spot problems with data early in the process – before the data is used in reports. “It is crucial that our decisions are based on valid information,” says Andersen. An unexpected spin-off from the investment has been the ability to use timeXtender for VAT account settlements.
Future proof
Further down the road, JP Group plans to use timeXtender QuickCubes™ for Microsoft® Dynamics™ XAL.
“There is no reason for me to spend time inventing something that already exists. QuickCubes™ will be resource-savers because they are preconfigured,” says Andersen. And, if JP group decides to make the switch from Microsoft® Dynamics™ XAL to Microsoft® Dynamics™ AX, they know that timeXtender will fit like a glove.
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