“DSharp’s tool makes everyday work more fun” – This is how Metsähallitus enhanced its data management with DSharp’s data platform tool
Metsähallitus aims to evolve into a data-driven organization in line with its data strategy, leveraging new opportunities in data acquisition, integration, and reporting. The result is improved, data-based decision-making and new data solutions. When the organization takes control of its data, work itself also becomes more enjoyable.
Metsähallitus’ data architect Annina Malin has extensive experience in challenging projects related to data acquisition and management. She ensures that Metsähallitus’ data platform operates according to the organization’s needs and that the necessary information is available to the entire organization:
“We are a public entity, so we need to be able to share information efficiently both within the organization and with external stakeholders. Our goal is to serve all Finnish data users in the future. We have started our journey by first addressing the organization’s own data needs.”
The sharing of information is enabled by Metsähallitus’ new data platform, the design of which was launched two years ago.
Metsähallitus’ data warehouse uses a data vault structure, so to function optimally, it requires an automation tool alongside it. DSharp’s modeling tool was a perfect fit for the project’s needs:
“I have been involved in various data projects throughout my career and have also used DSharp’s competitors. These competing products are often more expensive and complex than DSharp’s tool. DSharp has ‘built-in’ conceptual modeling, and that’s its strength.”
Metsähallitus’ data platform is fully cloud-based and operates in the Microsoft Azure environment. After DSharp’s conceptual modeling, it generates data warehouse code and automatically creates the desired structures. Metsähallitus employees can view conceptual models with Viewer licenses, but actual modeling requires the purchase of DSharp Studio Modeler or a full DSharp Data Studio license.
“Consultants are currently doing the majority of the work with DSharp Studio, but the product is in our own trial use and is of interest to our own team as well.”
Data from the platform is currently shared for internal use within Metsähallitus via API interfaces and for reporting purposes. The main reporting tool used is Power BI.
Flexibility in Data Management
Malin emphasizes the effectiveness of DSharp’s tool in large data projects, where source systems evolve and expand over time according to system changes and data needs:
“DSharp’s product is suitable for users who want to create a data warehouse from multiple different source systems. Once the platform is built, it is easy to expand with new systems, as data flows smoothly to the common data platform, regardless of the source system.”
The most important aspect of using the new data warehouse is to gain better control over data across the entire organization and to enable employees to take advantage of new data usage opportunities. A DSharp Studio training session held a couple of weeks ago for Metsähallitus experts shows that enthusiasm is contagious, and the organization wants to learn more together and use the data themselves:
“All the participants were incredibly enthusiastic. Thanks to DSharp, we now have a tool that makes people feel that reporting and utilizing data themselves is possible. We’ve never had anything like this before.”
In the future, Metsähallitus’ data platform will expand with new source systems, enabling the development of new data innovations. The versatile integration and real-time nature of the data help in data-driven management. There is also a financial incentive: decisions based on the right information help direct funds to the most important projects at the right time. As a bonus, using DSharp Studio is also enjoyable:
“From my own experience, I can say that DSharp’s tool makes work more enjoyable. The tool is so clear and helps people involved in different projects better understand the data. This is a really important factor for success.”
