Streamlining Manufacturing Data Challenges with Fivetran
Manufacturers face diverse data source challenges due to the variety of software tools used in their processes. Fivetran provides solutions with hundreds of connectors, enabling a "single pane of glass" view of data.
2024-07-23
The manufacturing process and the business processes that support it generate a vast variety of data – such as supply chain data, production data and quality control data – much of which is spread across a sprawling set of software tools. There could be one system for ingesting the manufacturing sensor data, another for raw materials management, another for order processing and the list goes on. Business leaders, such as plant managers, want to achieve a “single pane of glass" view of their operations because keeping track of different data across different systems becomes an operational headache. However, ingesting and consolidating the data can be prohibitively time- and labor-intensive.
Fivetran helps these business leaders achieve a “single pane of glass” view of their data, which is predominantly out of the box. There are certain cases where a bit of extra integration work is needed for a software tool that isn’t available to pull data right out of the box, and this post is meant to explore the options available to overcome the problem of getting data out of those types of tools.
How Fivetran works
There are currently several hundred connectors that Fivetran makes available to ingest and synchronize data from different sources into an organization’s data warehouse or data platform, increasing data visibility and decreasing data silos. A typical use case for these types of connectors would be a manufacturer that uses the Katana platform for inventory management, the bill of materials and warehouse management. Still, they have a separate system outside of Katana that runs their accounting processes. In this scenario, the manufacturer would be interested in Fivetran because it helps create a centralized place for reporting and migrating a legacy system’s data into the cloud.
Using Fivetran’s Katana connector greatly simplifies that segment of the data integration process.
Three key solutions for niche data integration challenges
However, because of the seemingly endless list of software tools available, manufacturers in the process of building their data warehouse may realize the specific tool they’re looking to integrate data from is simply too niche for a dedicated connector to have been developed. That is by no means the last available option the manufacturer has for getting access to this data. There are three main options that Fivetran makes available for accessing even the most niche of data sources and tackling data integration challenges:
1. Lite Connectors by request
The Fivetran Lite Connector helps organizations access a SaaS application’s data without taking on any custom development work. With the Firetran Lite Connector, when an organization submits a request, Fivetran will build and make available a lightweight connector that gives the organization the access it needs for the planned use cases.
As long as the request is made for a software tool with a REST API, once the request is reviewed and approved, someone from Fivetran will meet with the organization to discuss the use case, gather requirements and build the connector, all free of charge for the submitter of the request.
This option requires the lowest level of effort, as no development work is required. However, the functionality of the Lite Connector may not extend to the full breadth of data that the software tool generates. The Lite Connector could be a good option for a manufacturing organization that does not have the capacity or resources to take on the development required by these next two options.
For organizations looking for assistance with scoping out requirements and optimizing the request for the Lite Connector, Ollion can help out.
2. Fivetran SDK for Connectors
The SDKs Fivetran introduced for Connectors and Destinations sit on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of development effort, customizability and scalability. These are more targeted at software vendors who want to make a connector available to their customers who are already using Fivetran to build their data platform. Currently, these SDK features are available only to technology partners, but they will become generally available soon.
This option requires the largest amount of effort to create a connector for a new source. But for manufacturers with a solid working relationship with the software vendor of the tool they’re looking to integrate data with, this could be a good option for both the manufacturer and the vendor: the manufacturer gets access to their data and the vendor can give data access to their other customers who may also be interested in using Fivetran for their data platform.
3. Custom connectors from cloud-hosted functions
The final option is custom Fivetran connector development with a cloud function. Fivetran can integrate with custom deployed functions on AWS, Azure or Google Cloud to ingest and synchronize data. This is a happy medium between the previous two options in terms of customizability and effort.
With Fivetran’s pre-built connectors and these more customizable options available for creating connectors, there is effectively no limit to the amount of sources that can be integrated by a manufacturer or any organization.
Streamline your data with Ollion.
Gain a better understanding of how these different types of connectors could help simplify and unify the data processes in your business. Contact Ollion to get started with a complimentary 60-minute assessment.