Subscribe in a readerImagine linking queries against 3 billion records into your documentation or decision making tools. As a dashboard type application this would mean automated reports, in the case of the web, could mean near real-time delivery information for customers. I talk a little about dashboards in my note on "Making data useful to all involved"
Google has opened the doors on data accessibility!
With a few lines of code your company can right now keep tabs on the competition, or perhaps a target account. In my case, I use Googles (beta) API system to monitor new comments on "strategic relations" and other related topics. It keeps my in touch with the latest information, plus:
Think about how a similar system could look for trends in accounting, possible identify fraud on heavily transacted systems. This technology has been around for a while, but with XML/SOAP and related it is much more affordable.
To the right is an example of my data from Google: Macro Error
In fact, the tool I manage this weblog (Userland) with is an example of an integrated peer-to-peer applications that posts a local database on-line, then keeps it up to date, while parsing 43 news sources -- it doesn't matter what software I use to do this, the key is it saves me time doing those things I do everyday anyway. I can bring all the news sources I used to have to visit individually, then comment on them as appropriate for clients. [14 minutes vs 2 hours time saving]
You gain information quickly, but lose some of the extra proofing it gets when I process it the old way. Is this loss acceptable? I don't know, you tell me. The whole point of this story is to remind you data integration doesn't have to be cost prohibitive.
Updated (11/25/2008): In the ever changing world of the Internet, this example breaks when Google replaces the API with Ajax controls. For more on technology for your website, visit B2B Website Profits or our How To Create Business-to-Business Web Sites That Cultivate Buying Relationships tutorial.
By Justin Hitt at June 17, 2003 7:35 PM
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