You can watch the replay for this Geek Sync webcast in the IDERA Resource Center: http://ow.ly/P6l250A5ovd Maybe you’ve been using ER/Studio for years, maybe you’re just getting started. Maybe you don’t even know where to start. You might be a full time data architect or an accidental database designer – either way, you’ll want to know about the settings and features to make your Mondays more tolerable and your Fridays more fun. In this session, Karen covers her 10 favorite tips and tricks for working with ER/Studio. We’ll look at how to configure ER/Studio to save time, reduce risks and to make your data modeler life less stressful. She will show you features that will make your models more loved and valued by your IT and business team members. Finally, we’ll wrap up with recommendations for more resources for becoming more productive.

1. 10 ER/Studio Productivity Tips
to Help You
Love Your Data Models
30 April 2016
Karen Lopez, www.datamodel.com

2. Karen López
Karen has 20+ years of data and information architecture
experience on large, multi-project programs.
She is a frequent speaker on data modeling, data-driven
methodologies and pattern data models.
She wants you to love your data.

3. POLL: Who Are You?

4. POLL: Model Much?

5. Agenda
10 Tips with ER/Studio
Intros and Hugs
New to Data Modeling?
Favourite Features3
1
2
4
1

6. New to data modeling?
We all have to
start
somewhere…

7. Why Data
Modeling?
Writing stuff
down
Collecting
meta data in a
structured
way
Sharing
decisions
Encouraging
change
Requirements
Gathering
Requirements
validation
Engineering Reuse

8. ER/Studio
Data Architect
Repository
Team Server

9. Team Server

10. Team Server

11. Repo

12. ER/Studio Data Architect
Reverse & Forward Engineering
Diagramming
Meta Data
• Standards
• Attachments
So much more…

13. Notes on ER/Studio
It has 20 years of
enhancements
It’s not just a
drawing tool
It’s an enterprise-
class engineering
tool
It’s collaborative

14. It’s about the modeling.
It’s not about the
models…

15. Initial Setup - Environment
Options you want
to set on day one
Most you want to
standardize on
organization-wide

17. Head first to TOOLS, OPTIONS

18. Special note on Colors and Fonts

19. Synchronization
Complete: • OVERWRITE THE CHILD
Partial:
• OVERWRITE THE CHILD,
unless the child has been
changed
None: • Don’t sync anything.

20. Unification
Allow
ON
• Let us create FK on
top of exiting
attribute/column
names
Allow
OFF
• Make us create a
new
attribute/column

21. Dictionary & Domains
Attributes
via Domains
• Common column types
Specialized
Metadata
• Stewardship
• Security & Compliance
User Data
Types
• Phone Numbers, ZIPCodes
Rules • Snippets of logic
Reference
Values
• Y/N, Statuses, etc.

22. All kinds of templates
Naming Standards
Data Model
Data Model Patterns
Rev/Fwd Engineering (Quick Launch)
More…

23. Macros
Automation
Batch updates
Batch fixes
Validation and error checking
Standards compliance

24. It will let you work on
the hard stuff.
The great thing
about macros is…

25. The best data
modeler is a
lazy data
modeler.

26. Lazy Data Modeler = Better Data
Modeler
Still work
hard On more
important tasks

27. There’s a learning curve..
Why,
yes,
there
is…
Start with samples and shared scripts
Do a “Hello World!”
Spend 20 minutes a day or week learning a bit more
Or spend 20 minutes day or week making a business case for developer
support
Get some training
Join an online community/forum

28. Requirements
Data Model
Database*
More requirements/
changes / tuning /
whims
Non Model Stuff
AD-206-CA
28

29. Engineering
Reverse
engineering
• Full DDL
• Partial DDL
Forward
engineering
• Full DDL
• Partial DDL
• Alter
• Extended alters

30. Compare

31. Alter Scripts
Regular
Alter
-- Add Constraint SQL
ALTER TABLE dbo.CUST ADD CONSTRAINT PK1
PRIMARY KEY NONCLUSTERED (CUST_ID)
go
-- Add Indexes SQL
CREATE UNIQUE NONCLUSTERED INDEX
CUST_NAME_IDX
ON dbo.CUST(FAMILY_NAME,GIVEN_NAME)
ON [PRIMARY]
go
-- Add Referencing Foreign Keys SQL
ALTER TABLE dbo.CUST_ORD ADD CONSTRAINT
RefCUST2
FOREIGN KEY (CUST_ID)
REFERENCES dbo.CUST (CUST_ID)
go

32. Alter Scripts
Extended
Alter
-- Drop Referencing Constraint SQL
ALTER TABLE dbo.CUST_ORD DROP CONSTRAINT RefCUST2
go
-- Drop Constraint, Rename and Create Table SQL
EXEC sp_rename
'dbo.CUST.PK1','PK1_03302016163719001','INDEX'
go
EXEC sp_rename
'dbo.CUST','CUST_03302016163719000',OBJECT
go
CREATE TABLE dbo.CUST
(
CUST_ID int NOT NULL,
GIVEN_NAME nvarchar(80) NULL,
FAMILY_NAME nvarchar(80) NULL,
MIDDLE_NAME nvarchar(80) NULL,
NATIONAL_ID [National ID] NULL,
CREATE_DT datetime NOT NULL

33. EVEN MORE!
Data Lineage (Mapping source to target)
Release Management
Change Control integration
Capacity Planning
Model Validation
Denormalization Mappings
Cross Platform

34. 10 Tips to be more productive
1.Install Repository & Team Server
2.Configure your installation
3.Become a Pro at Compare & Merge
4.Learn & Use Macros
5.Build FE & RE Quick Launches

35. 10 Tips to be more productive
6.Build Naming Standards Templates
7.Build Modeling Template files
8.Set up Domains
9.Set up Attachments
10.Use resources (Help, Forums, @datachick)

36. You will find
obstacle
s along the
way….

37. Resources
www.idera.com
• Community resources
• Webinars & Videos
www.datamodel.com
• Blog
• Videos (soon)
Product Help. • No, really. It’s good.
LinkedIn groups
• Data Archictecture
• ERsig
SIGs • EDW & others

39. Thank You
Karen Lopez
@datachick
www.datamodel.com
Love your Data
Models…
and Be Lazy