INTRODUCTION
Nearly 30 percent of the activities in 60 percent of all occupations can be automated1. As non-programmers explore means of easing their work schedules using Google Assistant, programmers are using Python to automate boring stuff. Workplace culture remains an essential factor in all this. Employees may invest their slack time in exploring innovative tools in a disruptive cultural environment as compared to a culture driving operational excellence that maintains control.
As competition among businesses increase, self-work automation will gain more importance. Leaders will hope it happens; but more too often, their silence is deafening and confusing to those who have the potential to self-automate their work. Besides, leaders cannot dream it happens without investing and rewarding the process: i.e. carve a learn and apply mindset in them to address ailing challenges. Also, when HR and IT policies are unsupportive2, employees will conceal innovations on the premise of fear and distrust.
KNOWLEDGE BASE BENEFITS
Knowledge bases are online database storages for keeping data that groups can access, manage, share and reference. They are built as cost saving measures to improve customer experiences, employee productivity and to ease bottlenecks in accessing data or information3. Building ones self-work automation skillset to present data within specific contexts to provide information will be vital in the coming years.4 The DIKW model conceptualizes the need for knowledge bases.
In a database, text and values captured and stored in multiple tables will remain as data. Queries or Views combine the pieces by date, customer and order to transition it from data into information. The frequency of information moves it to knowledge and then to wisdom applied in decision-making. Despite the extensive use of spreadsheets for data analysis and presentation, it is limited in knowledge base abilities including its:
a. Inability to 'manage' sub-tables and enforce referential key integrity.
b. Struggles in handling large data volumes, record searches and updates.
c. Proneness to data losses when not responding and data isn't saved.
d. Limits concurrent usage until there is initial agreement to share workbook.
e. Inability to attach files or image references.
Knowledge bases often starts as self-work automation projects. Often, their aim is to solve a team problem as:
KNOWLEDGE BASE INTERCONNECTIONS
Even before organizations acquire the formally recognized vendor applications, internally created knowledge bases lay the groundwork for what will ultimately be the needed. Microsoft Access can be used as an effective middleware to provide front-end interactions for users. The back-end database could be Microsoft SQL or the same Access database. Whatever is built can be directly access in Microsoft Word or Excel. Let's explore the connections!
USING MICROSOFT WORD
It amazes many how the Microsoft Word application is largely underutilized even by those who have used it for years. There is actually no need to type in the numbers again and again in periodic reports. Below is a connection to an Access file or SQL Server from a Word document by going to:
A reusable query is mostly preferred for consistency. Users can change table formats. This has the ability to make the gray fields disappear despite maintaining a refreshable table. Functions can be inserted to provide a summation of the figures displayed. Using the right-click, the document displays the Update Field (for refresh), Edit Field (for making changes) or Toggle Field Code (to edit the underlying query).
USING MICROSOFT EXCEL
Microsoft Excel provides two options for accessing external data: Microsoft Query and Power Query. Microsoft Query provides connections to external data sources based on drivers installed on your PC. Using the query, Excel return the queried results in a table, pivot table or pivot chart. Excel results can automatically be refreshed based on parameters provided. This video link in YouTube is helpful in setting up parameterized queries.
The Power Query add-in option provides a self-service business intelligence platform for extracting, transforming, loading and analyzing data. Users can connect to multiple databases for data analysis. reshape data, and employ custom functions on their dataset. We provide tutorials for using the Power Query add-in within Excel to generate many other reports.
IN OUR PARTING NOTE
Workplace dynamics are quickly changing. As employers seek greater connection between customers and employees, socially and emotionally skilled workers are going to depend on the technologically gifted ones to draw inferences for success in the market place. Demand for workers gifted in self-service automation will be high. Hence, the onus is on leaders to enact policies that will build such talents for knowledge base development.
References Worth Reading:
1 The Future of Work: The Rise of Workers Who Self-Automate Their Jobs, Forbes, May 2019 Article written by Jeanne Meister.
2 Does Your Employer Own Intellectual Property You Create? LegalZoom, April 2023 Article written by Belle Wong, J.D.
3 What is a Knowledge Base? Whatis.com, August 2022 Article written by Ben Lutkevich.
4 Skill Shift: Automation And The Future Of The Workforce, McKinsey, May 2018 Article written by Bughin J., Hazan E., Lund S. and Dahlström P.
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