Composer is Cicada’s core data management infrastructure, comprising components and tools that can be deployed by Cicada as a complete end-to-end reference data validation and cleansing solution. Because it is componentized, Composer’s facilities can also be used to form individual packaged solutions to solve specific data management “pain points”.

The strength of Composer as a reference data engine is in its process-oriented nature and its empowerment of the end user to define and configure rules, workflows, data model and security. In quick summary, following are some of the key functionality areas offered by Composer:

• Workflow support
• Data Modeler tool to define and modify the data model
• Vendor and internally-sourced data acquisition
• Automatic data validation, data composition and value-added calculation
• Facilities for manual data correction
• Data permissioning and access control
• Flexible data distribution, in timing, protocol and format
• Workflow editor to define workflow processes for specific business requirements, activities and participants
• Report designer to define customized reports
• Rules editor to define business rules
• Full compatibility with the WebDAV protocol for interfacing to document management systems
• System monitoring
• Audit trail

The features and functionality are organized into three major building blocks – Composer Workplace, the Data Processing Engine and the Database. The following diagram illustrates the relationship between the various building blocks and elements inside them.
Note: For more information, place your cursor on the individual building blocks .

Along with Composer’s core functionalities outlined above, it includes a suite of existing feed handlers for vendor data, and a set of powerful tools for use in a reference data solution.