Need help convincing my manager that SQL should be supported [closed]

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I work as a reporting analyst for our Support Services department for a medium sized bank in which the data is stored on a hosted sql server database and we primarily use Report Builder. The mindset here has been it's ok to export 5 queries, then copy them to one excel file in different tabs, and use vlookups to create reports. I've made so many improvements in the overall reporting by using SQL-subqueries, views, unions, tce and so on. I don't understand why my manager still won't accept SQL as a solution. My manager doesn't want to learn SQL and actually discourages me from writing in SQL (would prefer that I use Report Builder designer only). How can I convince her/him that SQL should be supported and encouraged to use. Other departments of the Bank freely use SQL to create reports. We are support services and my manager says we won't support other departments use of SQL because he/she doesn't know it. I know I'm doing the right thing because using SQL saves us so much time and it's repeatable with no chance of error compared to copying excel files and creating reports using excel formulas. Please help me understand why would my manager not want to use a better way of accomplishing our job?

manpreet 2 years ago

There are a few possibilities to consider, some or all of which may be true

1) Your manager fears the unknown Learning SQL is a hassle until you get that epiphany and it is suddenly beautiful

2) SQL-trained support staff may be more expensive It's a valuable skill, and training everybody up to spec on this (or worse, hiring new guys!) could be quite a burden

3) Report Builder generates stereotyped, tested SQL It takes way less validation than hand-rolled SQL written by you and understood only by you

There are some other possibilities, but let's keep these for now.

Recommendation

Talk to boss. Not accusatory, not trying to sell anything. But sincerely, with an eye to understanding his business rationale. Be honest, tell him you'd thought that moving to SQL would be a big hit. "Can you help me understand?" In other words, get the real reason. Only then can you address his hesitations. Heck, you might even agree with them.

Another thing you might do is talk to him about a list of ways you've come up with to make improvements. Hand-writing SQL can be one of them. But make sure there are others. And make gol-durned sure that floating un-source-controlled spreadsheets around is on the list (shudder). Discuss the list with boss. "Do you like any of these? Where can we tighten up our process?"