SQL Server Integration Services ( SSIS ) Package Documentation

After creating SQL Server Integration Services Package, the next step is to have the document ready for that package. Here are some important points those I keep in mind while writing document for my SSIS Package.

Explain the purpose of SSIS Package in few lines.

Explain how the Package is going to be executed, SQL Server Agent job is going to call or any other third party scheduler is going to call the package and often (Schedule) the package will execute.

 Explain what type of notification package creates, In case of data validation which team will be notified, or in case of hard failure (Connection failure etc.) which team the package will send an email. Explain with snapshots how the emails will look like so Production Support and other team member would know how the email will look like.

If your package is using any audit information of start of package, It is good practice to have some audit tables where your package should put some information at start such as package name, start time etc. So you can track which packages are currently running and also see execution history of different packages.

EXTRACTION PROCESS 

Explain about extraction process, this heading can be further divided into sub heading

Explain from which Server, Folder or FTP Site you are extracting data. Provide the Server Name, Folder Path or Ftp Site Address and other detail information about Table/s or file/s which you are using as source.

Explain about the business logic and transformations you are using, it can be just a snapshot with some text about logic those you have implemented by using those transformations.

Explain the destination you are using, if special settings are used provide them as well.

Each package should put some information in audit table once completed. This information can be used to see if package completed successfully. If you do not have created custom Auditing then you can ignore this part of documentation.

Provide list of all the objects (Stored procedures, tables, views, function, child package etc.) on which the package depends for successful execution.

Provide the list of the common error/failure those can happen and in case of those errors/failure how a developer can start looking into package and troubleshoot. 

Provide which type of SSIS Configuration is being used in the package; provide details about connection managers, variables and any other information that is maintained by using SSIS configuration.  In case of SQL Server Configuration provide the Database name and table and in case of XML configuration provide the file path.

Explain which type of logging is used in package. What type of event’s information is captured and what actions are done in Event handler pane. Provide the information about the path (Text file logging) or database name where log table exists.