Final answer:
Application analysts replicate builds consisting of reports and configurations from the production operational database to the non-production operational database environment for safe testing and verification, crucial in the IT development process.
Step-by-step explanation:
When application analysts collaborate with their Epic counterparts, they initially create and schedule reports in the production operational database environment. This environment is live and contains real-time data that is used for day-to-day operations. The build, which consists of the designed reports and configurations, is then replicated to another environment to ensure consistency and for testing purposes. Typically, this would be the non-production operational database environment, often referred to as the test, development, or staging environment. In such an environment, changes can be tested and verified without affecting the live production data.
The importance of using a separate environment for testing stems from the need to minimise risks associated with deploying untested changes directly into the production environment, which could lead to system downtime or data corruption. Therefore, replication of the build to a non-production environment is a critical step in the development process of healthcare IT systems such as those provided by Epic.