APPLICATION INTERFACE MANAGER

Computrol's eBASE® Application Interface Manager catalogs the rules for exchanging data between applications. AIM offers a number of advantages:

AIM standardizes interfaces and interface documentation

AIM is parameter controlled

AIM is efficient

AIM is independent of application processing

The Application Interface Manager is usually used in a batch or offline mode where you are analyzing multiple records, one after the other, to create the output. However, you can also use it in an interactive mode where you process one record at a time. Examples of batch interfaces managed by AIM include general ledger, ACH, CIF, interfaces from and to a broker/dealer, etc.

Standardize Interfaces

The Application Interface Manager  maintains all of the information to control the creation of the interface in catalog parameters. You can view and update the catalog parameters at any time. AIM standardizes the interface method, regardless of the application and whether you are moving data to or from the application. These catalogs also provide permanent documentation for all of the interface rules.

Parameter Controlled

AIM parameters define when to collect data, what to collect and how to format the output. When application requirements change, you update the Application Interface Manager parameters instead of changing and recompiling each of your interface programs as you do today.

	Data dictionary As soon as you describe the data in AIM's interactive data dictionary, you can access it for interfacing. You define the files or tables, the records and the format of specific data elements. The data dictionary describes attributes such as: • Edit codes • Record • Field Name • Location • Length • Internal storage format
	Formatting rules Formatting parameters catalog the rules to create the output record. You can create the output field by moving data directly from the input record to the output. The input data can be reformatted as you move it to the output. You can calculate data to populate the output. Or you can create complex decision tables where the output is determined based on multiple criteria.
	Decision tables supply compound conditionals; i.e., if-then-else logic. For example, the customer portion of a purchase transaction is the gross amount of the purchase; i.e., the amount to buy shares plus the commission, while the customer receipt on a withdrawal is the total withdrawal minus any penalties and withholding. So the Application Interface Manager decision table could be set up to say if this is a purchase, move the gross amount; if this is a withdrawal, move the net amount.
	Selection rules The catalog selection rules define when a condition occurs in the source system which requires an interface record. This may be an event such as posting a purchase transaction which requires a general ledger interface. Or it may select a specific record such as a broker account to refresh the broker's database.
	Requests can process a single record, multiple related records or groups of records.
	Data Access The Application Interface Manager can run in a standalone environment where it reads the source data files or it can be called as part of source application processing. When AIM is called from the application, it uses ‘event driven' logic’ - it creates the interface when there is an appropriate transaction or event.
	When AIM accesses files directly, it uses an API (application program interface) to retrieve requested data. The API separates data location and data access from physical storage. The Application Interface Manager does not read files directly; it only uses an API to read application files. AIM can access various databases including VSAM, DB2 and IMS.
	Exit Points The Application Interface Manager provides exit points to perform additional analysis using your special routines. Exit points are available at the record level and the data field level within the record.

Efficient Processing

Since AIM is parameter driven, it is very efficient to manage changes to application requirements. You change parameters rather than changing and recompiling programs.

AIM processing is also efficient. Many interface files are created during a single execution of the Application Interface Manager. This reduces the number of programs, saves valuable resources and eliminates repetitive access to the database.

Independent Processing

AIM executes in parallel but independent of the application itself.  The Application Interface Manager is aware of the application through the interface parameters: the source information, the destination files and the data elements in the records. It accesses the information using Computrol's standard API, making it completely independent of application processing. Or you can call AIM from your application so that it functions along with your current processing.

How AIM Operates

The Application Interface Manager uses a standard Computrol API to extract data from input records and to format data into output records. The AIM catalog contains the rules on which data to extract as well as the rules to format data to the output interface records. AIM does not ‘read' the input application data base. AIM assumes an application posting program or AIM processor has read the input data files and made it available to the Application Interface Manager. Once an output interface record has been formatted, AIM writes that record to an output file.

AIM can determine when an interface record is to be generated, what type of interface record is to be generated in the case of multiple record types, what input data should be formatted to the interface record and what file the interface record should be written to. All this can be accomplished with no programming.

More Information

For additional information regarding Computrol’s Application Interface Manager system, contact Computrol.

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