Data Send

Note: Data Send functionality in DataLink Server and Evolve 1.2 has not changed. Data Sends to SunSystems v4, SunSystems v5 and SunSystems v6 remain possible. This respects the compatibility of creating NDF files for SunSystems v4. SunSystems v5 and SunSystems v6 create XML files or send data through the SSC component.

You use Data Send to post data from an Microsoft® Office Excel worksheet to your product database. DataLink Server connects to other products through DataLinks.

DataLinks consist of one or more data send definitions. A data send definition is a structure of database fields. You complete the definition by mapping each database field to a field in the Excel worksheet.

The data is extracted from Excel and validated according to the selected data send definition.

In most cases Data Send can post directly to the database. But, some databases cannot accept the data directly and require an intermediate step. In this case an XML transaction file is generated by Data Send, and manually imported by the product database.

Different types of record are stored in different ways in a product database. For example, a customer record will have a different structure from a record of a financial transaction.

There are three formats for Data send definitions:

Basic: Each field in the source worksheet maps to an equivalent field in the product database.
Layout: Layout data send definitions are used to create complex records, for example, where a record consists of a header and body.
Matrix: Matrix data send definitions post the same data for each value in a range of values, called the Matrix Replicator.

The format of the data send definition determines the format in which you specify the data in the Excel worksheet. Each field in the Excel worksheet represents a field that exists in the database. Normally the fields in the worksheet are arranged in columns and rows. For basic data send definitions, you could specify the worksheet layout to mimic the layout of fields in the user interface of the product. This could help users who are familiar with the product to make the mappings between the worksheet and the data send definition.

In each data send definition, one of the fields is used to identify the start of a each record. In Basic and Matrix data send definitions, a driver code identifies the start of a new record. The driver code is mapped to a mandatory Key field in the database and the remaining fields are mapped to their corresponding fields in the database. The driver code is often the first column in the data set. Layout data send definitions have a Layout Identifier instead of a driver code.