Setting up a data exchange

Both the export and import procedures begin by setting up an exchange scheme. After the exchange scheme is ready, you set up table relations, field relations, and export or import data parameters.

To set up an exchange scheme:

  1. Define an exchange scheme.
  2. Define an ASCII file.
  3. Define the fields for the ASCII file.
  4. Create a batch.
  5. Add conditions, if required.

To export or import LN data, to begin, you can set up an exchange scheme using the Exchange Schemes (daxch0501m000) session in the Master Data module.

Because other applications store data in different formats, LN cannot always directly exchange data with these other applications. The best way to perform a data exchange is to convert data into ASCII text, which is readable both by LN and other applications. The Exchange module handles the conversion of data between LN and ASCII, the selection of the data, and the sequencing of the data in the ASCII file.

After you create an exchange scheme, you must define the ASCII file to which your exchange scheme will export or import data. To define this ASCII file, you can use the ASCII Files (daxch0102m000) session.

The ASCII file consists of fields. To define the fields contained in the ASCII file, you can use the ASCII File Fields (daxch0503m000) session.

After you define the ASCII file fields, run the Batches (daxch0104m000) session to define the batch for the export or import. Each exchange scheme can contain more than one batch. A batch is a group of related table operations. After you define the batches, you can run the export or import by batch, instead of running the entire exchange scheme at once.

If required, you can write scripts to further customize the exchange, and add these scripts to your exchange scheme as conditions.