Data Management

Infor Public Sector can interact with other systems by exchanging data in the form of XML.

XML documents can be sent and received in various ways, but in each case you must translate between the XML and the Infor Public Sector database. This is the purpose of Data Management.

The database is accessed through the Infor Public Sector business objects. Generally speaking, there is a business object corresponding to each table in the database, with a property corresponding to each column. So to import data from XML, Data Management must match the XML elements to the correct business objects and properties so the records can be added to the right tables. To export data from the database, Data Management constructs an XML document that contains the data for delivery to another system.

The key is a mapping file, which maps XML elements and attributes to business objects and properties. The mapping file also defines relationships between different types of records, because a data import or export often involves more than one table. For example, if you’re importing a work order and its related costs, the mapping file must link the costs to the work order. Thus Data Management can import or export structured datasets, not only individual records.