Pro Solutions (Prosol) have announced the successful implementation and use of i-Con (Interface Connector) at Unibase Solutions.
"Unibase initially opted for i-Con as a data extraction tool from our UniVerse platform as it offered a flexible, high performance, cost-effective solution," says Lance Shaffer, Managing Director of Unibase Solutions. "i-Con allowed Unibase to rapidly deploy the solution without having to write any code - one of the great benefits of i-Con. With scheduling, error handling and notification we have now extended the role of i-Con in the organisation to automate and manage processes like never before."
Pro Solutions, a business systems development and professional services group specialising in systems integration, in close partnership with Unibase`s technical team; have handled the i-Con implementation to date. According to Grant Hart, technical director at Prosol, Unibase were looking to enhance enterprise data exchange processes and it was then that Prosol introduced its interface connector software, i-Con, as an option to replace the use of many different integration tools with a single product to manage all data extraction, workflow and automation.
"Unibase Solutions hosts a number of business systems including Point of Sale, Property Management and Job Control applications" says Hart "and the demands for the data extraction, presentation and distribution as well as multi-system interfaces had grown to the extent that a single, managed, integration platform was imperative. The first challenge was to extract client invoice data from the core multi-value UniVerse database, load the data into Microsoft SQL, merge with a company branded template, convert the documents to .pdf and email them to the clients. This interface has been extremely successful and the client base is now receiving professional-looking statements and invoices. The cost of the monthly invoicing process has also been greatly reduced through this process streamlining and automation. Unibase also used i-Con to successfully complete their Microsoft Excel Generation interface that allows them to generate dynamic MS Excel documents on the fly and email it to customers. According to Shaffer, this is a very powerful function that is used often in the business and to great effect.
Hart says that i-Con is a tool used as a connection between various systems with various underlying technologies. "It constitutes an innovative and practical electronic system that facilitates the transfer and management of information between environments and devices used in commercial enterprises and was ideal for Unibase`s needs."
According to Hart, i-Con provides a single environment that allows the user to build, deploy, schedule and manage all interface requirements within a single system. It also provides a framework that allows users to create and deploy their own interface components, known as adapters, which are very specific to their unique business requirements.
He goes on to say that traditional interfacing of data and systems in an enterprise environment entails the construction of reams of code to collect, transform and deliver data between systems. "Once an interface has been created, it needs to be deployed, managed and monitored to ensure that all aspects of the interface are behaving correctly and this usually requires many different applications to create and schedule various interface activities." Hart says that, put plainly; i-Con replaces the old way of managing or monitoring information. "i-Con monitors and manages the movement of information remotely. Users should find the drag-and-drop approach to be simple and effective, dramatically shortening the learning curve normally associated with implementing solutions of this kind."
Shaffer reinforces this, "i-Con`s integration platform has allowed us to rapidly develop interfaces and to manage our processes. I am excided about using the tool for a number of new projects in the business." Shaffer says that his dealings with Pro Solutions have always been a good experience and that he looks forward to working with them in the future. Shaffer added that i-Con proved to be extremely cost effective as it provides them with all the functionality of traditional integration tools, at a fraction of the cost, with the added bonus of local support.
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