Seamless Data Integration

Open Connectivity Platform

Prophix is built on industry-standard Microsoft SQL Server technology that offers an open architecture. This allows 100% integration with various line-of-business systems and other Microsoft products, such as SharePoint, Reporting Services, and Office applications. The open connectivity allows these systems to provide front-end access to data or back-end source data. Implementing Prophix in existing infrastructures involves simple integration and data aggregation, promoting efficient system management. When applications share a common infrastructure and a common set of administrative tools, IT can manage new users and add new hardware to the environment more efficiently. In addition, managing application data in SQL Server removes the reliance on a challenging Excel-based process.

Wizard-Driven Imports

Data imports are wizard-driven and does not normally require IT assistance. The initial role of IT is to set up the appropriate connections to source data but as an advantage of this wizard-driven approach is that data structures are automatically created behind the scenes, relieving IT resources from routine access and maintenance to data. On the fly or automatically on a schedule, end users can perform data imports for both actual and historical data using a step-by-step wizard.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) and ETL

Source data is sometimes transferred from flat text files, but in most cases, Open Database Connectivity is used. Prophix interfaces seamlessly with virtually any ODBC-compliant data system or data warehouse. ODBC provides extensive access to data because hundreds of ODBC drivers exist for various data sources (e.g. Sybase, Informix, IBM UDB DB2, Oracle, MySQL, MS SQL, and Pervasive SQL). Data is transferred directly from the ODBC-compliant source to Prophix using an ODBC driver.

With ODBC connections and OLAP, ends users gain additional analytics with the ability to drill down into source data. OLAP allows users the ability to interact with data. Data queries can range from the simple "who" and "what" questions to the more complex "what-if" and "why" queries. Detailed as well as high-level consolidated data can be reviewed and analyzed within seconds.

Another advantage that Prophix offers is its extract, transform, and load (ETL) capabilities. ETL enables companies to move data from multiple sources, reformat and cleanse it, and load it into Prophix. This combined with ODBC connectivity ensures that the correct data is imported properly from Line of Business systems.

ERP Interfaces

Prophix interfaces seamlessly with hundreds of ERP systems. Using industry standard ODBC, Prophix can connect directly to ODBC compliant data base, flat files, or your data warehouse. Since Prophix can connect to most systems it allows you to leverage your existing IT investment.