Flow (software)

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In computing, Flow is middleware software which allows data-integration specialists to connect disparate systems (whether on-premises, hosted or in the cloud); transforming and restructuring data as required between environments. Flow functionality can be utilised^{[by whom?]} for data integration projects, for EDI and for data-conversion activities. Developed by Flow Software Ltd in New Zealand, Flow is available through a variety of partner companies or directly from Flow Software in New Zealand and Australia.

Integration software allows organisations to continue using existing applications, overcoming the need to customize or upgrade as their requirements change. By using integration software, many^[quantify] businesses benefit from reduced dependence on manual keying of data and the avoidance of costs and delays caused by keying errors.

Flow enables data management:

• Transformation of data, within and between sets
• Generation and consumption of data, accessioning from specified sets within structures
• Transportation of data files, using various transport formats, including secure
• Specification of task work-flows
• Notification of transactions and formats via reports

Flow accesses and generates data in structured formats, from files or databases.

Flow can access and read from, or write to databases using either the SQL89 or SQL92 specification. Informix provides support for extended SQL use.

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 & above
• Microsoft Access 97 97 above
• MySQL 4.x
• Oracle 8i
• InterBase 5.6
• Informix
• IBM DB2
• MYOB
• Any ODBC compliant database as per the Microsoft ODBC specification
• Any ADO compliant data source as per the Microsoft ADO specification

Flow can access and read from, or write to various file types.

• Any ASCII format file
• Any EDI type file based on either UN/EDIFACT or ANSI X12 standards
• Any XML file based on XML standards such as SOAP, XHTML or ebXML

A visual mapping engine is used to configure data transformation between data sets. Data can be restructured as it is transformed, thus allowing for dissimilar data structures between source and destination. Flow data access operates independently of the mapping layer. The applied mapping logic uses events containing Object Pascal code.

Flow transports generated data and files using the following formats:

• Local file access
• LAN
• FTP
• HTTP/S POST
• HTTP/S GET
• SMTP
• POP
• ebMS
• SOAP

The Flow user interface allows users to create and processes, activate processes and view activity logs.

Email notifications of Flow process activity can also be configured.

Flow uses predefined processing of events that can be executed either on schedule, or event driven. Actions and their results are logged and available via the user interface.

Actions include:

• Transformation of data or files
• Generation of specific reports
• Windows-based shell commands
• Outward-bound transports of data or files
• Selected SQL statements
• Custom plugin actions

Flow includes a report writer based on the software Report Builder. The report writer can create custom notification reports providing users with details related to their transactions. Reports can be created in XML, PDF, JPEG and XLS. Reports can be embedded into email messages if required.

• Flow Software ComputerWorld article
• EDI Basics

• Data mapping
• Data integration
• Knowledge management