Hi Team,
   I have just had a call from a Customer who is a Cellphone repairer.
   He was in a meeting with some Cellphone manufacturer representatives and they are asking my Customer to enter phone repair details into their company system
   Quite reasonably, my Customer isn't keen on entering data twice, once into his system and again into the manufacturers.
   After discussing some options they called me.

   So, the question is, is anybody aware of, and if so can you advise/recommend, a mechanism whereby the Manufacturer could develop an App that having logged in, could enter a phone's serial number and get back selected details of all the relevant repairs done by my Customer, directly into their database?

   ATT my Customer is running everything, EDBServer & Apps, on a Windows 2012 Data server & network.  The Server has connection to the Internet.

      Hoping to avoid data export/import mechanisms.

   I realise this is a little sketchy att but it has only just happened and I am trying to come to grips with it.

   Appreciate any insights you may be able to advise.

Regards & TIA,
Ian

FWIW - I have just found out the Manufacturer uses an Oracle database.

Normal way would be for the manufacturer to have an API that can be linked up so that the repair shop can post details of the repairs done. You'd have a service application that automates the uploads etc.

If they have a web application already, then that probably has what is needed if it is done recently.

You could invert this, and have the manufacturer be able to connect to an API that provides access to the repair database.


--

Matthew Jones

Ian


Being an awkward sod my approach would be to ask the manufacturer for the APIs necessary to get data into THEIR system. If they don't have those or aren't willing to develop them then you are going to have to develop a small export program - import will be their problem.

If the manufacturer has a solution where the repairer can physically enter data it should be possible to automate that in someway - even if its simple keystroke simulation.

You should not, which seems to be what you're asking for, tinker with someone else's software. Using their APIs etc is fine

Roy Lambert