Next Generation Application Integration: From Simple Information to Web Services

Data Conversion

In the previous transformation example, information in Cust_No (alphanumeric and holding 9 positions) needs to be converted to all-numeric with a capability of 20 positions. The alpha component of Cust_No must be dealt with in another manner. It is possible to change the nature of the target application to accept letters, or the alpha component can be either deleted or converted. Deleting characters or converting them into numeric representations are examples of data conversion. The key to successful data conversion is to determine the data formats of the source and target applications, assess the differences between them (for example, which data elements need to be extracted and converted, and where they ultimately need to be ...