Application Solutions

These application solutions are designed to give you ideas for how you can use one or more of the Pervasive DataTools products to solve data conversion and data migration challenges for virtually all applications.

In this section we have included information about migrating, converting, and transforming data between disparate applications such as Microsoft CRM, Salesforce.com, SalesLogix, Siebel CRM, NetSuite, SugarCRM, QuickBooks, SAS, SPSS and many more.


Reading Source Data | Writing Target Data | Putting it All Together



Reading Source Data

On the "read" or "source" side of any data project where you need to extract data from an application, one or more categories of the DataTools product line offers a method of source data connectivity, as follows:

DataTools Source Connection Type
Extractors from Applications Read source data directly from a specific application such as Salesforce.com or Microsoft CRM.
Extractors from Databases Read source data directly from a specific database such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or Sybase.
Parsers from Legacy Data Read and parse data directly from legacy data and flat file formats that contain no metadata.
Extractors from Data Files Read data that has been exported from the application to a CSV or tab delimited text file.
Parser for Print Files Read and extract data directly from print or report files that were created from the application and printed to a disk file.

Source Connection Ideas

Based on the information in the above table, consider each of these scenarios, and find the one that most closely matches the type of source connection that works best for your project.

  • Direct Connection - Use the Pervasive DataTools Data Extractor that provides a source-side adapter to connect directly to your application.
  • Intermediate Connection - If there is no DataTools Data Extractor that connects directly to your application, use one of the following methods:

    • Connect to Backend Database - Use the Data Extractor that connects directly to your application's backend database to read the source data table or join multiple tables.
    • Parse Legacy Flat Files - Use the one of the Data Parser to parse fixed text or legacy flat files into fields and records on the source side.
    • Connect to a CSV Text File - Export the data from your application to a Delimited ASCII text file. Use the Data Extractor from CSV Text to read the source data file.
    • Parse and Extract Data from a Print File - Create a report in your application and print the report to a file (rather than to a printer). Use the Data Parser for Unstructured Text to extract the useful data from the report file.

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Writing Target Data

On the "write" or "target" side of any data project where you need to load data into an application, one or more categories of the DataTools product line offers a method of target connectivity, as follows:

DataTools Target Connection Type
Loaders to Applications Write the data directly to a specific target application such as Salesforce.com or Microsoft CRM.
Loaders to Databases Write the data directly to a specific target database such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or Oracle.
Builders to Build Load Files Write data to an intermediate file format that can be imported or loaded into the application.
Loader to CSV Text Write data to an intermediate file format that can be imported or loaded into the application.

Target Connection Ideas

Based on the information in the above table, consider each of these scenarios, and find the one that most closely matches the type of target connection that works for your data project.

  • Direct Connection - Use the Pervasive DataTools Data Loader that provides a target-side adapter to connect directly to your application.
  • Intermediate Connection - If there is no DataTools Data Loader that connects directly to your application, write the data using one of the following methods:

    • Connect to Backend Database - Use the Data Loader that connects directly to your application's backend database to write the target data to one or multiple tables.
    • Create a CSV Text File - Use the Data Loader to CSV Text to write the data to a target data file. Then import the data into the application.
    • Create a Load File - Use one of the Data Builders to write out a target data file in the exact load format required by the application. Then load the data into the application.

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Putting it All Together

The huge variety of applications, databases, and file formats creates an endless combination of connection options. In the following section, we will try to describe these options in broad terms. In that way, you can determine which method of connecting to your source and/or target application works best for you, and which of the DataTools products you need.

Here are some examples of how one or more DataTools products can be used to solve your data challenges.

Direct Connections to Source and Target

If you are converting data between any of the directly-supported applications listed above in the Reading Source Data or Writing Target Data sections, simply order a license for the Data Extractor from "your application" or the Data Loader to "your application" and connect to both applications using the supplied adapters, create the data mapping, and go!

Direct Connection to Source / Intermediate Connection to Target

If a Data Builder is available for your target application, order a license for that Data Builder. It will connect to your source application directly and will help you create application load files that "fit" your target application perfectly.

If a Data Extractor is available for your source-side application, order a license for that Data Extractor. Then use a target adapter, such as the Delimited ASCII adapter, in the Data Extractor to write the data to a file format that can be imported into your target application.

Intermediate Connection to Source / Direct Connection to Target

The first step is to export the data out of the source application to an intermediate file format. Then, depending on the exact format of the exported data file, any one of several options are available for this combination, as follows:

Source File is a CSV Text File

If a Data Loader is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Loader to read the data from the intermediate source file format. The Delimited ASCII adapter can read virtually any delimited text file, regardless of the record separators and field separators.

Source File is a Fixed Text File

order a license for the Data Parser for Fixed Text. Use the Data Parser to parse the fixed text data into records and fields, then export the data from the Data Parser to a CSV text file format.

If a Data Loader is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Loader to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser.

Source File is a Report File

order a license for the Data Parser for Unstructured Text. Use this special Data Parser to parse, extract, and assemble useful data into records and fields, then export the data from this Data Parser to a CSV text file format.

If a Data Loader is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Loader to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser for Unstructured Text.

Intermediate Connections to Source and Target

The first step is to export the data out of the source application to an intermediate file format. Depending on the exact format of the exported data file, any one of several options are available for this combination, as follows:

Source File is a CSV Text File

If a Data Builder is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Builder to read the data from the intermediate source file format and map the data to the exact format to load into your target application.

If a Data Builder is NOT available for your target application, order a license for the Data Loader to CSV Text to read the data from the intermediate source file format and write the data to a CSV Text file that can be imported into your target application.

Source File is a Fixed Text File

order a license for the Data Parser for Fixed Text. Use the Data Parser to parse the fixed text data into records and fields, then export the data from the Data Parser to a CSV text file format.

If a Data Builder is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Builder to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser and map the data to the exact format to load into your target application.

If a Data Builder is NOT available for your target application, order a license for the Data Loader to CSV Text to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser, and map and manipulate the data to a CSV Text file that can be imported into your target application.

Source File is a Report File

order a license for the Data Parser for Unstructured Text. Use this special Data Parser to parse, extract, and assemble useful data into records and fields, then export the data from this Data Parser to a CSV text file format.

If a Data Builder is available for your target application, order a license for that DataTool. Then use the Delimited ASCII source adapter in the Data Builder to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser for Unstructured Text and map the data to the exact format to load into your target application.

If a Data Builder is NOT available for your target application, order a license for the Data Loader to CSV Text to read the data from the CSV text file that was exported by the Data Parser for Unstructured Text, and map and manipulate the data to a CSV Text file that can be imported into your target application.

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List of Applications

Here is a partial list of applications for which the DataTools can be used to import and export data.

  • ACCPAC
  • Act!
  • Business Objects
  • Capterra
  • Clarity
  • COGNOS
  • Crystal
  • CYMA
  • DacEasy
  • Dynamics Solomon
  • E-Intelliprise
  • Eloqua
  • FishBowl
  • Lexys
  • Goldmine
  • Hyperion
  • IBS
  • ICSoft
  • IFS
  • Intelisis
  • Invaris
  • IGMS
  • JDA
  • Jeeves
  • Lexys
  • LogicTools
  • Macola
  • made2manage
  • Maximizer
  • MBA
  • MerchantPOS
  • MicroBiz
  • Microsiga
  • Microsoft SBA
  • MicroStrategy
  • mPower
  • MYOB
  • mySAP
  • Navigator
  • Nexus
  • Onyx
  • Open Systems
  • OpenMFG
  • Oracle EBS
  • Oracle eBusiness
  • Oracle Financials
  • Oracle PeopleSoft
  • ORCA
  • Orion
  • Pacifica
  • Peachtree
  • PeopleSoft
  • PFW
  • Pivotal
  • Platinum
  • Plexis
  • Plexus
  • POSCentral
  • Powyr
  • ProcessPro
  • Pronto
  • Provision
  • GAD
  • QuickSell
  • Ramco
  • ReceiptCity
  • Registware
  • Retail Pro
  • RetailSoftware
  • RM6000
  • Sage
  • SalesBoom
  • salesforce.com
  • SAP
  • SAP R3
  • Scala
  • SCM
  • Sentai
  • Siebel
  • SKEP
  • Skyway
  • Smartops
  • Softbrands
  • Solomon
  • Spectrum
  • SysPro
  • System21
  • TCLogic
  • TechniData
  • TRAX
  • TurboTrade
  • UA
  • VersaPOS
  • Vigilant
  • xPeria
  • Zilliant

For a more complete list of applications - but certainly not all! - click here...

And of course, if you need assistance, please enter a brief description of your project - along with your question(s) - in one of our user forums. The Pervasive DataTools Team is always happy to help you determine which of our data tools will work for your data project.

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