Importing Data into Life Sciences

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Scenario for Importing Data

• Process of Importing Data

• Importing, Extracting, and Routing Syndicated Data

• Extracting Data for Mobile Users

• Troubleshooting Syndicated Data Loading

• Views Requiring Syndicated Data Import

• Data Loading Matrix for Syndicated Data

• Importing Syndicated Data Files

In this chapter, you will learn how to import data into your Siebel Life Sciencesdatabase.

There are two general categories of data: proprietary data and syndicated data. These two types of data possess different characteristics and should generally be loaded into Siebel base tables using different processes.

Note: Loading data directly into Siebel base tables is not supported. Because of the complexity of table relationships and Mobile Web Client requirements, and the risk of loss of data integrity, Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM) must be used to import data into Siebel base tables. Do not attempt to modify data directly in the physical tables.

• Proprietary data. This is data that resides in an existing database and must be imported into the Siebel Life Sciences database during initial implementation or on an ongoing basis.

  For proprietary data, Siebel Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) is used. Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager, one method of EAI, is a subsystem in the Siebel Life Sciencessoftware that manages the exchange of data betweenSiebel Life Sciences database tables and other corporate databases. It includes a number of data integrity features, such as generation of foreign-key references and case adjustment.

• Syndicated data. This is read-only data about sales, Rx, and profitability that is provided periodically by third-party vendors. Once delivered, this data must be loaded into the Siebel Life Sciencesdatabase and made available to users in a timely fashion. Although you can use Siebel EIM (with transaction logging turned off) to import syndicated data, direct loading with a database utility (such as SQL* Loader) is faster for importing the large volumes of syndicated data typically loaded by pharmaceutical companies.

  The Siebel Life Sciences views and business components that require data import, and the data values for those views, are shown in the table in Views Requiring Syndicated Data Import.