SYSTEM INTEGRATION -- Process Ins and Outs

Littrell says the standards and data formats themselves can contribute to the difficulties in implementing them. A product doesn't have to implement all components of the standard to be deemed in compliance. This can lead to problems if a system component passes along too little or too much information to a subsequent step. "There's no provision for just ignoring an anomaly and letting the job go through. If the software expects to see data in every header record and doesn't get what it wants, then the file is stopped completely," he explains.