Mainframe document integration bridges the gap between legacy systems that generate critical business documents and modern document management workflows. infoRouter accepts converted mainframe output, complete with extracted metadata, and makes it searchable, organized, and accessible to authorized users.
Key Takeaways
- Mainframe document integration converts spool files into searchable PDFs with extracted metadata and imports them into infoRouter automatically.
- Business users can query mainframe-generated invoices by customer, date, or amount without involving IT after mainframe document integration is configured.
- The infoRouter API and Smart Import handle automatic file placement and custom property population from XML metadata during mainframe document integration.
- Mainframe document integration preserves the existing mainframe infrastructure while making its output accessible to authorized users through a modern interface.
Situation
An organization's core business data, including invoices, statements, and transaction records, was generated by mainframe systems. These documents existed as spool files: functional for batch printing, but impossible to search, share, or route through approval processes. The data was locked inside a system that only a handful of people could access directly.
Complication
Business users who needed invoice data had to request printouts or wait for IT to extract specific records. There was no way to search across invoices by customer, date, or amount. Auditors could not pull a complete set of records without IT intervention. The mainframe produced the data, but the data was effectively trapped.
Solution
A third-party tool (Formscape) extracted data from mainframe spool files and converted them into individual PDF invoices. infoRouter handled everything from that point:
- Formscape converted spool files to text, then to individual PDFs
- Metadata was extracted, including invoice number, date, amount, and customer details, and written to an accompanying XML file
- Both the PDF and XML file were placed in a folder monitored by infoRouter
- The infoRouter API automatically imported the files into the system
- Smart Import placed each invoice into the correct document folder
- Custom properties were populated from the XML metadata, enabling advanced search
Result
The integration transformed how the organization accessed its transaction data:
- Invoice retrieval time dropped from hours to seconds. Users ran queries like "all invoices for customer XYZ with amounts greater than $1,000" directly, without submitting a request to IT and waiting for a report.
- IT involvement eliminated for routine data access. Business users and auditors pulled their own records, freeing IT staff from a steady stream of ad-hoc report requests.
- Complete audit trail accessible on demand. Auditors accessed full transaction records directly in infoRouter, eliminating the multi-day process of requesting and receiving mainframe extracts.
- Zero disruption to the mainframe. The mainframe continued processing transactions exactly as before. infoRouter simply made the output searchable and accessible to everyone who needed it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does infoRouter replace our mainframe system?
- No. The mainframe continues processing transactions as before. infoRouter makes the output accessible to business users through a modern, searchable interface without changing the existing infrastructure.
- How do mainframe spool files get into infoRouter?
- A third-party tool like Formscape converts spool files into individual PDFs with accompanying XML metadata files. infoRouter's Smart Import then automatically picks up these files and places them in the correct folders with metadata populated.
- Can business users search mainframe-generated invoices without IT help?
- Yes. Once imported, users can run queries like 'all invoices for customer XYZ with amounts greater than $1,000' directly in infoRouter without involving IT.
- What metadata is extracted from mainframe documents?
- Metadata such as invoice number, date, amount, and customer details is extracted and written to an XML file. infoRouter reads this XML and populates custom property fields, enabling advanced search and filtering.
See How infoRouter Can Work for You
If your organization has critical documents locked in mainframe systems, infoRouter can make them searchable, accessible, and workflow-ready without replacing your existing infrastructure.