Data Flow in EIM

Siebel EIM is server task that deals with the exchange of data between intermediary tables called interface tables and Siebel base tables.
In Siebel, we should not populate data directly into the base tables. At first, we have to populate data from legacy (an external database or a flat file) into the interface tables (EIM tables) and then from the interface table to its corresponding base table by running the EIM job.

Process Flow between EIM and Database

• Data has to be loaded into EIM tables (Interface tables). This is applicable for import, delete or merge operation. For export function, this step is not required.
• Edit the EIM Configuration file. In short called as IFB file, this file defines the parameters like type of EIM, the EIM table used, the batch number, etc…
• Run the EIM task either through GUI or command line.
• Verify the results. EIM generates log file for every task and you can use this log file for debugging.

To populate the legacy data into the EIM tables, we use using third party tools like SQL Developer, Informatica etc. After populating EIM tables with the legacy data, we will run the EIM task and this makes use of the information stored in the IFB file to determine which sort of operations are to be performed, which all EIM tables are to be used and which all base tables are to be affected and so on. Once the EIM task is run successfully, the base table will be populated with the legacy data that has been loaded with in interface tables. Once the base tables gets populated with the data, it will be visible in application UI (User Interface).

The below diagram depicts how the data from the legacy gets populated into Siebel base tables and visible in  application UI.