Freedom from Source Code Modification

Now that you've seen our video message we want you to know the whole story: even though we haven't talked about it much in the past, we've been striving for freedom from source code modification for years.

Let's face it: EDI Advantage solutions operate in very tightly integrated environments, so achieving freedom from source code modification is a very big deal! Here are the milestones we achieved along the way:

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is source code?



• What are source code modifications?



• How does EDI Advantage integrate with Sage MAS without modifying source code?



• Why is the question of modifying source code so important?



• Does this mean I can use Sage MAS 90, 200 or 500 modifications from another developer with my EDI Advantage system?



• Did older versions of EDI Advantage modify Sage source code?

What is source code?

Source code refers to the software programs that are written by Sage Software, Inc. and installed on your server when you install Sage MAS 90, Sage MAS 200 or Sage MAS 500.

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What are source code modifications?

When a MAS user chooses to install software published by a licensed Sage MAS 90, 200 or 500 development partner, this software often makes changes to the MAS 90, 200 or 500 programs, or source code, in order to interact with Sage MAS 90, 200 or 500. These program changes are called source code modifications.

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How does EDI Advantage integrate with Sage MAS without modifying source code?

EDI Advantage 90/200 releases since 4.20 and all releases of EDI Advantage 500 strictly follow Sage Software's developer standards for object-oriented programming and use the Sage Software Application Programming Interfaces (which implement Sage MAS 90, 200 and 500 business rules) rather than directly manipulating system data.

By following these standards and interface methods, EDI Advantage adds new software 'objects' to the MAS system. These objects operate in harmony with MAS system components by following the developer standards and business rules defined by Sage. As a result, users experience very tight integration without a single line of modified source code.

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Why is the question of modifying source code so important?

Source code modification can make your system more difficult to upgrade. In addition, you may not be able to use modifications from other developers due to conflicting program changes. In some product categories, users are confronted with a trade-off between integration and modification. In other words, to get the benefits of integration, you must accept the consequences of modification. Or, if you don't want to modify your system, your options are limited to products with little or no integration.

But with EDI Advantage, we believe you get the best of both worlds.
EDI Advantage offers extremely well-integrated processing (even going 'beyond integration' with Hands-Free™ Mode) yet does not modify source code. To our knowledge, no other EDI solution for Sage MAS 90, 200 and 500 can make this claim.

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Does this mean I can use Sage MAS 90, 200 or 500 modifications from another developer with my EDI Advantage system?

Yes, if the developer of the modifications follows developer standards and business rules defined by Sage Software, it's likely you can safely use their modifications with EDI Advantage 90/200 releases at level 4.20 and higher and all releases of EDI Advantage 500.

But please check with us first anyway, because even if Sage standards and business rules are followed, it's still possible that the developer's functional changes will conflict with existing processing functionality. This kind of conflict can happen with any kind of software interface.

For example, even if all standards and guidelines are followed, modifications from a developer can still interfere with the way a Visual Integrator job works. So regardless of the method used to interface to your system, it's a good idea to check with your supplier prior to adding new components to your system.

If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us for more information.

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Did older versions of EDI Advantage 90/200 modify Sage source code?

Older versions of EDI Advantage 90/200 did include limited modifications to Sage MAS 90 and 200 source code. Most of these modifications were for optional features that could be turned on or off by the user. If you'd like more details about the specific programs modified in older versions, please request the Master Developer Guidelines.

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If you have any other questions that aren't addressed here, please contact us.

Want to see EDI Advantage in action? Request a demo!