Through OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) technology, Accessory Manager integrates host applications with PC applications such as Excel, Word, and any other application that supports OLE linking.
Data from multiple host applications or even multiple hosts can be brought together in a single spreadsheet or document, providing consolidated access to information from diverse locations. In addition, this data can change dynamically. As the data is updated on the host, it can be automatically updated in the PC application.
For example, a bank might have information on savings and checking accounts in one host application, and mortgages in another. However, the loan processor might want to see all of this information in one place and perform calculations on the data. This can be done simply by copying the desired data from the terminal emulation screens and pasting it into a single Excel spreadsheet.
This procedure does not paste the specific host data into the Excel cell, but rather pastes a formula necessary to retrieve the data. Whenever you open the spreadsheet, this formula specifies which session to open, which host screen to navigate to, and which data to display in the Excel cell. Whenever the data is updated on the host for example, when the balance in the savings account increases the corresponding cell in the Excel spreadsheet is also updated. Once the links are set up, all you have to do to subsequently access the host data is simply open the Excel spreadsheet.
For OLE linking to work, you must record the host screens that you navigate through to get to the screen that you want to link with the PC application. It is recommended that you not load any settings (such as QuickPads) for the screens that you want to link to PC applications. In addition, when you open a PC application that contains an OLE link, you cannot run Accessory Manager and open the same session for other emulation tasks.
OLE linking is supported with any product that fully supports and runs as an OLE 2.0 client. Accessory Manager will function only as an OLE server.