The Portable Enterprise — Attachmate PalmFrame Makes the Mainframe Mobile; Users Can Now Access Enterprise Data From Their Handheld Devices

Business Wire, Sept 15, 1999

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 1999--

Attachmate Corporation's Business Solutions Group today announced Attachmate(R) PalmFrame(TM) System, the industry's first solution for allowing users of PalmPilot(TM) or Windows(R) CE devices to access and enter enterprise information into host computers.

Attachmate has established itself as the leader in providing its customers a business advantage by enabling them to leverage and extend enterprise data in new ways. By making the enterprise portable, users can take data with them as well as update enterprise information from remote locations -- such as insurance claims or customer orders. As a result, organizations can make rapid gains in employee efficiency, data accuracy, and customer satisfaction.

The Impact of Attachmate PalmFrame.

With the evolution of a workforce that increasingly has the need to work remotely from company headquarters and away from desktop computers, PalmFrame offers a solution to the problem of how to bridge the gap between mobile workers and enterprise information that resides on mainframe, AS/400, or other hosts. Currently, mobile workers often need to use paper forms to gather information, and then this data must be manually entered into host computers at a later time. This time-consuming repetition can result in misinterpretations, mistakes, and duplicate entries. With PalmFrame, however, entering this data directly and one time only into the handheld device ensures data integrity, rapid deployment of information, eliminates paperwork, and reduces labor costs by directly connecting the mobile workforce to host computer data.

Applying Attachmate PalmFrame to Business.

This technology has numerous applications in many different industries, particularly those with mobile workgroups that seek to improve operational efficiency and heighten customer service. For example, in a hospital setting, nurses make rounds to administer scheduled medication and record patients' vitals. These tasks have traditionally been accomplished by writing the information on forms and then delivering those papers to a clerk to manually enter into the host computer. With PalmFrame, nurses can use portable PalmPilot or Windows CE devices to directly enter the data into the host-compatible application. After completing their rounds, they put the device back into its cradle, press the Synchronize button, and the new patient data is automatically uploaded to the host. This process saves time, reduces labor, and ensures the integrity of the data in an industry where accuracy is critical.

The insurance industry is another example of a prime candidate for the value of PalmFrame. Insurance adjusters work in the field examining damage to vehicles, and need to both retrieve information about coverage and limitations as well as return information on the approval status of claims. With PalmFrame, they would have the ability to provide customers with accurate information about their policies, update customer accounts, submit claims, and much more. Insurance adjusters can provide the highest level of customer service by instantly retrieving customer data and updating it after meeting with the policy holder. They become more efficient by not having to take the time to re-enter hand-written information and then make subsequent follow-up calls to the policy holder.

The Technology.

Attachmate PalmFrame was designed by the Attachmate Business Solutions group, the company's consulting organization. At the heart of the PalmFrame system is Attachmate's web-to-host, e-Vantage(TM) technology products, such as the Attachmate e-Vantage HostPublishing System and consulting services. Each customer's unique needs determine the particular services and technology required to customize the PalmFrame system for their environment. The web-to-host product converts host data into an HTML-based web application. This application is then optimized for the screen size of the handheld device using AvantGo(TM) Enterprise, which extends the Web-based application to the handheld device.

"We are delighted that Attachmate has chosen AvantGo Enterprise as the best technology to extend mainframe applications to handheld devices," said Felix Lin, AvantGo's CEO. "With PalmFrame, Fortune 1000 companies in every industry can gain access to all of their host-based business critical information -- any time, anywhere via the award-winning AvantGo Enterprise mobile information solution."

The Attachmate PalmFrame System.

PalmFrame is a customized system specially designed for each business' workflow -- the underlying technology is common but the application built for the handheld device is unique to each business. A hospital, for instance, requires a different application than an insurance agency. Data is sent to and from the host, while the handheld device is in synchronization mode in its cradle. It can also synchronize enterprise data through a secure wireless connection, depending on the customization features selected by the client.