Siebel Enterprise Integration Manager (EIM) manages the bi-directional exchange of data between the Siebel database tables and other corporate databases. This exchange of information is accomplished through intermediary tables called, EIM tables (in earlier releases of Siebel application, these were known as Interface Tables). The EIM tables act as a staging area between the Siebel application database and other databases. Customers should use EIM to perform bulk imports, exports, updates and deletes. Clear examples of when to use EIM are:

When initially implementing a Siebel application, users should use EIM to load the Siebel database tables with data and file attachments created by external applications. For example, users might import information about product lines and products from an Inventory Control database into the “Products” entity in the Siebel database.

As part of maintaining the database, users can leverage EIM for data archival. This not only provides customers with a Siebel database that is optimally utilizing the resources available to it, but also streamlines the implementation of a corporate data archival strategy.

When initially implementing a non-Siebel application, users can export data from the Siebel database tables for use by that application. For example, users might export employee information to a human resources application.

As part of maintaining a non-Siebel database, users can update it with information from the Siebel database. For example, users might add new customers to an accounting database from the Siebel databases.

Clear examples when customers should consider using other Siebel products (example, Siebel eAI) over Siebel EIM:

As part of maintaining the database, where users have a large number of very thin updates (example, 1 – 10 columns) to a very narrowly defined set of Siebel base tables (3 tables maximum). In this scenario Siebel eAI, utilizing an integration object based on a business component with only the columns users require, this will provide users not only with the required functionality but may also provide a performance increase.

When the business requirement dictates that real-time feeds be available from other enterprise applications that their employees must utilize in order to accomplish their jobs.