Open database connectivity (ODBC) allows Forecast Pro to read and write data directly to databases for which an ODBC driver exists. Most popular databases support ODBC, including Access, Oracle and SQL server.
PROS. ODBC can provide direct access to data stored in the corporate database obviating the need for intermediate files.
CONS. Reading and writing directly to the corporate database can raise security issues. Data transfer can be slow for some configurations. Reading data from a view is slower than reading from a table.
The next three sections supply the details you need to set up your data in one of the Forecast Pro formats. If you have chosen a format, you need read only the pertinent section.