File-Based Data Exchange Between Legacy Applications

Abstract

File-based data exchange between legacy applications is important because many older enterprise systems still share business information through flat files, fixed-width files, CSV files, text files, and batch transfer formats. These file-based exchanges support data movement between independent applications where direct database connectivity, APIs, or modern integration middleware may not be available. Existing literature highlights file formatting, delimiter control, schema mapping, batch scheduling, validation rules, error handling, file transfer protocols, and staging-area processing as major practices in legacy data exchange. However, many organizations still face challenges such as inconsistent file structures, missing fields, duplicate records, encoding errors, delayed transfers, weak logging, and difficulty tracking failed data exchanges. This research is important because unreliable file-based exchange can affect transaction accuracy, reporting consistency, system interoperability, and business continuity. This article discusses file-based data exchange between legacy applications, focusing on file format design, data mapping, validation checks, transfer scheduling, error logging, reconciliation, and security control. The study concludes that effective file-based exchange improves data reliability, reduces integration failures, supports legacy system continuity, and strengthens enterprise information flow.