(AI KB) PCS: Why Direct SQL or API Access to PCS On-Prem Databases is Not Supported

Overview:

American Innovations regularly receives requests from customers wishing to access data from their PCS application databases via direct SQL queries or a custom API. For security, data integrity, and contractual reasons, direct access of this type is not possible for on-premises deployments. This article explains why and provides recommended alternatives for obtaining your PCS data.

Why Direct SQL/API Access Is Restricted:

Application Layer Required: PCS is a real-time, inter-relational data application. Calculations such as compliance status are performed dynamically in the application, drawing from numerous tables. The underlying SQL tables alone do not contain most calculated or report-ready data as single, finalized fields.

Data Integrity Risks:

Direct access—even if read-only—poses significant risk. Any alteration (intentional or accidental) to SQL tables could affect application outputs, audits, reporting, and historical data, potentially impacting regulatory compliance.

Support Limitations:

Our team cannot provide technical support, troubleshooting, rollback, or triage for any issues resulting from direct access or modification of backend SQL databases, as we have no administrative control within customers’ environments.

IP & EULA Constraints:

The inter-relational database schema and relationships are proprietary intellectual property. Per the PCS End User License Agreement (EULA), accessing or manipulating PCS databases outside the application is expressly prohibited.

No API for On-Premise:

There is no supported API for direct, external interaction with on-prem PCS databases. Our API solutions are available only for PCS Hosted and specific cloud/web-native modules, where access can be protected and managed under our security standards.

What Is The Recommended Way to Access PCS Data?

PCS includes a built-in feature called the **PCS Bridge** that supports comprehensive data import/export capabilities. This feature allows you to export data in flat-file formats (Excel, CSV, etc.) for use in external systems like reporting tools or data lakes. The export can be scheduled or run on-demand and filtered to include only records updated since the previous export.

Benefits of Using PCS Bridge:

- No additional costs or restrictions—it is included in your application.

- Maintains data integrity and compliance with product licensing.

- Flexible: supports full or incremental exports, custom field selections, and various formats.

Link to PCS Bridge Training: PCS Bridge Introduction