TurnOver's Synchronizer^™

If you modify vendor software, then you need Synchronizer. It is a vendor change synchronization facility and source compare/merge utility, all in one package, and it's included in TurnOver at no extra charge.

Even with the best vendor software packages, you often have to modify applications to fit your organization's specific requirements. TurnOver^™ helps you implement these changes using the same methodology you use for your in-house programs.

But what do you do when you receive a new release from the vendor and have to retrofit your changes? As a TurnOver user, you no longer have to panic or procrastinate installing the new release. With Synchronizer, you run one command to analyze all of the changes and quickly see the effort required to retrofit your changes into the vendor application-whether they are program fixes or a completely new release.

Synchronizer analyzes the vendor's old objects and source, new objects and source, and the changes you have made. It provides source comparison reports and (optionally) merges the source changes to create new source members with which you can work. Synchronizer includes an on-line checklist to guide you through each step of your synchronization project, from the time you receive the new release until the last of your consolidated changes have been tested and promoted into production. The synchronization process helps you install vendors' changes correctly the first time, in as little time as possible.

TurnOver provides the framework for performing all synchronization functions as a normal part of the software change process.

Once you've assigned Worklists to your developers, the changes are handled exactly the same as any other change within TurnOver. Your staff does not need to learn another tool or process.

Other Uses for Synchronizer

You can also use just the source compare and merge utility from Synchronizer for these less complex tasks:

verifying changes before they are promoted to production
reviewing changes made in an emergency
reconciling and merging changes during concurrent development when more than one programmer is working with the same source member
merging multiple changes into a new member

However you use it, Synchronizer dramatically decreases the time it takes to analyze the impact of a new vendor release, resulting in faster installation of new features that benefit your company.