#### Introduction to FLAM4

FLAM4 is a software product for data compression typically used in applications in banking, wholesale and retailing, industry and public administration. FLAM4 is best suited for record-oriented data.

FLAM4 compresses the standardized data formats as used in banking with a typical compression ratio of 4:1. For lists of material the compression ratio can be as high as 95% (20:1).

Although FLAM was not specifically developed for banking applications, it is now accepted as the optional standard in data compression within electronic funds transfer. FLAM4 is used because of its flexibility, data conversion across platforms and the proven short turn around time.

With each new FLAM implementation, new benefits arise for each user without additional costs. It is in the interest of each user to ask for support of FLAM by hardware manufacturers and third party software houses, and to support the installation of FLAM at sites of a business partner with whom electronic data is exchanged. That is the special benefit of FLAM regarding cost effectiveness.

FLAM4 uses the algorithm of the Frankenstein-Limes-Access-Method for structure oriented data compression. This method has been patented in Germany, Europe and USA beginning with 19.7.1985.

FLAM4 works without pre analysis of the data and without additional tables. This ensures that decompression can be always performed based on the syntax of the compressed file (FLAMFILE) and the FLAM program. This also ensures upward compatibility that allows for long time archiving.

FLAM4 does not need any additional specifications about the data to be compressed. The compression method is invariant to file, record, and field formats.

However, the compression effect depends on the actual data. Structural distortion mostly leads to worse compression results.