It's a generic term for any software product that you buy. Toad is a 'COTS' product. Typically means something not written for a specific application. Other examples are SAP, Oracle Financials, Microsoft Word, etc... I've seen the definition used a little differently in different situations. COTS Integration means making your stuff work with something you buy. For example embedding Microsoft Excel into a GUI application. Or maybe if you decide to use Oracle Financials but already have an application to do some of your work, getting it all to work together... > -- > Mladen Gogala > Oracle DBA > > -- > //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l