diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index bcb6484..205927f 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -1,151 +1,22 @@
 # AGENTS
 
-## Mission & Audience
-- This document lives at the root so every agentic helper knows how to make, run, and reason about the middleware.
-- Refer back to `docs/workstation_plan.md` for the architectural story, expected flows, and the canonical payload contract before touching new features.
-- Preserve the operational stability that the SQLite queue + delivery worker already provides; avoid accidental schema drift or config leaks.
-- Tailor every change to the Node 20+ CommonJS ecosystem and the SQLite-backed persistence layer this repo already embraces.
+## Build, Run, Test
+- Install dependencies: `npm install` (uses committed `package-lock.json`).
+- Start service: `npm start` (runs `node core/index.js`).
+- Apply schema: `npm run migrate` (runs `core/maintenance/migrate.js`, reads `core/maintenance/schema.sql`).
+- Maintenance CLI: `npm run maintenance -- <backup|vacuum|prune --days=N>` (runs `core/maintenance/maintenance.js`).
+- Parser smoke test: `npm test` (runs `node core/parsers.test.js`).
+- Instrument config check: `npm run instrument:check` (runs `core/config/instrumentCheck.js`).
 
-## Command Reference
+## Entry Points & Data Flow
+- Main runtime entrypoint is `core/index.js` (bootstraps app + shutdown hooks).
+- Runtime config is read from `config/app.yaml` via `core/config.js` (host + instruments).
+- SQLite schema source of truth is `core/maintenance/schema.sql` and is applied by `core/maintenance/migrate.js`.
+- Runtime database file is `data/workstation.sqlite` (keep it out of git).
 
-### Install & Bootstrapping
-- `npm install` populates `node_modules` (no lockfile generation beyond the committed `package-lock.json`).
-- `npm start` is the go-to run command; it migrates the database, primes the instrument cache, spins up connectors, and starts the delivery worker plus health/metrics services.
-- `npm run migrate` runs `middleware/src/storage/migrate.js` on demand; use it before seeding schema migrations in new environments or CI jobs.
+## Config + Environment
+- CLQMS auth is `host.apikey` in `config/app.yaml`; avoid committing real tokens.
+- `config/app.yaml` contains instrument definitions; onboarding is file-driven.
 
-### Maintenance & Database Care
-- `npm run maintenance -- backup` copies `middleware/data/workstation.sqlite` to `workstation.sqlite.bak-<timestamp>`; this file should stay in place and not be committed or removed.
-- `npm run maintenance -- vacuum` runs SQLite's `VACUUM` via `middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js` and logs success/failure to stdout/stderr.
-- `npm run maintenance -- prune --days=<n>` deletes `delivery_log` entries older than `<n>` days; default is 30 if `--days` is omitted.
-
-### Testing & Single-Test Command
-- `npm test` executes `node middleware/test/parsers.test.js` and serves as the allowable smoke check until a richer test harness exists.
-- To rerun the single parser suite manually, target `node middleware/test/parsers.test.js` directly; it logs success via `console.log` and exits non-zero on failure.
-
-## Environment & Secrets
-- Node 20+ is assumed because the code uses optional chaining, `String.raw`, and other modern primitives; keep the same runtime for development and CI.
-- All ports, DB paths, and CLQMS credentials are sourced from `middleware/config/app.yaml` (loaded by `middleware/config/default.js`) as the single runtime config file.
-- Treat `CLQMS_TOKEN`, database files, and other secrets as environment-provided values; never embed them in checked-in files.
-- `middleware/data/workstation.sqlite` is the runtime database. Don’t delete or reinitialize it from the repository tree unless part of an explicit migration/backup operation.
-
-## Observability Endpoints
-- `/health` returns connector statuses plus pending/retrying/dead-letter counts from `middleware/src/routes/health.js`.
-- `/health/ready` pings the SQLite queue; any failure there should log an error and respond with `503` per the existing route logic.
-- `/metrics` exposes Prometheus-style gauges/counters that read straight from `queue/sqliteQueue`; keep the plaintext format exactly as defined so Prometheus scrapers don't break.
-- Health and metrics routers are mounted on `middleware/src/index.js` at ports declared in the config, so any addition should remain consistent with Express middleware ordering.
-
-## Delivery Runbook & Retry Behavior
-- Backoff: `30s -> 2m -> 10m -> 30m -> 2h -> 6h`, max 10 attempts as defined in `config.retries.schedule`. The worker taps `buildNextAttempt` in `deliveryWorker.js` to honor this array.
-- Retry transient failures (timeouts, DNS/connection, HTTP 5xx); skip HTTP 400/422 or validation errors and ship those payloads immediately to `dead_letter` with the response body.
-- After max attempts move the canonical payload to `dead_letter` with the final error message so postmortem tooling can surface the failure.
-- `queue.recordDeliveryAttempt` accompanies every outbound delivery, so keep latency, status, and response code logging aligned with this helper.
-- Duplicate detection relies on `utils/hash.dedupeKey`; keep `results` sorted and hashed consistently so deduplication stays stable.
-- `deliveryWorker` marks `locked_at`/`locked_by` using `queue.claimPending` and always releases them via `queue.markOutboxStatus` to avoid worker starvation.
-
-## Instrument Configuration Cache
-- Instrument configuration is cached in `instrumentConfig/service.js`; reloads happen on init and via `setInterval`, so mutate the cache through `service.upsert` rather than touching `store` directly.
-- `service.reload` parses JSON in the `config` column, logs parsing failures with `logger.warn`, and only keeps rows that successfully parse.
-- Service helpers expose `list`, `get`, and `byConnector` so connectors can fetch the subset they care about without iterating raw rows.
-- Store interactions use `middleware/src/storage/instrumentConfigStore.js`, which leverages `DatabaseClient` and parameterized `ON CONFLICT` upserts; follow that pattern when extending tables.
-- `instrumentService.init` must run before connectors start so `processMessage` can enforce instrument-enabled checks and connector matching.
-- Always drop payloads with no enabled config or connector mismatch and mark the raw row as `dropped` so operators can trace why a message was ignored.
-
-## Metrics & Logging Enhancements
-- `metrics.js` builds human-readable Prometheus strings via `formatMetric`; keep the helper intact when adding new metrics so type/help annotations stay formatted correctly.
-- Metrics route reports pending, retrying, dead letters, delivery attempts, last success timestamp, and average latency; add new stats only when there is a clear operational need.
-- Use `queue` helpers (`pendingCount`, `retryingCount`, `deadLetterCount`, `getLastSuccessTimestamp`, `getAverageLatency`, `getDeliveryAttempts`) rather than running fresh queries in routes.
-- Always set the response content type to `text/plain; version=0.0.4; charset=utf-8` before returning metrics so Prometheus scrapers accept the payload.
-- Health logs should cite both connectors and queue metrics so failure contexts are actionable and correlate with the operational dashboards referenced in `docs/workstation_plan.md`.
-- Mask sensitive fields and avoid dumping raw payloads in logs; connectors and parsers add context objects to errors rather than full payload dumps.
-
-## Maintenance Checklist
-- `middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js` supports the commands `backup`, `vacuum`, and `prune --days=<n>` (default 30); call these from CI or ops scripts when the backlog grows.
-- `backup` copies the SQLite file before running migrations or schema updates so you can roll back quickly.
-- `vacuum` recalculates and rebuilds the DB; wrap it in maintenance windows because it briefly locks the database.
-- `prune` deletes old rows from `delivery_log`; use the same threshold as `docs/workstation_plan.md` (default 30 days) unless stakeholders approve a different retention.
-- `maintenance` logging uses `console.log`/`console.error` because the script runs outside the Express app; keep those calls simple and exit with non-zero codes on failure to alert CI.
-- Document every manual maintenance action in the repository README or a runbook so second-tier operators know what happened.
-
-## Data & Schema Source of Truth
-- All schema statements live in `middleware/db/migrations/00*_*.sql`; the bootstrapper iterates over these files alphabetically via `fs.readdirSync` and `db.exec`, so keep new migrations in that folder and add them with increasing numeric prefixes.
-- Table definitions include: `inbox_raw`, `outbox_result`, `delivery_log`, `instrument_config`, and `dead_letter`. An additional migration adds `locked_at` and `locked_by` to `outbox_result`.
-- `middleware/src/storage/migrate.js` is idempotent; it applies every `.sql` in the migrations folder unconditionally. Avoid writing irreversible SQL (DROP, ALTER without fallback) unless you also add compensating migrations.
-- `DatabaseClient` in `middleware/src/storage/db.js` wraps sqlite3 callbacks in promises; reuse its `run`, `get`, and `all` helpers to keep SQL parameterization consistent and to centralize `busyTimeout` configuration.
-
-## Code Style Guidelines
-
-### Modules, Imports, and Exports
-- Prefer CommonJS `const ... = require(...)` at the top of each module; grouping local `require`s by directory depth (config, utils, domain) keeps files predictable.
-- Export objects/functions via `module.exports = { ... }` or `module.exports = <function>` depending on whether multiple helpers are exported.
-- When a file exposes a factory (connectors, queue), return named methods (`start`, `stop`, `onMessage`, `health`) to keep the bootstrapper happy.
-
-### Formatting & Layout
-- Use two spaces for indentation and include semicolons at the end of statements; this matches existing files such as `middleware/src/utils/logger.js` and `index.js`.
-- Keep line length reasonable (~100 characters) and break wrapped strings with template literals (see metric formatters) rather than concatenating with `+`.
-- Prefer single quotes for strings unless interpolation or escaping makes backticks clearer.
-- Keep helper functions (splitters, builders) at the top of parser modules, followed by the main exported parse function.
-
-### Naming Conventions
-- Stick to camelCase for functions, methods, and variables (`processMessage`, `buildNextAttempt`, `messageHandler`).
-- Use descriptive object properties that mirror domain terms (`instrument_id`, `result_time`, `connector`, `status`).
-- Constants for configuration or retry schedules stay uppercase/lowercase as seen in `config.retries.schedule`; keep them grouped inside `config/default.js`.
-
-### Async Flow & Error Handling
-- Embrace `async/await` everywhere; existing code rarely uses raw promises (except for wrappers like `new Promise((resolve) => ...)`).
-- Wrap I/O boundaries in `try/catch` blocks and log failures with structured data via `logger.error({ err: err.message }, '...')` so Pino hooks can parse them.
-- When rethrowing an error, ensure the calling context knows whether the failure is fatal (e.g., `processMessage` rethrows after queue logging).
-- For connectors, propagate errors through `onError` hooks so the bootstrapper can log them consistently.
-
-### Logging & Diagnostics
-- Always prefer `middleware/src/utils/logger.js` instead of `console.log`/`console.error` inside core services; the exception is low-level scripts like `maintenance.js` and migration runners.
-- Use structured objects for context (`{ err: err.message, connector: connector.name() }`), especially around delivery failures and config reloads.
-- Log positive states (start listening, health server ready) along with port numbers so the runtime state can be traced during deployment.
-
-### Validation & Canonical Payloads
-- Use `zod` for inbound schema checks; validators already live in `middleware/src/routes/instrumentConfig.js` and `middleware/src/normalizers/index.js`.
-- Always normalize parser output via `normalize(parsed)` before queue insertion to guarantee `instrument_id`, `sample_id`, `result_time`, and `results` conform to expectations.
-- If `normalize` throws, let the caller log the failure and drop the payload silently after marking `inbox_raw` as `failed` to avoid partial writes.
-
-### Database & Queue Best Practices
-- Use `DatabaseClient` for all SQL interactions; it centralizes `busyTimeout` and promise conversion and prevents sqlite3 callback spaghetti.
-- Parameterize every statement with `?` placeholders (see `queue/sqliteQueue.js` and `instrumentConfigStore.js`) to avoid SQL injection hazards.
-- Always mark `inbox_raw` rows as `processed`, `failed`, or `dropped` after parsing to keep operators aware of what happened.
-- When marking `outbox_result` statuses, clear `locked_at/locked_by` and update `attempts`/`next_attempt_at` in one statement so watchers can rely on atomic semantics.
-
-### Connectors & Pipeline Contracts
-- Each connector must provide `name`, `type`, `start`, `stop`, `health`, `onMessage`, and `onError` per the current implementation; keep this contract if you add new protocols.
-- Keep connector internals event-driven: emit `messageHandler(payload)` and handle `.catch(errorHandler)` to ensure downstream failures get logged.
-- For TCP connectors, track connections in `Set`s so `stop()` can destroy them before closing the server.
-- Do not assume payload framing beyond what the current parser needs; let the parser module handle splitting text and trimming.
-
-### Worker & Delivery Guidelines
-- The delivery worker polls the queue (`config.worker.batchSize`) and records every attempt via `queue.recordDeliveryAttempt`; add retries in the same pattern if you introduce new failure-handling logic.
-- Respect the retry schedule defined in `config.retries.schedule`; `buildNextAttempt` uses `Math.min` to cap indexes, so new delays should append to `config.retries.schedule` only.
-- Duplicate detection relies on `utils/hash.dedupeKey`; keep `results` sorted and hashed consistently so deduplication stays stable.
-- On HTTP 400/422 responses or too many retries, move payloads to `dead_letter` and log the reason to keep operators informed.
-
-### Testing & Coverage Expectations
-- Parser tests live in `middleware/test/parsers.test.js`; they rely on `node:assert` and deliberately simple sample payloads to avoid external dependencies.
-- Add new tests by mimicking that file’s style—plain `assert.strictEqual` checks, no test framework dependencies, and `console.log` success acknowledgment.
-- If you enhance the test surface, keep it runnable via `npm test` so agents and CI scripts can still rely on a single command line.
-
-### Documentation & Storytelling
-- Keep `docs/workstation_plan.md` in sync with architectural changes; it surfaces connector flows, phases, retry policies, and maintenance checklists that agents rely on.
-- When adding routes/features, document the endpoint, request payload, and expected responses in either `docs/` or inline comments near the route.
-
-## Cursor & Copilot Rules
-- No `.cursor/rules/` or `.cursorrules` directories are present in this repo; therefore there are no Cursor-specific constraints to copy here.
-- `.github/copilot-instructions.md` is absent as well, so there are no Copilot instructions to enforce or repeat.
-
-## Final Notes for Agents
-- Keep changes isolated to their area of responsibility; the middleware is intentionally minimal, so avoid introducing new bundlers/languages.
-- Before opening PRs, rerun `npm run migrate` and `npm test` to verify schema/app coherence.
-- Use environment variable overrides from `middleware/config/default.js` when running in staging/production so the same config file can stay committed.
-## Additional Notes
-- Never revert existing changes you did not make unless explicitly requested, since those changes were made by the user.
-- If there are unrelated changes in the working tree, leave them untouched and focus on the files that matter for the ticket.
-- Avoid destructive git commands (`git reset --hard`, `git checkout --`) unless the user explicitly requests them.
-- If documentation updates were part of your change, add them to `docs/workstation_plan.md` or explain why the doc already covers the behavior.
-- When a connector or parser handles a new instrument, double-check `instrument_config` rows to ensure the connector name matches the incoming protocol.
-- The `queue` keeps `status`, `attempts`, `next_attempt_at`, and `locked_*` in sync; always update all relevant columns in a single SQL call to avoid race conditions.
-- Keep the SQL schema in sync with `middleware/db/migrations`; add new migrations rather than editing existing ones when altering tables.
+## Docs Worth Reading
+- `docs/workstation_plan.md` describes the intended architecture, retry policy, and maintenance runbook.
diff --git a/middleware/config/app.yaml b/config/app.yaml
similarity index 69%
rename from middleware/config/app.yaml
rename to config/app.yaml
index 8da07bc..acd816a 100644
--- a/middleware/config/app.yaml
+++ b/config/app.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 host:
-  url: http://localhost:4000/api/results
+  url: http://localhost/clqms01/api/results
   apikey: ""
-  port: 4001
 
 inst1:
   enabled: true
@@ -18,7 +17,13 @@ inst1:
     note: ASTM instrument over serial COM
   translator:
     parser: astm
-    engine: overrides
+    engine: template
+    file: config/translators/inst1.map
+    messages:
+      - HEADER
+      - PATIENT
+      - ORDER
+      - TERMINATOR
     forceInstrumentId: true
     meta:
       translator: msg1
diff --git a/config/translators/inst1.map b/config/translators/inst1.map
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07b9f73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/translators/inst1.map
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# TinyLink clean-room map template
+HEADER = H|\^&|||WST^P1|||||{instrument_id}^System1||P|1|{specimen_id}
+PATIENT = P|{patient_id}|{sample_id}|||{last_name}^{first_name}||{birth_date}|{sex}|||||{doctor}|
+ORDER = O|1|{sample_id}||{order_tests}||||||{specimen_type}||||{tube_type}||||||||||O|
+TERMINATOR = L|1|N
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/app.js b/core/app.js
similarity index 81%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/app.js
rename to core/app.js
index 38eded8..2941a43 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/app.js
+++ b/core/app.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
-const migrate = require('../storage/migrate');
-const { createHttpJsonConnector } = require('../connectors/httpJsonConnector');
-const { createHl7TcpConnector } = require('../connectors/hl7TcpConnector');
-const { createAstmSerialConnector } = require('../connectors/astmSerialConnector');
-const { processMessage } = require('./pipeline');
-const { startWorker, stopWorker } = require('./worker');
-const instrumentConfig = require('../domain/instrumentConfig');
+const config = require('./config/config');
+const logger = require('./logger');
+const migrate = require('./maintenance/migrate');
+const { createHttpJsonConnector } = require('./connectors/httpJson');
+const { createHl7TcpConnector } = require('./connectors/tcp');
+const { createAstmSerialConnector } = require('./connectors/serial');
+const { processMessage } = require('./pipeline/pipeline');
+const { startWorker, stopWorker } = require('./worker/worker');
+const instrumentConfig = require('./config/instrumentConfig');
 const { createHttpServer } = require('./http');
 
 const connectorFactories = {
diff --git a/middleware/config/app.js b/core/config/config.js
similarity index 94%
rename from middleware/config/app.js
rename to core/config/config.js
index 2739438..ff9494d 100644
--- a/middleware/config/app.js
+++ b/core/config/config.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const YAML = require('yaml');
 
-const configPath = path.join(__dirname, 'app.yaml');
+const configPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'config', 'app.yaml');
 
 function toInt(value, fallback) {
   const parsed = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ function buildConfig() {
   return {
     env: host.env || 'development',
     db: {
-      path: host.db?.path || 'middleware/data/workstation.sqlite',
+      path: host.db?.path || 'data/workstation.sqlite',
       busyTimeout: toInt(host.db?.busyTimeout, 5000)
     },
     connectors: {
diff --git a/middleware/src/scripts/instrumentCheck.js b/core/config/instrumentCheck.js
similarity index 93%
rename from middleware/src/scripts/instrumentCheck.js
rename to core/config/instrumentCheck.js
index 60b473a..e63981e 100644
--- a/middleware/src/scripts/instrumentCheck.js
+++ b/core/config/instrumentCheck.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const {
   InstrumentConfigValidationError,
   validateAndLoadInstrumentConfigs
-} = require('../domain/instrumentConfig');
+} = require('./instrumentConfig');
 
 function main() {
   try {
diff --git a/middleware/src/domain/instrumentConfig.js b/core/config/instrumentConfig.js
similarity index 84%
rename from middleware/src/domain/instrumentConfig.js
rename to core/config/instrumentConfig.js
index 9d500fe..acd1d30 100644
--- a/middleware/src/domain/instrumentConfig.js
+++ b/core/config/instrumentConfig.js
@@ -1,10 +1,27 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
+const path = require('path');
+const config = require('./config');
+const logger = require('../logger');
 
 let cache = new Map();
 let refreshInterval;
 
+function resolveTranslatorFilePath(filePath, configFilePath) {
+  if (!filePath || typeof filePath !== 'string') return '';
+  if (path.isAbsolute(filePath)) return filePath;
+
+  const candidates = [
+    path.resolve(process.cwd(), filePath)
+  ];
+
+  if (configFilePath) {
+    candidates.push(path.resolve(path.dirname(configFilePath), filePath));
+  }
+
+  const matched = candidates.find((candidate) => fs.existsSync(candidate));
+  return matched || candidates[0];
+}
+
 function normalizeConnectorType(type) {
   const value = String(type || '').trim().toLowerCase();
   if (value === 'serial' || value === 'astm-serial') return 'astm-serial';
@@ -14,13 +31,6 @@ function normalizeConnectorType(type) {
   return '';
 }
 
-function defaultParserForConnector(connector) {
-  if (connector === 'astm-serial') return 'astm';
-  if (connector === 'hl7-tcp') return 'hl7';
-  if (connector === 'http-json') return 'http-json';
-  return '';
-}
-
 function toEntityRows(entities = []) {
   return entities.map((entity) => {
     const connector = entity.connector && typeof entity.connector === 'object' ? entity.connector : {};
@@ -98,20 +108,30 @@ function validateAndLoadInstrumentConfigs({
     }
 
     if (!translator || typeof translator !== 'object' || Array.isArray(translator)) {
-      item.translator = { parser: defaultParserForConnector(connector) };
+      item.translator = {};
     }
 
     const resolvedTranslator = item.translator;
 
-    if (!resolvedTranslator.parser || typeof resolvedTranslator.parser !== 'string') {
-      errors.push(`${label}: translator.parser is required`);
-      continue;
-    }
     if (resolvedTranslator.engine && typeof resolvedTranslator.engine !== 'string') {
       errors.push(`${label}: translator.engine must be a string`);
       continue;
     }
 
+    const translatorEngine = String(resolvedTranslator.engine || 'overrides').trim().toLowerCase();
+    if (translatorEngine === 'template') {
+      if (!resolvedTranslator.file || typeof resolvedTranslator.file !== 'string') {
+        errors.push(`${label}: translator.file is required when translator.engine=template`);
+        continue;
+      }
+      const resolvedTranslatorFilePath = resolveTranslatorFilePath(resolvedTranslator.file, configFilePath);
+      if (!fs.existsSync(resolvedTranslatorFilePath)) {
+        errors.push(`${label}: translator.file not found: ${resolvedTranslator.file}`);
+        continue;
+      }
+      resolvedTranslator.resolvedFile = resolvedTranslatorFilePath;
+    }
+
     const connectorConfig = item.connectorConfig && typeof item.connectorConfig === 'object'
       ? item.connectorConfig
       : {};
@@ -142,7 +162,8 @@ function validateAndLoadInstrumentConfigs({
       translator: resolvedTranslator,
       connectorConfig,
       files: {
-        config: configFilePath
+        config: configFilePath,
+        translator: resolvedTranslator.resolvedFile || null
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/middleware/src/connectors/httpJsonConnector.js b/core/connectors/httpJson.js
similarity index 95%
rename from middleware/src/connectors/httpJsonConnector.js
rename to core/connectors/httpJson.js
index b1627f1..18b63dc 100644
--- a/middleware/src/connectors/httpJsonConnector.js
+++ b/core/connectors/httpJson.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const express = require('express');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
+const config = require('../config/config');
+const logger = require('../logger');
 
 function createHttpJsonConnector(options = {}) {
   let server;
diff --git a/middleware/src/connectors/astmSerialConnector.js b/core/connectors/serial.js
similarity index 97%
rename from middleware/src/connectors/astmSerialConnector.js
rename to core/connectors/serial.js
index 515f8aa..3b3ad16 100644
--- a/middleware/src/connectors/astmSerialConnector.js
+++ b/core/connectors/serial.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const { SerialPort } = require('serialport');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
+const config = require('../config/config');
+const logger = require('../logger');
 
 function createAstmSerialConnector(options = {}) {
   let port;
diff --git a/middleware/src/connectors/hl7TcpConnector.js b/core/connectors/tcp.js
similarity index 83%
rename from middleware/src/connectors/hl7TcpConnector.js
rename to core/connectors/tcp.js
index a4b6c57..748cf69 100644
--- a/middleware/src/connectors/hl7TcpConnector.js
+++ b/core/connectors/tcp.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const net = require('net');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
+const config = require('../config/config');
+const logger = require('../logger');
 
 function createHl7TcpConnector(options = {}) {
   let server;
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ function createHl7TcpConnector(options = {}) {
     if (!payload) return;
     messageHandler({
       payload,
-        context: {
-          connector: 'hl7-tcp',
-          instrument_id: instrumentId,
-          remoteAddress: socket.remoteAddress,
-          remotePort: socket.remotePort,
-          localPort: socket.localPort || port
-        }
-      }).catch(errorHandler);
+      context: {
+        connector: 'hl7-tcp',
+        instrument_id: instrumentId,
+        remoteAddress: socket.remoteAddress,
+        remotePort: socket.remotePort,
+        localPort: socket.localPort || port
+      }
+    }).catch(errorHandler);
   }
 
   function attach(socket) {
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/http.js b/core/http.js
similarity index 96%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/http.js
rename to core/http.js
index 535de6a..942be83 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/http.js
+++ b/core/http.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const express = require('express');
-const queue = require('./queue');
-const instrumentConfig = require('../domain/instrumentConfig');
+const queue = require('./queue/queue');
+const instrumentConfig = require('./config/instrumentConfig');
 
 function createHealthRouter(connectors = []) {
   const router = express.Router();
diff --git a/middleware/src/index.js b/core/index.js
similarity index 84%
rename from middleware/src/index.js
rename to core/index.js
index 2da24d4..68f385c 100644
--- a/middleware/src/index.js
+++ b/core/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-const logger = require('./utils/logger');
-const { start } = require('./runtime/app');
+const logger = require('./logger');
+const { start } = require('./app');
 
 async function bootstrap() {
   const { shutdown } = await start();
diff --git a/middleware/src/utils/logger.js b/core/logger.js
similarity index 81%
rename from middleware/src/utils/logger.js
rename to core/logger.js
index 8b10802..3bee495 100644
--- a/middleware/src/utils/logger.js
+++ b/core/logger.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 const pino = require('pino');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
+const config = require('./config/config');
 
 const logger = pino({
   level: process.env.LOG_LEVEL || 'info',
diff --git a/middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js b/core/maintenance/maintenance.js
similarity index 95%
rename from middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js
rename to core/maintenance/maintenance.js
index 5aaf219..2fb9f87 100644
--- a/middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js
+++ b/core/maintenance/maintenance.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
-const path = require('path');
 const sqlite3 = require('sqlite3');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
+const config = require('../config/config');
 
 const dbPath = config.db.path;
 
diff --git a/core/maintenance/migrate.js b/core/maintenance/migrate.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb2d31c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/maintenance/migrate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const DatabaseClient = require('../queue/db');
+const config = require('../config/config');
+
+async function migrate() {
+  const db = new DatabaseClient(config.db);
+  const schemaPath = path.join(__dirname, 'schema.sql');
+  const payload = fs.readFileSync(schemaPath, 'utf8');
+  await db.exec(payload);
+  await db.close();
+}
+
+if (require.main === module) {
+  migrate()
+    .then(() => console.log('migrations applied'))
+    .catch((err) => {
+      console.error('migration failed', err);
+      process.exit(1);
+    });
+}
+
+module.exports = migrate;
diff --git a/middleware/db/migrations/001_init.sql b/core/maintenance/schema.sql
similarity index 93%
rename from middleware/db/migrations/001_init.sql
rename to core/maintenance/schema.sql
index 086f1a9..6610aaa 100644
--- a/middleware/db/migrations/001_init.sql
+++ b/core/maintenance/schema.sql
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS outbox_result (
   attempts INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
   next_attempt_at INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
   last_error TEXT NULL,
-  created_at TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime('now'))
+  created_at TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime('now')),
+  locked_at INTEGER NULL,
+  locked_by TEXT NULL
 );
 
 CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_outbox_result_dedupe_key
diff --git a/middleware/src/utils/hash.js b/core/pipeline/hash.js
similarity index 100%
rename from middleware/src/utils/hash.js
rename to core/pipeline/hash.js
diff --git a/middleware/src/domain/normalizer.js b/core/pipeline/normalizer.js
similarity index 100%
rename from middleware/src/domain/normalizer.js
rename to core/pipeline/normalizer.js
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/pipeline.js b/core/pipeline/pipeline.js
similarity index 71%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/pipeline.js
rename to core/pipeline/pipeline.js
index b5e917f..a95fe3f 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/pipeline.js
+++ b/core/pipeline/pipeline.js
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-const queue = require('./queue');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
-const { normalize } = require('../domain/normalizer');
-const { dedupeKey } = require('../utils/hash');
-const instrumentConfig = require('../domain/instrumentConfig');
-const { resolveParser } = require('../domain/parsers');
-const translator = require('../domain/translator');
+const queue = require('../queue/queue');
+const logger = require('../logger');
+const { normalize } = require('./normalizer');
+const { dedupeKey } = require('./hash');
+const instrumentConfig = require('../config/instrumentConfig');
+const translator = require('./translator');
 
 function translatePayload(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
   const engineName = entry?.translator?.engine || entry?.translator?.name;
@@ -28,11 +27,19 @@ async function processMessage(connector, rawPayload, context = {}) {
     }
 
     const instrumentEntry = matcher.entry;
-    const parser = resolveParser(connector, instrumentEntry);
-    const parsed = await parser.parse(rawPayload);
-    const translated = parser.translate
-      ? parser.translate(instrumentEntry, parsed, connector)
-      : translatePayload(instrumentEntry, parsed, connector);
+    const translated = translatePayload(instrumentEntry, {
+      instrument_id: instrumentEntry.instrument_id,
+      sample_id: String(context.sample_id || `raw-${Date.now()}`),
+      result_time: new Date().toISOString(),
+      results: [{
+        test_code: 'RAW',
+        value: String(rawPayload)
+      }],
+      meta: {
+        raw_payload: rawPayload,
+        context
+      }
+    }, connector);
     const canonical = normalize(translated);
     const dedupe = dedupeKey(canonical);
     const inserted = await queue.insertOutbox(canonical, dedupe);
diff --git a/core/pipeline/translator.js b/core/pipeline/translator.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..080c9fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/pipeline/translator.js
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const mapCache = new Map();
+
+function buildCanonical(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
+  const translator = entry && typeof entry.translator === 'object' ? entry.translator : {};
+  const canonical = { ...parsedPayload };
+  if (translator.forceInstrumentId !== false) {
+    canonical.instrument_id = entry.instrument_id;
+  }
+  canonical.meta = {
+    ...(parsedPayload.meta || {}),
+    ...(translator.meta && typeof translator.meta === 'object' ? translator.meta : {}),
+    connector,
+    instrument_config: entry.config
+  };
+  return canonical;
+}
+
+function resolveTranslatorFilePath(filePath, configFilePath) {
+  if (!filePath || typeof filePath !== 'string') return '';
+  if (path.isAbsolute(filePath)) return filePath;
+
+  const candidates = [
+    path.resolve(process.cwd(), filePath)
+  ];
+
+  if (configFilePath) {
+    candidates.push(path.resolve(path.dirname(configFilePath), filePath));
+  }
+
+  const matched = candidates.find((candidate) => fs.existsSync(candidate));
+  return matched || candidates[0];
+}
+
+function parseMapFile(fileContent, filePath) {
+  const lines = fileContent.split(/\r?\n/);
+  const rows = new Map();
+
+  lines.forEach((line, index) => {
+    const trimmed = line.trim();
+    if (!trimmed || trimmed.startsWith('#')) return;
+
+    const separator = line.indexOf('=');
+    if (separator < 0) {
+      throw new Error(`${filePath}:${index + 1} invalid mapping line (expected KEY = value)`);
+    }
+
+    const key = line.slice(0, separator).trim();
+    const value = line.slice(separator + 1).trim();
+
+    if (!key) {
+      throw new Error(`${filePath}:${index + 1} mapping key is required`);
+    }
+
+    rows.set(key, value);
+  });
+
+  return rows;
+}
+
+function loadMapFile(filePath) {
+  const stat = fs.statSync(filePath);
+  const cached = mapCache.get(filePath);
+  if (cached && cached.mtimeMs === stat.mtimeMs) {
+    return cached.rows;
+  }
+
+  const content = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8');
+  const rows = parseMapFile(content, filePath);
+  mapCache.set(filePath, { mtimeMs: stat.mtimeMs, rows });
+  return rows;
+}
+
+function getPlaceholderValue(name, context) {
+  if (Object.hasOwn(context.flat, name)) {
+    return context.flat[name];
+  }
+
+  if (!name.includes('.')) {
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  const parts = name.split('.').filter(Boolean);
+  let current = context.root;
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < parts.length; i += 1) {
+    if (!current || typeof current !== 'object') return '';
+    current = current[parts[i]];
+  }
+
+  return current === undefined || current === null ? '' : current;
+}
+
+function renderTemplate(template, context) {
+  return String(template).replace(/\{([^{}]+)\}/g, (_, rawName) => {
+    const name = String(rawName || '').trim();
+    if (!name) return '';
+    const value = getPlaceholderValue(name, context);
+    return value === undefined || value === null ? '' : String(value);
+  });
+}
+
+function buildTemplateContext(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
+  const root = {
+    ...parsedPayload,
+    instrument_id: parsedPayload.instrument_id || entry.instrument_id,
+    connector,
+    config: entry.config || {},
+    meta: parsedPayload.meta || {}
+  };
+
+  const flat = {
+    ...root,
+    ...(root.meta && typeof root.meta === 'object' ? root.meta : {}),
+    ...(root.config && typeof root.config === 'object' ? root.config : {})
+  };
+
+  if (Array.isArray(parsedPayload.results)) {
+    flat.order_tests = parsedPayload.results
+      .map((item) => item && item.test_code)
+      .filter(Boolean)
+      .map((testCode) => `^^^${testCode}`)
+      .join('\\');
+  }
+
+  return { root, flat };
+}
+
+function translateOverrides(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
+  const translator = entry && typeof entry.translator === 'object' ? entry.translator : {};
+  const overrides = translator.overrides && typeof translator.overrides === 'object'
+    ? translator.overrides
+    : {};
+  const canonical = buildCanonical(entry, { ...parsedPayload, ...overrides }, connector);
+  return canonical;
+}
+
+function translateTemplate(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
+  const translator = entry && typeof entry.translator === 'object' ? entry.translator : {};
+  if (!translator.file || typeof translator.file !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error('translator.file is required for template engine');
+  }
+
+  const resolvedFilePath = resolveTranslatorFilePath(translator.file, entry?.files?.config);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(resolvedFilePath)) {
+    throw new Error(`translator file not found: ${translator.file}`);
+  }
+
+  const mapRows = loadMapFile(resolvedFilePath);
+  const messageKeys = Array.isArray(translator.messages) && translator.messages.length
+    ? translator.messages.map((value) => String(value))
+    : Array.from(mapRows.keys());
+  const context = buildTemplateContext(entry, parsedPayload, connector);
+  const renderedMessages = messageKeys.map((messageKey) => {
+    if (!mapRows.has(messageKey)) {
+      throw new Error(`translator message key not found in map file: ${messageKey}`);
+    }
+    return {
+      key: messageKey,
+      body: renderTemplate(mapRows.get(messageKey), context)
+    };
+  });
+
+  const canonical = buildCanonical(entry, parsedPayload, connector);
+  canonical.meta.rendered_messages = renderedMessages;
+  canonical.meta.translator_file = resolvedFilePath;
+  return canonical;
+}
+
+const registry = new Map([
+  ['overrides', { translate: translateOverrides }],
+  ['template', { translate: translateTemplate }]
+]);
+
+function resolve(name) {
+  if (!name) return registry.get('overrides');
+  const key = String(name).trim().toLowerCase();
+  return registry.get(key) || null;
+}
+
+function translate(entry, parsedPayload, connector, engineName) {
+  const engine = resolve(engineName);
+  if (!engine) {
+    const options = engineName ? ` (requested: ${engineName})` : '';
+    throw new Error(`translator engine not found${options}`);
+  }
+  return engine.translate(entry, parsedPayload, connector);
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  resolve,
+  translate
+};
diff --git a/middleware/src/storage/db.js b/core/queue/db.js
similarity index 97%
rename from middleware/src/storage/db.js
rename to core/queue/db.js
index c04a151..bd26b69 100644
--- a/middleware/src/storage/db.js
+++ b/core/queue/db.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 const sqlite3 = require('sqlite3');
-const { promisify } = require('util');
 
 class DatabaseClient {
   constructor({ path, busyTimeout = 5000 }) {
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/queue.js b/core/queue/queue.js
similarity index 95%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/queue.js
rename to core/queue/queue.js
index 33d9a95..e50b825 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/queue.js
+++ b/core/queue/queue.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-const crypto = require('crypto');
-const DatabaseClient = require('../storage/db');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
+const DatabaseClient = require('./db');
+const config = require('../config/config');
 
 class SqliteQueue {
   constructor() {
@@ -94,14 +93,14 @@ class SqliteQueue {
 
   async recordDeliveryAttempt({ outboxId, attempt, status, responseCode, responseBody, latency }) {
     await this.db.run(
-      `INSERT INTO delivery_log (outbox_id, attempt, status, response_code, response_body, latency_ms) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)` ,
+      `INSERT INTO delivery_log (outbox_id, attempt, status, response_code, response_body, latency_ms) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)`,
       [outboxId, attempt, status, responseCode, responseBody, latency]
     );
   }
 
   async moveToDeadLetter(payload, reason) {
     await this.db.run(
-      `INSERT INTO dead_letter (payload, reason) VALUES (?, ?)` ,
+      `INSERT INTO dead_letter (payload, reason) VALUES (?, ?)`,
       [this._serial(payload), reason]
     );
   }
diff --git a/core/rawPipeline.test.js b/core/rawPipeline.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45cce54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/rawPipeline.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
+const translator = require('./pipeline/translator');
+const { normalize } = require('./pipeline/normalizer');
+
+function run() {
+  const entry = {
+    instrument_id: 'inst1',
+    config: { location: 'default-lab' },
+    translator: {
+      engine: 'overrides',
+      forceInstrumentId: true,
+      meta: { direction: 'mono' }
+    }
+  };
+
+  const rawPayload = '<STX>ABC|123<ETX>';
+  const canonicalSeed = {
+    instrument_id: entry.instrument_id,
+    sample_id: 'raw-1',
+    result_time: new Date().toISOString(),
+    results: [{ test_code: 'RAW', value: rawPayload }],
+    meta: { raw_payload: rawPayload }
+  };
+
+  const translated = translator.translate(entry, canonicalSeed, 'astm-serial', entry.translator.engine);
+  const normalized = normalize(translated);
+
+  assert.strictEqual(normalized.instrument_id, 'inst1');
+  assert.strictEqual(normalized.results[0].test_code, 'RAW');
+  assert.strictEqual(normalized.results[0].value, rawPayload);
+
+  const tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'tinylink-map-'));
+  const mapFilePath = path.join(tempDir, 'inst1.map');
+  fs.writeFileSync(mapFilePath, [
+    '# smoke test map',
+    'HEADER = H|{instrument_id}|{connector}',
+    'ORDER = O|{sample_id}|{order_tests}'
+  ].join('\n'));
+
+  const templateEntry = {
+    ...entry,
+    files: { config: path.join(process.cwd(), 'config', 'app.yaml') },
+    translator: {
+      engine: 'template',
+      file: mapFilePath,
+      messages: ['HEADER', 'ORDER'],
+      forceInstrumentId: true
+    }
+  };
+
+  const templateTranslated = translator.translate(templateEntry, canonicalSeed, 'astm-serial', templateEntry.translator.engine);
+  const templateNormalized = normalize(templateTranslated);
+
+  assert.strictEqual(templateNormalized.meta.rendered_messages.length, 2);
+  assert.strictEqual(templateNormalized.meta.rendered_messages[0].body, 'H|inst1|astm-serial');
+  assert.strictEqual(templateNormalized.meta.rendered_messages[1].body, 'O|raw-1|^^^RAW');
+
+  fs.rmSync(tempDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  console.log('Raw pipeline smoke test passed');
+}
+
+run();
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/client.js b/core/worker/client.js
similarity index 93%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/client.js
rename to core/worker/client.js
index 546b799..bdf7a62 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/client.js
+++ b/core/worker/client.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 const { request } = require('undici');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
+const config = require('../config/config');
 
 async function deliver(payload) {
   const body = JSON.stringify(payload);
diff --git a/middleware/src/runtime/worker.js b/core/worker/worker.js
similarity index 97%
rename from middleware/src/runtime/worker.js
rename to core/worker/worker.js
index be7b9df..672592d 100644
--- a/middleware/src/runtime/worker.js
+++ b/core/worker/worker.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-const queue = require('./queue');
+const queue = require('../queue/queue');
 const client = require('./client');
-const logger = require('../utils/logger');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
+const logger = require('../logger');
+const config = require('../config/config');
 
 let running = false;
 let workerPromise;
diff --git a/docs/design.md b/docs/design.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acfd7e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# TinyLink Integration Design
+
+## Overview
+TinyLink is a bi-directional integration hub between laboratory instruments and the CLQMS01 host. It receives instrument results, wraps raw payloads into a canonical envelope, translates them to JSON, and pushes them to CLQMS01. It also retrieves test requests from CLQMS01 and delivers them to instruments through download and query workflows (planned).
+
+## Goals
+- Provide reliable, automated data exchange between instruments and CLQMS01.
+- Normalize and translate messages between instrument formats and JSON for CLQMS01.
+- Support both download (new requests) and query (SampleID) workflows.
+
+## Non-Goals
+- User interface or manual data entry.
+- Business rule orchestration beyond mapping and routing.
+- Long-term analytics or reporting.
+
+## High-Level Architecture
+```mermaid
+flowchart LR
+  subgraph Instrument
+    INST[Instrument]
+  end
+
+  subgraph App
+    RCV[Receiver / Raw Capture]
+    XLT[Translator]
+    ROUTE[Message Router (planned)]
+    POLL[Scheduler / Poller (planned)]
+  end
+
+  subgraph CLQMS01
+    CLQ[CLQMS01 Host]
+  end
+
+  %% Result flow
+  INST -->|Result data| RCV --> XLT -->|JSON| CLQ
+
+  %% Download request flow
+  POLL -->|Check new requests| CLQ -->|New requests| ROUTE -->|Instrument message| INST
+
+  %% Query flow
+  INST -->|Query + SampleID| ROUTE -->|SampleID| CLQ -->|Ordered tests| XLT -->|Instrument response| INST
+```
+
+## Data Flows
+- Result flow (Instrument → CLQMS01): receive instrument output, wrap raw payload into a canonical envelope, translate to JSON, send to CLQMS01.
+- Download request flow (CLQMS01 → Instrument): poll CLQMS01 for new requests, map to instrument message, send to instrument. (planned)
+- Query flow (Instrument → CLQMS01 → Instrument): instrument sends query with SampleID, fetch ordered tests from CLQMS01, translate to instrument response, send back. (planned)
+
+## Current vs Planned
+- Current: result ingest → raw capture → translator → queue → delivery worker → CLQMS01.
+- Planned: scheduler/poller for download requests and message router for download/query workflows.
+
+## Key Components
+- Receiver/Raw Capture: accepts instrument output and records it as raw payload for translation.
+- Translator: maps instrument fields to JSON schema and vice versa.
+- Message Router: routes messages to the correct workflow and destination. (planned)
+- Scheduler/Poller: periodically checks CLQMS01 for new requests. (planned)
+- CLQMS01 Adapter: handles request/response and authentication to the host.
+
+## Reliability and Error Handling
+- Retry on transient network failures.
+- Log and flag translation/normalization errors with raw payload references.
+- Idempotency safeguards for resends when possible.
+
+## Security and Configuration
+- CLQMS01 host and API key stored in config.
+- Instrument connection details stored in config.
+- No secrets committed to source control.
diff --git a/docs/example.par b/docs/example.par
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6061f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/example.par
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+Prestige24i
+
+S9 ="Header_record_from_WST".
+MESSAGE_I =STX,SP,1,"H|\^&|||WST^P1|||||Prestige24i^System1||P|1|",{SPEC7},CR,ETX,SP,2,CR,LF.
+
+S9 ="Patient_record_from_WST".
+MESSAGE_D =STX,SP,1,"P|",{SPEC1},"|",{PATNUM},"|||",
+{LSTNAME},"^",{FSTNAME},"||",{BIRYEAR},{BIRMONT},{BIRDAY},"|",{SEX},"|||||",{DOCTOR},"|",CR,ETX,SP,2,CR,LF.
+
+S9 ="Order_record_from_WST".
+MESSAGE_Y =STX,SP,1,"O|1|",{IDEE},"||", 30("^^^",{CHEMNUM},"\"),{URGENT},
+"||||||",{SPEC4},"||||",{TUBTYPE},"||||||||||O|",CR,ETX,SP,2,CR,LF.
+
+S9 ="Terminator_record_from_WST".
+MESSAGE_F =STX,SP,1,"L|1|N",CR,ETX,SP,2,CR,LF.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/user_manual.md b/docs/user_manual.md
index d16bc80..3022719 100644
--- a/docs/user_manual.md
+++ b/docs/user_manual.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ TinyLink sits between laboratory instruments and CLQMS, then handles the heavy l
   - `http-json` (HTTP endpoint)
   - `hl7-tcp` (TCP socket)
   - `astm-serial` (physical serial port/COM)
-- Parses incoming payloads and normalizes them into one canonical JSON format.
+- Wraps incoming payloads as raw content, then normalizes them into one canonical JSON format via the translator pipeline.
 - Stores raw and normalized data in SQLite for durability.
 - Deduplicates repeated payloads using a hash key.
 - Sends results to CLQMS with automatic retry and backoff.
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Think of it as a reliable translator + traffic controller for instrument data.
 
 ## Default Ports and Endpoints
 
-By default (from `middleware/config/app.yaml`):
+By default (from `config/app.yaml`):
 
 - Instrument config + health + metrics API: `4001` (from `host.port`)
 - Instrument connectors are configured per instrument entity (`inst1`, `inst2`, ...)
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ TinyLink now uses a single file-based configuration. There is no `POST /instrume
 To add an instrument, keep one config file in:
 
 ```text
-middleware/
+core/
   config/
     app.yaml
 ```
@@ -64,19 +64,55 @@ inst1:
   config:
     location: lab-a
   translator:
-    parser: astm
     engine: overrides
     forceInstrumentId: true
     meta:
       profile: astm-default
 ```
 
+### Optional: Use per-instrument `.map` translator files
+
+If you want a simpler per-instrument translator file, use `translator.engine: template` with a `.map` file.
+
+`config/app.yaml` example:
+
+```yaml
+inst1:
+  enabled: true
+  connector:
+    type: serial
+    port: COM1
+  translator:
+    engine: template
+    file: config/translators/inst1.map
+    messages: [HEADER, PATIENT, ORDER, TERMINATOR]
+    forceInstrumentId: true
+```
+
+`config/translators/inst1.map` example:
+
+```text
+# KEY = message body template
+HEADER = H|\^&|||WST^P1|||||{instrument_id}^System1||P|1|{specimen_id}
+PATIENT = P|{patient_id}|{sample_id}|||{last_name}^{first_name}||{birth_date}|{sex}|||||{doctor}|
+ORDER = O|1|{sample_id}||{order_tests}||||||{specimen_type}||||{tube_type}||||||||||O|
+TERMINATOR = L|1|N
+```
+
+Notes:
+
+- `.map` supports one `KEY = value` template per line.
+- Blank lines and `#` comments are ignored.
+- Placeholders use `{name}` and missing values default to empty strings.
+- Keep protocol framing (`STX`, `ETX`, `CR`, `LF`) outside `.map`; use message body templates only.
+- `translator.messages` controls output order. If omitted, all keys from the `.map` file are rendered in file order.
+
 What it does:
 
 - `host` contains upstream endpoint and API settings (`url`, `apikey`, `port`).
 - Every top-level entity other than `host` is an instrument (`inst1`, `inst2`, ...).
 - `connector` is embedded per instrument, so each instrument has its own connector type/settings.
-- `translator` stays embedded per instrument, so each instrument can define parser and metadata.
+- `translator` stays embedded per instrument, so each instrument can define mapping rules and metadata.
 
 ### Step 2: Restart TinyLink
 
@@ -110,7 +146,7 @@ TinyLink is strict because your audit trail deserves peace and quiet.
 
 ## Canonical Payload Shape
 
-After parsing and normalization, TinyLink expects this shape.
+After wrapping and normalization, TinyLink expects this shape.
 
 Required fields:
 
@@ -178,8 +214,8 @@ Use these to check system status:
 ### Instrument returns `404`
 
 - Confirm exact `instrument_id` spelling and casing.
-- Verify the instrument exists in `middleware/config/app.yaml` as its own top-level key (`inst1`, `inst2`, ...).
-- Verify that instrument has `connector.type`, connector settings, and `translator.parser`.
+- Verify the instrument exists in `config/app.yaml` as its own top-level key (`inst1`, `inst2`, ...).
+- Verify that instrument has `connector.type`, connector settings, and `translator.engine`.
 
 ### Data is not flowing
 
diff --git a/docs/workstation_plan.md b/docs/workstation_plan.md
index e2fe791..47e3043 100644
--- a/docs/workstation_plan.md
+++ b/docs/workstation_plan.md
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ Build a lightweight Node.js service that:
 
 ## Responsibilities
 
-- **Middleware:** connector protocols (HTTP JSON, HL7 TCP, ASTM serial), parsing/normalization, schema checks, durable queue, retries, dead-letter, logging, health endpoints.
+- **Middleware:** connector protocols (HTTP JSON, HL7 TCP, ASTM serial), raw payload capture + translation/normalization, schema checks, durable queue, retries, dead-letter, logging, health endpoints.
 - **CLQMS:** domain validation, mapping rules, result persistence, workflow/flags/audit.
 
 ## Flow
 
 1. Connector captures raw message and writes to `inbox_raw`.
-2. Parser turns protocol text into a structured object.
+2. Pipeline wraps raw payloads into a canonical envelope.
 3. Normalizer maps the object to canonical JSON.
 4. Payload lands in `outbox_result` as `pending`.
 5. Delivery worker sends to CLQMS and logs attempts.
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ Build a lightweight Node.js service that:
 ## Suggested Layout
 
 ```text
-middleware/
+core/
   src/
     connectors/
-    parsers/
+    pipeline/
     domain/
     runtime/
     storage/
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ Example:
 
 ## Phase 2 Completion Notes
 
-- Instruments are provisioned from `middleware/config/app.yaml`, a single file containing `host` runtime settings and `instruments[]` entries with embedded connector, match, config, and translator settings.
+- Instruments are provisioned from `config/app.yaml`, a single file containing `host` runtime settings and `instruments[]` entries with embedded connector, match, config, and translator settings.
 - The `/instruments` route is read-only for visibility; instrument onboarding is file-driven.
 - Each connector validates against loaded instrument files so only known, enabled equipment is accepted.
 - Deduplication now guarded by SHA-256 `dedupe_key`, and instrument metadata is carried through the pipeline.
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ Example:
 
 ## Maintenance, Runbook & Automation
 
-- SQLite maintenance script (`node middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js`) supports `backup`, `vacuum`, and `prune --days=<n>` to keep the DB performant and reproducible.
+- SQLite maintenance script (`node core/maintenance/maintenance.js`) supports `backup`, `vacuum`, and `prune --days=<n>` to keep the DB performant and reproducible.
 - Daily/weekly checklist: run backup before deployments, vacuum monthly, and prune `delivery_log` older than 30 days (configurable via CLI).
 - Incident checklist: 1) check `/health/ready`; 2) inspect `outbox_result` + `dead_letter`; 3) replay payloads with `pending` or `retrying` status; 4) rotate CLQMS token via env + restart; 5) escalate when dead letters spike or metrics show stale success timestamp.
 
 ## Testing & Validation
 
-- Parser smoke tests under `middleware/test/parsers.test.js` verify HL7/ASTM canonical output and keep `normalize()` coverage intact. Run via `npm test`.
+- Raw payload smoke tests under `core/rawPipeline.test.js` verify canonical output and keep `normalize()` coverage intact. Run via `npm test`.
 - Instrument config integrity check runs via `npm run instrument:check`; startup performs the same validation and fails fast on errors.
 - Future CI can run the same script plus `npm run migrate` ahead of any pull request to ensure schema/queue logic still applies.
diff --git a/middleware/config/astm.js b/middleware/config/astm.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 862468c..0000000
--- a/middleware/config/astm.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-const { parse } = require('../src/parsers/astmParser');
-
-function translate(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
-  const translator = entry && typeof entry.translator === 'object' ? entry.translator : {};
-  const overrides = translator.overrides && typeof translator.overrides === 'object'
-    ? translator.overrides
-    : {};
-  const canonical = { ...parsedPayload, ...overrides };
-  if (translator.forceInstrumentId !== false) {
-    canonical.instrument_id = entry.instrument_id;
-  }
-  canonical.meta = {
-    ...(parsedPayload.meta || {}),
-    ...(translator.meta && typeof translator.meta === 'object' ? translator.meta : {}),
-    connector,
-    instrument_config: entry.config
-  };
-  return canonical;
-}
-
-module.exports = { parse, translate };
diff --git a/middleware/data/workstation.sqlite b/middleware/data/workstation.sqlite
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d16709..0000000
Binary files a/middleware/data/workstation.sqlite and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/middleware/db/migrations/002_outbox_locks.sql b/middleware/db/migrations/002_outbox_locks.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index 6c1f1b6..0000000
--- a/middleware/db/migrations/002_outbox_locks.sql
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-ALTER TABLE outbox_result ADD COLUMN locked_at INTEGER NULL;
-ALTER TABLE outbox_result ADD COLUMN locked_by TEXT NULL;
diff --git a/middleware/src/domain/parsers.js b/middleware/src/domain/parsers.js
deleted file mode 100644
index a38959d..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/domain/parsers.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-const parserMap = {
-  'http-json': require('../parsers/httpParser'),
-  'hl7-tcp': require('../parsers/hl7Parser'),
-  'astm-serial': require('../parsers/astmParser'),
-  hl7: require('../parsers/hl7Parser'),
-  astm: require('../parsers/astmParser'),
-  http: require('../parsers/httpParser')
-};
-
-function resolveCustomParser(parserName) {
-  if (!parserName || typeof parserName !== 'string') return null;
-  try {
-    const custom = require(`../../config/${parserName}`);
-    if (custom && typeof custom.parse === 'function') {
-      return custom;
-    }
-  } catch (error) {
-    return null;
-  }
-  return null;
-}
-
-function resolveParser(connector, instrumentEntry) {
-  const parserName = instrumentEntry?.translator?.parser || connector;
-  const parser = parserMap[parserName] || resolveCustomParser(parserName);
-  if (!parser) {
-    throw new Error(`no parser registered for ${parserName}`);
-  }
-  return parser;
-}
-
-module.exports = {
-  resolveParser
-};
diff --git a/middleware/src/domain/translator.js b/middleware/src/domain/translator.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8b0210d..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/domain/translator.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-function translateOverrides(entry, parsedPayload, connector) {
-  const translator = entry && typeof entry.translator === 'object' ? entry.translator : {};
-  const overrides = translator.overrides && typeof translator.overrides === 'object'
-    ? translator.overrides
-    : {};
-  const canonical = { ...parsedPayload, ...overrides };
-  if (translator.forceInstrumentId !== false) {
-    canonical.instrument_id = entry.instrument_id;
-  }
-  canonical.meta = {
-    ...(parsedPayload.meta || {}),
-    ...(translator.meta && typeof translator.meta === 'object' ? translator.meta : {}),
-    connector,
-    instrument_config: entry.config
-  };
-  return canonical;
-}
-
-const registry = new Map([
-  ['overrides', { translate: translateOverrides }]
-]);
-
-function resolve(name) {
-  if (!name) return registry.get('overrides');
-  const key = String(name).trim().toLowerCase();
-  return registry.get(key) || null;
-}
-
-function translate(entry, parsedPayload, connector, engineName) {
-  const engine = resolve(engineName);
-  if (!engine) {
-    const options = engineName ? ` (requested: ${engineName})` : '';
-    throw new Error(`translator engine not found${options}`);
-  }
-  return engine.translate(entry, parsedPayload, connector);
-}
-
-module.exports = {
-  resolve,
-  translate
-};
diff --git a/middleware/src/parsers/astmParser.js b/middleware/src/parsers/astmParser.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d928fc3..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/parsers/astmParser.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-function split(line) {
-  return line.split('|');
-}
-
-function extractTestCode(raw) {
-  const candidates = (raw || '').split('^').filter(Boolean);
-  return candidates[0] || raw || 'UNKNOWN';
-}
-
-function buildResult(fields) {
-  return {
-    test_code: extractTestCode(fields[2]),
-    value: fields[3] || '0',
-    unit: fields[4] || undefined,
-    flag: fields[11] || fields[10] || undefined,
-    meta: {
-      channel: fields[1]
-    }
-  };
-}
-
-function parseAstm(message) {
-  const payload = typeof message === 'string' ? message.trim() : '';
-  if (!payload) throw new Error('empty ASTM payload');
-  const lines = payload.split(/\r?\n/).filter(Boolean);
-  const header = lines.find((line) => line.startsWith('H|')) || '';
-  const order = lines.find((line) => line.startsWith('O|')) || '';
-  const resultLines = lines.filter((line) => line.startsWith('R|'));
-
-  if (!resultLines.length) {
-    throw new Error('no ASTM R segments');
-  }
-
-  const headerFields = header ? split(header) : [];
-  const orderFields = order ? split(order) : [];
-  const instrument_id = headerFields[3] || 'astm-instrument';
-  const sample_id = orderFields[2] || `${instrument_id}-sample`;
-  const result_time = orderFields[13] || new Date().toISOString();
-
-  const results = resultLines.map((line) => buildResult(split(line)));
-
-  return {
-    instrument_id: instrument_id.trim(),
-    sample_id: sample_id.trim(),
-    result_time,
-    results,
-    meta: {
-      source_protocol: 'ASTM',
-      connector: 'astm-serial',
-      segments: resultLines.length
-    }
-  };
-}
-
-module.exports = { parse: parseAstm };
diff --git a/middleware/src/parsers/hl7Parser.js b/middleware/src/parsers/hl7Parser.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 35d667f..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/parsers/hl7Parser.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-function splitFields(segment) {
-  return segment.split('|');
-}
-
-function formatHl7Timestamp(value) {
-  if (!value) return new Date().toISOString();
-  const year = value.slice(0, 4);
-  const month = value.slice(4, 6) || '01';
-  const day = value.slice(6, 8) || '01';
-  const hour = value.slice(8, 10) || '00';
-  const minute = value.slice(10, 12) || '00';
-  const second = value.slice(12, 14) || '00';
-  if (!year || !month || !day) {
-    return new Date().toISOString();
-  }
-  return `${year}-${month}-${day}T${hour}:${minute}:${second}Z`;
-}
-
-async function parseHl7(message) {
-  const payload = typeof message === 'string' ? message.trim() : '';
-  if (!payload) {
-    throw new Error('empty HL7 payload');
-  }
-
-  const segments = payload.split(/\r?\n/).filter(Boolean);
-  const msh = segments.find((line) => line.startsWith('MSH'));
-  const obr = segments.find((line) => line.startsWith('OBR'));
-  const obxSegments = segments.filter((line) => line.startsWith('OBX'));
-
-  const mshFields = msh ? splitFields(msh) : [];
-  const obrFields = obr ? splitFields(obr) : [];
-
-  const instrument_id = (obrFields[2] || '').split('^')[0] || 'hl7-instrument';
-  const sample_id = (obrFields[3] || obrFields[2] || '').split('^')[0] || `${instrument_id}-sample`;
-  const result_time = formatHl7Timestamp(obrFields[7] || mshFields[6] || '');
-  if (!obxSegments.length) {
-    throw new Error('no OBX segments in HL7 payload');
-  }
-
-  const results = obxSegments.map((segment) => {
-    const fields = splitFields(segment);
-    return {
-      test_code: (fields[3] || 'UNKNOWN').split('^')[0],
-      value: fields[5] || '0',
-      unit: fields[6] || undefined,
-      flag: fields[8] || undefined,
-      meta: {
-        observation_id: fields[3]
-      }
-    };
-  });
-
-  const canonical = {
-    instrument_id: instrument_id.trim(),
-    sample_id: sample_id.trim(),
-    result_time,
-    results,
-    meta: {
-      source_protocol: 'HL7',
-      message_id: mshFields[9] || undefined,
-      connector: 'hl7-tcp',
-      obx_count: obxSegments.length
-    }
-  };
-
-  return canonical;
-}
-
-module.exports = { parse: parseHl7 };
diff --git a/middleware/src/parsers/httpParser.js b/middleware/src/parsers/httpParser.js
deleted file mode 100644
index a121a5c..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/parsers/httpParser.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-async function parseHttp(message) {
-  if (typeof message === 'string') {
-    return JSON.parse(message);
-  }
-  return message;
-}
-
-module.exports = { parse: parseHttp };
diff --git a/middleware/src/storage/migrate.js b/middleware/src/storage/migrate.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 00e910e..0000000
--- a/middleware/src/storage/migrate.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-const fs = require('fs');
-const path = require('path');
-const DatabaseClient = require('./db');
-const config = require('../../config/app');
-
-const LOCK_MIGRATION_FILE = '002_outbox_locks.sql';
-
-async function ensureMigrationTable(db) {
-  await db.exec(`
-    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS schema_migrations (
-      filename TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
-      applied_at TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime('now'))
-    );
-  `);
-}
-
-async function migrationIsApplied(db, filename) {
-  const row = await db.get(
-    'SELECT filename FROM schema_migrations WHERE filename = ? LIMIT 1',
-    [filename]
-  );
-  return Boolean(row);
-}
-
-async function markMigrationApplied(db, filename) {
-  await db.run(
-    'INSERT OR IGNORE INTO schema_migrations (filename) VALUES (?)',
-    [filename]
-  );
-}
-
-async function applyOutboxLockMigration(db) {
-  const columns = await db.all('PRAGMA table_info(outbox_result)');
-  const columnNames = new Set(columns.map((column) => column.name));
-
-  if (!columnNames.has('locked_at')) {
-    await db.exec('ALTER TABLE outbox_result ADD COLUMN locked_at INTEGER NULL;');
-  }
-
-  if (!columnNames.has('locked_by')) {
-    await db.exec('ALTER TABLE outbox_result ADD COLUMN locked_by TEXT NULL;');
-  }
-}
-
-async function migrate() {
-  const db = new DatabaseClient(config.db);
-  const migrationsDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'db', 'migrations');
-  const files = fs
-    .readdirSync(migrationsDir)
-    .filter((name) => name.endsWith('.sql'))
-    .sort();
-
-  await ensureMigrationTable(db);
-
-  for (const file of files) {
-    if (await migrationIsApplied(db, file)) {
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    if (file === LOCK_MIGRATION_FILE) {
-      await applyOutboxLockMigration(db);
-      await markMigrationApplied(db, file);
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    const payload = fs.readFileSync(path.join(migrationsDir, file), 'utf8');
-    await db.exec(payload);
-    await markMigrationApplied(db, file);
-  }
-
-  await db.close();
-}
-
-if (require.main === module) {
-  migrate()
-    .then(() => console.log('migrations applied'))
-    .catch((err) => {
-      console.error('migration failed', err);
-      process.exit(1);
-    });
-}
-
-module.exports = migrate;
diff --git a/middleware/test/parsers.test.js b/middleware/test/parsers.test.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8b2684d..0000000
--- a/middleware/test/parsers.test.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-const assert = require('node:assert');
-const { parse: parseHl7 } = require('../src/parsers/hl7Parser');
-const { parse: parseAstm } = require('../src/parsers/astmParser');
-const { normalize } = require('../src/normalizers');
-
-async function run() {
-  const hl7Sample = String.raw`MSH|^~\&|LIS|LAB|CLQMS|NORTH|202603261000||ORU^R01|msg-123|P|2.5
-OBR|1|SOMEID|SMP-001||CBC^^^WBC^H|||202603261000
-OBX|1|NM|WBC^White Blood Cell Count||8.2|10^3/uL|N|||F
-OBX|2|NM|RBC^Red Blood Cell Count||4.5|10^6/uL|N|||F`;
-  const astmSample = String.raw`H|\^&|LAB||ASTM1
-P|1
-O|1|SMP-100|12345^Instrument|^^^GLU^^^||
-R|1|^^^GLU^7.2|7.2|mg/dL|||||N|
-R|2|^^^ALT^7.4|50|IU/L|||||N|`;
-
-  const hl7Result = await parseHl7(hl7Sample);
-  assert.strictEqual(hl7Result.results.length, 2, 'HL7 should parse two OBX segments');
-  const hl7Normalized = normalize(hl7Result);
-  assert.strictEqual(hl7Normalized.instrument_id, 'SOMEID');
-  assert.strictEqual(hl7Normalized.results[0].test_code, 'WBC');
-
-  const astmResult = parseAstm(astmSample);
-  assert.strictEqual(astmResult.results.length, 2, 'ASTM should parse multi R segments');
-  const astmNormalized = normalize(astmResult);
-  assert.strictEqual(astmNormalized.results[0].test_code, 'GLU');
-  console.log('Parser smoke tests passed');
-}
-
-run().catch((err) => {
-  console.error(err);
-  process.exit(1);
-});
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7ddb040..972164d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,16 +2,16 @@
   "name": "tinylink",
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "description": "Workstation middleware service",
-  "main": "middleware/src/index.js",
+  "main": "core/index.js",
   "directories": {
     "doc": "docs"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "node middleware/src/index.js",
-    "migrate": "node middleware/src/storage/migrate.js",
-    "maintenance": "node middleware/src/scripts/maintenance.js",
-    "instrument:check": "node middleware/src/scripts/instrumentCheck.js",
-    "test": "node middleware/test/parsers.test.js"
+    "start": "node core/index.js",
+    "migrate": "node core/maintenance/migrate.js",
+    "maintenance": "node core/maintenance/maintenance.js",
+    "instrument:check": "node core/config/instrumentCheck.js",
+    "test": "node core/rawPipeline.test.js"
   },
   "keywords": [],
   "author": "",