This option may be used to bring Order information into Daybook from a file on disk, to facilitate transfers from other computer systems. The information must first be put into the correct format in a text file, saved with Tab and Carriage Return ‘delimiters’ separating the fields and records. †
The most convenient way of producing import files will often be through the use of a spreadsheet program. If so, when the data is complete and the file is ready for import, use the ‘Save As…’ function (usually on the File menu) to convert the file to Text format. If using a Macintosh, choose the ‘Text’ option. If working on a Windows machine, the ‘Text (Macintosh)’ option is preferred, but ‘Text (Tab delimited)‘ can also be used. The latter option will insert Line Feed characters into the file, which the import routine will then need to remove again.
If exporting data from other databases or accounts programs, it is advisable to export as text and examine the file in a spreadsheet before importing to Daybook to ensure that the columns are in the correct order (specified below). An example file is included on the Daybook disks, named ‘eg Import Orders’.
When building your own import file, you must include every field in the order shown below, as the import function is expecting a text file of a set format. If editing the information in a spreadsheet prior to import, each field would be represented by a different column. You not need to have information in every field, so if you have gaps in your data, then the spreadsheet should feature blank columns to correspond to those gaps.
| File | Field | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Orders | Order Code | Mandatory for each Order |
| Orders | Company Code | Either Code or Name must contain a value |
| - Company Name | ||
| - Add1 | ||
| - Add2 | ||
| - Town | ||
| - County | ||
| - Postcode | ||
| - Country | ||
| - Telephone | ||
| Orders | Contact Code | |
| - Title | ||
| - Forename | ||
| - Surname | ||
| Orders | Order date | |
| Orders | Period | |
| Orders | Enquiry date | |
| Orders | Quotation date | |
| Orders | Forecast date | |
| Orders | Required date | |
| Orders | Sales Person | |
| Orders | Taken By | |
| Orders | Source | |
| Orders | Order Type | |
| Orders | Terms | |
| Orders | Your Order no | |
| Orders | File State | requires the numeric File State code |
| Orders | Comments | Ensure the comments do not contain any carriage returns |
| Orders | Delivery Company | Requires a Company Code |
| Orders | Delivery Cont | Requires a Contact Code |
| Orders | Total Amount | |
| Orders | Total VAT | |
| Orders | Grand Total | Amount + VAT |
| Orders | Total Cost | |
| Orders | Total Margin | Requires an amount, not a percentage |
| Orders | Analysis | |
| Orders | Currency | |
| Orders | Layer | Leave blank if you do not have the Multi-layer Accounting companion |
| Order | Items Product Code | Either Code or Name must contain a value |
| Order Items | Product Name | |
| Order Items | Description | |
| Order Items | Print Description? | Y or N, 1 or 0 |
| Order Items | Quantity | |
| Order Items | Retail Price | |
| Order Items | Sales Price | |
| Order Items | VAT Code | |
| Order Items | VAT Amount | |
| Order Items | Cost Price | |
| Order Items | Price Group | Leave blank if you do not have the Price Matrix companion |
| Order Items | Serial Number | Leave blank if you do not have the Serial Number Tracking companion |
| Order Items | Supplier Code | |
| Order Items | Purchase Order Number | |
| Order Items | Purchase Order date | |
| Order Items | Delivery Number | |
| Order Items | Delivery date | |
| Order Items | Invoice Number | |
| Order Items | Invoice date |
Your text document must contain this number of fields, blank if necessary. If the first line of the text document shows field headings to aid editing, no attempt will be made to import that line if the headings are spelt in the same way as those used in the example file.
The Order Code field must contain a value for each new Order (lines with no Order Code will be assumed to be Items within the same Order). You must specify either a Company Code or a Name for each Order. Daybook will search by Company Name if the Code is not specified. It will create a Company if no suitable one is found, using any address information specified in the appropriate fields (these are all optional).
All further information at Order level is optional. If you know a specific Daybook Contact Code, use this and leave the Title, Forename and Surname blank. Alternatively, you may specify the name, and Daybook will check if there is already someone by that name at the Company specified - and if not create it. Further right are the fields relating to the Order Items. One Item can be created on the same line as a new Order, and others should be added underneath (with or without repeated header information).
Any spreadsheet line without an Order Code will be treated as an Order Item belonging to the last Order Code specified. For each item, either the Product Code or the Product Name must be specified. Daybook will create a Product if no match is found, or will fill in a blank Product Name if an existing Product Code is used. All further information at Order Item level is optional: remember the fields must still exist even if they are blank so that the correct number of tabbed fields can be imported.
When you use this function, you are first asked to confirm that you have created a correctly formatted text file, then simply given the normal open document window: find and double-click your Orders import file. As the import proceeds, you are kept up to date with the current activity. When it has been completed, assuming records have been successfully imported, you are asked if you want to check them - this is certainly a good idea. Check for errors, or differences from what you had expected the imported list to contain. If the list is dramatically wrong, you have probably used the wrong delimiters or number of fields in your file, so you will need to delete the whole list in Daybook and start again.
When you [√] the checking list, you are given the option to Print the imported information. Note that for very large text documents, which will be very laborious to convert to the required import format, your Daybook dealer or consultant may be able to construct an import routine in the Macro Editor.