This option may be used to bring Invoice information into Enterprise 6 from a file on disk, to allow for periodic 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 Enterprise 6 to ensure that the columns are in the correct order (specified below). An example file is included on the Enterprise 6 disks, named 'eg Import Invoices 4.1.000'.
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.
Note that you must specify the Invoice No and either a correct Enterprise 6 Company Code or the full Company Name and Address for the first line of each new Invoice. If a Company Name and address is specified that is not already in Enterprise 6, the full details will be imported, and the new Company given a Status of CI - Client Imported. Be very careful when giving Company Codes in the import, since if one is specified that you believed to be new, but which was already in use, the address details of the one in Enterprise 6 will be overwritten.
The full field order required by this function is listed below.
File Field Notes
Invoice Invoice Number
Invoice Company Code
Invoice Company Name
Invoice Address 1
Invoice Address 2
Invoice Town
Invoice County
Invoice Postcode
Invoice Country
Invoice Telephone
Invoice Contact Code
Invoice Title eg Mr, Mrs
Invoice Forename
Invoice Surname
Invoice Invoice Date
Invoice Period
Invoice Debit Account
Invoice Terms
Invoice Customer Order Number
Invoice Posted Status (see below)
Invoice Posted Date
Invoice Total Invoiced
Invoice Total Paid
Invoice Total Due
Invoice Comments
Item Product Code
Item Product Name
Item Quantity
Item Price
Item Amount
Item VAT Code
Item VAT Amount
Item Total Amount
Item Sales Account
Item Analysis Code
Invoice Currency
Invoice Layer
Item Price Per
Item Description
Item Print Desc True or False
Invoice Print Comments True or False
Invoice Person
Invoice Credit Stage
Invoice Due Date
Invoice Delivery Company
Invoice Delivery Contact
Invoice Ad hoc Delivery Address
Invoice Base Text
Invoice Event Code
Invoice VAT Prefix
Invoice VAT Reg No
Invoice UK/EC U, E or blank
Invoice Area Code for US Tax
Invoice Cash VAT True or False
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 Contact section is optional - you may not need to identify the individual receiving an Invoice. If you know a specific Enterprise 6 Contact Code, use this and leave the Title, Forename and Surname blank. Alternatively, you may specify the name, and the system will check if there is already someone by that name at the Company specified - and if not create it.
The Invoice Date will be assumed to be the current date if left blank. The Period will be calculated from the Invoice Date if left blank, and if the Period is closed, you will be prompted to choose another. The Debtors Account may be left blank - in this case, or if a non-existent Account is given, the default account set up in the Invoices Transaction Type is used.
You should ensure that the Comments, Item Description, Ad hoc Delivery Address and Base Text columns do not contain any carriage returns, as these will upset the import. If necessary, replace any carriage returns with *. When this character is encountered, a carriage return will be inserted automatically.
The Posted Status column should contain one of the following numbers:
Receipt -3
Deposit -2
Proforma -1
Not Posted 0
Batched 1
Posted 2
If there is no entry, a default of 0 ('Not Posted') will be used. If you are importing invoices only (ie, not payments or deposits), the settings in this column can be overridden by using the options presented before and after the import. Before the import you're asked if the invoices are to be kept as Sales Ledger only (ie Opening Balances) or are to be posted to the Nominal Ledger. Afterwards you are asked in turn if you want to Check, Print, Batch or Post the Invoices.
Note that a separate function exists for importing Receipts (see below). It is recommended that Receipts are imported using this special function, since it will attempt to allocate the Receipts to existing Invoices, a task not attempted by the more general function currently being described.
As in the example file, the first Invoice Item should be on the same line as the Invoice heading information, and subsequent Items on the same Invoice can then be added by just repeating the Invoice No, and leaving everything blank apart from the item details (starting with Product Code). For each Invoice Item you must specify either (or both) Product Code or Product Name. If a Product Code is entered that has not been used in Enterprise 6 before, the Product will be created in the Products file, as long as the Name is also given.
The Quantity and Sales Price may be left blank if the Invoice Item is purely a description line, but should otherwise both be filled in. The remainder of the Item details will be calculated automatically if left blank, including Amount, VAT (which assumes S - Standard Rate), Total Amount, and the Sales Account and Analysis Code from the general defaults, or those specific to the Product if available. Of course, these can equally be filled in to prevent recalculation. Remember to fill in the VAT Code E - Exempt or Z - Zero if the item is not VATable. Note that if you are importing Credit Notes, their Amount, VAT Amount and Total Amount must all be negative figures.
When you choose the 'Import Invoices' option, 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 on your Invoices 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 Enterprise 6 and start again.
When you [√] the checking list, you are given the option to Print the imported Invoices - you may or may not want to, depending on the source of the Invoice information.
Finally, whether the Invoices are printed or not, you are asked whether the Invoices should be Posted to the Nominal Ledger. Note that if any of the imported Invoices were given an Posted Status other than 0 (zero) or 1, these will be automatically excluded from the list of Invoices posted.
The system asks if it is OK to Batch the Invoices for posting. This means that the Invoice has been correctly printed and is ready for posting to the Nominal Ledger. Batching is designed to save time when you are printing multiple Invoices, since the time taken doing the actual postings can be 'stored up' to be activated at a time when you will be away from the machine.
If you Cancel the above question, you will be asked if, rather than Batch the posting, you want to post the Invoices directly now. Again, only do this if you are sure the Invoices are all correct.
If you Cancel this question too, you must be aware that though you have printed the Invoices (and possibly even sent them to the clients), the system has not yet been told that they are 'real' - and they will not get posted to the Nominal Ledger until you have been through the Invoice printing process again. Use the 'Batch Print Invoices' function to do this if necessary.
Note that for very large text documents, which will be very laborious to convert to the required import format, your Enterprise 6 dealer or consultant may be able to construct an import routine in the Macro Editor. Contact your dealer for more details.