|
|
|
|
|
Displays the name of an existing import definition or allows you to enter an ID for a new import definition. To specify an ID for an existing definition, click the lookup button to open the Import Definition Lookup window, which displays all of the definitions you've created, regardless of the company you used when you created the definition.
Allows you to enter a description for the import definition you're creating.
Use this field to select a format for the source file you're using with this import definition. Select "Comma" for a comma-delimited format, or "Tab" for a tab-delimited format.
The comma-delimited, or CSV format, uses commas to separate fields of information in a record, while the tab-delimited format uses tabs for the same purpose. To create a source file with a particular format, print the data from a spreadsheet or database application to a text file, and choose either comma-delimited or tab-delimited as the format for the text file. You can then view the file using a text editor to verify it has the correct format.
Displays the path to the file you're using for this import definition. If you're creating a new import definition, or if you want to change the file that the import definition is using, click the Source File lookup button. A dialog box will appear, which you can use to locate the source file that contains the information you want to import. After you select the source file you want to use, the Source File field will display the file location you selected.
Use this field to select the table you want to import into. If you're creating a new import definition and want to indicate a table, or if you want to change the existing table, click the Destination Table lookup button. The Choose A Table window will open, and you can select the destination table for this import definition.
Use this field to specify a constant value to use for a field in the destination table. Each record imported will use this constant value for the field. Constants can be composed of characters, numbers or a combination of both.To specify a constant value for a field, select the field in the Field Name column and enter a value of the appropriate storage type in the Constant field. For example, the assume the Account Type field is a drop-down list that is stored as an integer. Specifying a constant value of 1 would set all imported account numbers to the predefined account type "Posting Account."
Click Add to use the constant value for the selected field. To remove the constant value, select the field in the Field Name column and click Remove.
You must supply a constant value for any required field that isn't addressed by data from the import file. Key fields are the only exception to this. Typically, key values must be unique, and therefore can't use static (constant) values.
Constant values also help you define uniform values for fields that aren't always required, such as comment and class fields. For example, if you want to apply an existing class to all of the customer records you're importing, enter the class name as a constant value for the Customer Class field in the Customer Master Table. When you import customer records, all of them will use the class you specify.
Be sure that the constant values you specify for classes and types are already defined in your application or its database before you import records using those values. For instance, if you're importing customer records to the Customer Master Table and specify a customer class or salesperson ID using a constant, that class record or salesperson ID must already be defined; if not, you must create it before you import the customer records.
Field Name Displays the fields in the destination table you selected. The fields are listed in the order they appear in the table.
Type Displays the storage type and length used by the field. Several different storage types are used to specify how information is stored in a particular field. For example, fields with a string storage type contain text, such as a customer name or address, while fields with a currency storage type contain currency amounts, such as an ending balance or an invoice total. For a detailed explanation of storage types, refer to Storage Types.
Source Displays the sequence number of the field in the source file. Click the lookup button to open the Import Data Lookup window, where you can select a field in the import file.
Data Displays the data from the field you select in the Import Data Lookup window. The data displayed is from the first record in the source file.