Hi,

I am interested using the import function to import excel files for batches, instead of typing individual invoices/entires etc.

However, the import button is greyed out under file-> import, please help me to enable it.

Thanks.

You need to get the user SYS to allow import for your "Group."

Import is not available on evaluation copies of the software either, but the security setting is a more likely problem.

Thanks for the reply.
but can you be more specific on how to enable the importing?

Thanks,

Michael

Go to the Help menu and choose About. At the top, to the right of the version, do you see the word 'Evaluation'? If so, then Andrew's comments hold and you cannot use importing with an evaluation version. Contact your Adagio consultant (or Softrak customer service to get a consultant if you don't have one) to evaluate Adagio with a full working copy.

If this is a registered version of Adagio and the function to import is grey from the File menu, then Ralph's comments hold. You need to access File / Group Setup and allow importing. If you do not have access to this function either, then you need to talk to the person in your company who is the Adagio administrator and have this enabled for you.

This may be a security issue. You need to ask the person that has the System Administrator password for Adagio to enable your user to be able to import. If you are the System Administrator for Adagio, we recommend that you contact your dealer for help with the security settings.

thanks to Ralph, Andrew, Patricia and Softrak Support for your assistance.

we are using a properly licensed Adagio program.
My boss has the system password so she enabled me to import/export as suggested by the posts.

Now I am able to export last month's month-end journal entry batch from GL, and update the values for current month, and import the new CSV file. This saves me a lot of time re-entering data.

next step for me is to do the same for Order Entry and AP.
Does anyone have some comment on what to watch out?

Thanks,

Rather than exporting, changing and importing the batch, why not just copy the batch, changing the fiscal period, and the edit the batch with the "visit amounts first" option turned on. That will be faster.

Michael:
I can see how you would benefit from export/import with GL batches (though Andrew's suggestion is more efficient in most cases). But what are you trying to accomplish in AP and OE?

I prefer to work on CSV file when possible.
I know you can copy the batch, and then edit it. And i have tried it too.
but because the changes are in different field, i.e. document number, date, amount, just to name a few. editing inside Adagio is no different than re-entering them again, because I need to tab into almost every field and make the change.
whereas in the csv, I can do a global replacement from Sep30/11 to Oct31/11 on hundreds of lines in no time.

so I just need a template, and once I have a template/sample csv file for OE and AP, things will be much easier.

Thank you!

When you copy the batch in Ledger, you can globally change the reference and/or either description. This change was added in Ledger 9.0D.

Michael:
OK, so rather than entering AP Invoices and OE Invoices through the Adagio interface, your preference would be to import them. Correct? You've had success with that in GL but it's harder to make an argument for it in AP and almost impossible in OE.

They are more complex imports because there are more things to verify (vendor codes, document numbers, item numbers, distribution codes, inventory locations, ship to codes etc). That means there are more reasons for the import process to fail, leading to frustration. And in OE, the number of lines varies between orders. The OE Import process was really created for instances where orders are created externally (ie. from a web-store).

I wouldn't recommend doing this, but if you want to try it out, you will have to locate the appropriate templates in Adagio's Sample data (you cannot export invoices from AP or OE). The files are:
AP = X:\SOFTRAK\APWIN\SAMDATA\APINVIM.CSV
OE = X:\SOFTRAK\OEWIN\SAMDATA\OEORDIM.CSV
(where X: = your Adagio drive letter)

A a general rule, try to remove the unnecessary elements to simplify the file. I would recommend asking your Adagio consultant to help you at that point (although he or she may try to talk you out of doing this at all )!

Thanks, Andrew.

the fact is that we prepare the month-end journal entry in Excel anyway, so it is natural to work in excel and import the csv file when ready.

Thanks for the info on global change of info inside ledger, I am sure I will find it useful some time.

Andrew:

Yes, you understand me well.
And, I understand your point as well.

For AP, I only want to use import for the things that are repeated every month, such as payroll for certain employees, lease, certain goventment remittances. all other non-recurring items will go through the normal input procedure.

and for OE, it is a similar situation. we are a non-for-profit association.we do four or five conferences each year. when we invoice members for the conference fee, every invoice have the same info, differences are customer id, amounts etc. and all these info are in csv format already(generated by event registration database). so importing from csv will save lots of time. Of course, we will manually enter invoices that are non-recurring.

I have located the APINVIM.CSV, but can not find OEORDIM.CSV.
Is there a way that you can send one to me?

Many thanks.

Ok. I understand. It's just that your original post said that you were exporting, changing and then importing the JE.

Hi Michael,

OrderEntry does not have a sample import order file named as above, but rather 6 different files - related to the 6 different default templates. They are named 'OEORDER#.csv' where # is the digit from 1 to 6. There are actually 6 more files 'OEFIXED#.TXT' which are 'fixed format' import files.

Note that OrderEntry only allows importing orders and not invoices, so this will be a two-step process - import the order and then manually edit each one to create an invoice. You may be better off using the Copy Order function (or Restore History invoice) to generate these. Or if you don't really need order processing and just want to create and print invoices, then perhaps Adagio Invoices is a more appropriate fit, with it's built-in recurring batch process.

Adagio Payables has a Recurring Batch process as well - I presume that you would rather maintain this sort of entry in Excel or CSV files anyway.

If you pursue the Import route, ensure you check out the Help file for import notes to see the effect of including or excluding particular fields in a template.

Michael:

Likley you don't have the Order Entry module so you may not find the OE*.CSV file in your sample data. If you do not need to print invoices from Adagio then you may only need to import the invoices into Receivables.

By the sounds of it you are doing a lot of things manually in spreadsheets. Often this is not the most efficient way to get transaction into any accounting database, unless the spreadsheets are exported from an external application and imported into the accounting applicable without further manual processing.

A good Adagio consultant should be able to help you sort all of this out. If you are not currently working with one please give me a call.

Thanks for your comment, Softrak Support & Douglas.
1. We are using OE, and I did find 'OEORDER#.csv' and 'OEFIXED#.TXT' and I will study them in detail.
I checked OE help, and there is not much on “effect of including or excluding particular fields in a template”, can you send me a pointer on where to find more in depth info.
2. Andrew’s point on manual processing is well taken. After each conference that we held, the database will generate an excel list of 400 or so attendee names with the amount due. I have tried to use recurring batch and copy invoice before, but I will have to go in to every one of the 400 orders and change the item from 2010 August Conference Fee to 2011 August Conference Fee. In excel it takes no time at all to make that kind of change.
I understand our situation is unique, in that we generate invoices in “batches”, and with each “batch”, hundreds of invoices are almost identical, except the customer name and amount. I am hoping that importing from a csv or txt file will solve our problem.
3. We are using OE to print invoice right now. What is the difference between OE and adagio invoice? When should we use Invoice instead of OE?
Thank you!

Hi, Michael,

On our website (www.softrak.com), point at Training at the top of our homepage and select ShowMe How! Technical Videos and Documentation. Then, select Documentation and, on the right side, select the Import and Export TechTips. You'll find detailed information on Importing Orders and Special Prices in OE (along with import and export information for many other modules).

Hi Michael

I am appending a page I wrote for the Adagio Consultants Handbook that discusses the differences between OE and Invoices.

Steve

OrderEntry

OrderEntry is the best option for companies, such as distributors or wholesalers, who
enter sales orders, and at a later date generate invoices. It alone can easily track the
status of backorders and record partial shipments.

OrderEntry has the following advantages over Invoices:
• Integration with the quote function in SalesCQ (although Invoices Archive
Batches can be used to store and manage quotes)
• Integration with UPS or FedEx
• Integration with EDI and with webstore software such as Virtual Vendor
• Integration with Purchase Orders for Adagio, so that PO’s can be created from
an OE sales order
• Powerful built-in “customer by item” and “item by customer” inquiries
• Direct integration with Inventory; Invoices requires that you import shipments
in order to relieve inventory. OrderEntry updates quantities in Inventory in real
time.
• Ability to modify text fields in an already posted invoice
• Label printing

Invoices has the following advantages over OrderEntry:
• Ability to print, modify and reprint an invoice prior to posting
• Posts directly to Receivables without need for a clearing account in Ledger
• Ability to include up to 10 lines of 75 characters per invoice item
• Multiple detail “styles” on one invoice
• Ability to mass update recurring (archive) invoices

Thank you for the info.

I have found the help files, and now I have a question.
in GL90Cexportbatchesdetailsonly.pdf, it listed the tables of fields.

Most of the fields are straightforward, but I could not find an explanation for RECORD TYPE.

Can you tell me what is the record type?

Field Name Default
Type
Length Notes
Record Type String 6 “D” or “E”

Cheers,

Michael

Thanks Steve.

That is very helpful.
We are using OE right now, and I think we are sticking with it. At least for now.

Cheers,

Hi Michael,

The 'Record Type' field is common to both of the batch type imports - not only 'Detail only' but also 'Header Detail'. In the case of Header/Detail, the Record type differentiates a row in the import file being either a header or a detail line, as each has different information.

In the case of the detail only import, every row will have the same information and thus the recognized values are either all D or all E (no difference between the two - these are the values due to legacy reasons).

Because the values for the detail only import of batches will all be the same, you don't have to import the record type field. Instead, you can remove it from the list of fields to import and add it on the list of field to default - on the Field Defaults tab. This is why the PDF you have does not require the record type to be in the import file, but it has to be part of the template.

Thank you very much!