Overview: File Export-Import Process

The file export-import process can save you time but should be used with care. The process allows you to directly manipulate your data. While the PowerShift programs perform some validation, it is incumbent on the user that data imported into PowerShift is valid and appropriate.

This topic has these subtopics:

Mass Change
Export-Import Process
New Records

Mass Change

The export-import process is designed to be used when you need to change data in one or more fields for many records. For example, you may want to change customer types or the sales tax rate changed for some customers. The buyer may have changed for certain items or vendors. See Tutorial.

If you have not been using fields (for example, Commission class, in the Customer Maintenance (CM) program, Product subclass in Enterprise Item Maintenance (IM) or Branch Item Maintenance (IMB), or GL org code and GL account no in the Vendor Maintenance (VM) program) the export-import process is a handy way to enter data in those fields. It can save you time because you do not need to call up records one at a time and enter the data in one or a few fields.

Export-Import Process

XML Export programs enable you to select fields in a PowerShift file and export them. The export process creates several types of files so that data can be manipulated by various external applications.

The XML Export process launches Excel; within Excel you can change the exported data as required, then save it as an XML file. Other desktop applications can be used to manipulate the data also; however, it must be saved as an XML file to be brought back into PowerShift with Import Data from XML (IMPORT).

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or higher is required.

Hint!
The amount of data that can be exported is limited by Microsoft's XML parser. For example, if you have tens of thousands of item records, it is unlikely that you will be able to export all of them at once. It is recommended that you use selection criteria to create more reasonably-sized export files.

Caution
Be sure to perform these functions when no other users are changing the file. Any changes they make while you are working will be overwritten when you import the data back into your database.

  1. Set up a PC file device in the Output Device Maintenance (XDM) program with these settings.

  2. The XML menu lists available XML export programs.

  1. Select the fields that you want to export. You can export all fields, but you only need to export the fields that you want to edit.

    You can also choose a field or fields that you want to use to select records. For example, you might select customers by type or primary sales rep. You might select items by product class or preferred vendor. You might select vendors by buyer or ship via.

  2. Select the records that you want to export. You can export all records in the database, but you only need to export the fields that you want to edit. For example, you may export a single customer, item, or vendor or a range of customers, items, or vendors.

  3. Click Export. Microsoft Excel is launched and displays the exported data in a worksheet. The export process creates several types of files (.xls, .vbs, .xsd, .xml) that can be manipulated with various external applications.

Note
If the export process results in an error message, the program encountered bad data. You can try exporting different fields. However, you may need to contact technical support for assistance. When an export program encounters an error, it stops. It exports no records, even though only one caused the error.

  1. Edit the data in the external program. For check box fields, you must enter Y if you want the field to be selected and N if you want it to be blank. A lowercase n results in an error; a blank is ignored.

  2. It must be saved as an XML file before it can be imported back to PowerShift.

  3. Run the Import Data from XML (IMPORT) program to import the edited data back into your database.

    This program and other programs that import of PC files support record lengths up to 2048. characters per line.

New Records

You can use the import process to create new records. You must be sure to enter data for all required fields.