Second Dialog Box (Export Profile)
|
Advanced Export: Second Dialog Box (Export Profile) |
|
|
Advanced Export: Creating the Profile - 2nd Dialog Box - Level 3 and Above Step By Step Procedure (Developing the Profile)
(The second dialog box in the Advanced Export series is reached from the first box by clicking on either "Create New Profile" or "View or Update Existing Profile.) The following screen displays:
Step # 1 (Name of Profile) The "Export Profile" dialog box will appear after you select "Create New Profile." At the top of the dialog box, enter a name for the profile. Type in something that will help you remember what sort of data is being exported, i.e. "Email List " or "Customers From New York", etc. Step # 2 (File Type) Indicate the type of file that you wish to create. You have three choices: Comma Delimited, Tab Delimited, and dBase. More information: File Types. Step # 3 (Building the Profile) Now take a look at the leftmost box on the bottom of the screen. In this first box, you'll see that each field in AnyOrder is numbered: 01) Invoice Number 02) Customer # 03) Billing Group # 04) Billing Name The number is the position of the field in AnyOrder's data base files. You can disregard the numbers. They are there to help guide AnyOrder's internal export process. To develop the profile, select a field in the first box by clicking on it to highlight it . Then click on the large + sign. The field will be moved to the second box (the profile box). Here's an example of what a profile in the second box might look like: 04) Billing Name 05) Billing Address1 06) Billing Address2 07) Billing City 08) Billing State 09) Billing Zip The above profile means that the first field in the export file will be Billing Name, the second field will be the Billing Address1, and so on. The order the fields appear in the second box is important. This will be the order they appear in the export file. (Note that order is not important when importing, just for exporting.) If you make a mistake, you can remove a line by selecting "Remove Line." You can also change the order of the field list in the Profile box. When you use the + button, it always inserts the select field at the bottom of the list, but you can move a highlighted field up the list by using the UP button. Or you can move it down by using the DOWN button. You don't have to use all the fields in the first box, just those that you want to be placed in the export file. Building the Profile: Using AnyOrder's Fields More than Once You can use the fields on the first list as many times as you need. For instance, let's say you are exporting information for use in file used by another software program. The other program's file has a place for the customer's name and an additional place for the customer's name in a "Contact Name" field. You can export Billing Name from AnyOrder to both locations by placing Billing Name on the Profile list twice. "Attention" and "Other ID" Fields - Level 6 and Higher Feature The first list on the bottom of the dialog box is a list of the fields found in AnyOrder. The list includes "Attention" and "Other ID." These fields are only available with the Level 6 -7 program. Both of the fields are found in the Customer Database. They are only exported if the customer on the invoice has a customer number. If the customer does not have a number, the fields are not exported. Zip Extensions Most database programs have recently moved to incorporating the zip and zip extension together in one field. AnyOrder has followed this trend to maintain compatibility with other applications. In order to prevent problems with older profiles, the zip extension field number has been retained in the profile list. That means if you have an older profile, you can continue to use without any adverse effects. The only difference is that the exported postal code field will include both the zip and zip extension. Building the Profile: Creating a New Field In some cases, you may wish to create blank fields in the export file. For example, you would use a blank field when the AnyOrder doesn't have a matching field with in a file used by another software program. In such cases, use the "Create New Field" box (shown below).
Blank fields are useful to keep the order and number of export fields the same as those of the input application. To create a new field, type in a short descriptive name of 10 characters or less in the New Field blank. The name can be anything that helps you remember what it's being use for. For instance, let's say you are creating an exporting file to be used in an application which has places for 3 address lines (Address1, Address2, and Address3). Since AnyOrder has only 2 address lines (Address1 and Address2) in its normal configuration, you can export a blank address line to line up with the third address line in the other software program. In this case, you might name the new field "Address3" Type in the New Field name and then click on the + button. AnyOrder will number any New Field with a double zero, i.e. 00) Address3. New Fields can also be used in conjunction with Constants (described below). Building the Profile: Constants Between the two profile boxes, you'll see a field for "Constants" (shown below):
On occasion, you may to include a constant in the export profile. A constant doesn't come from any of AnyOrder's fields. It's a value that you designate and want inserted in every export record created. For instance, let's say you want the Net Days field to be "30" days on every record of the export file. You can do this by highlighting "Net Days" in the first box, typing in "30" in the Constant blank, and then clicking the + button. You'll see the following in the Profile box: 45) Net Days [C] 30 The [C] indicates a constant. It means that when Net Days is exported, it doesn't matter what's in the Net Days field on the Main Invoice Screen, the value will always show up as "30" in the Export Field. Constants can be assigned to New Fields. As an example, let's say that you want the name of your company in every record of the export file. The name of your company is "XYZ Company." Start by typing in "MyCompany" in the New Field blank. In the Constant blank, type in "XYZ Company. Click on + . The Profile (the 2nd box) will look like: 00) MyCompany [C] XYZ Company Thus, every record that is exported will contain the name of your company. Here's another example. Let's say that have contracted some of your shipping duties to a warehouse. We'll call it a Fulfillment Unlimited. Every so often you provide Fulfillment Unlimited with an export file of orders you want processed. In such cases, you may wish to have your company name on every record, so there's no mix up on whose order they are processing. To include your company name, you would follow the same procedure as the previous example. Type in a name ("MyCompany") in the New Field blank. In the Constant blank, type in your company's name ("XYX Company"). Click on + to move the information to the Profile (the 2nd box). When you send the export file to Fulfillment Unlimited, your company name will be in every record. One more note about constants. You can create an empty field by using the New Field method described above, but you can also use constants to create a blank field. If you'd like one of the fields that you're exporting from AnyOrder to always be blank, place three carrots (^^^ ) in the Constant blank. Mode is used to control the type of fields and how they are exported. Mode is found on the lower part of the dialog box:
There are three modes: 1. Default Mode. When you use this mode, you'll be able to export all of the fields available on the Main Invoice Screen, User Defined Fields (if you use them), and Shipping Form Fields (if they are used). There is, however, a limit on the number of products that you can export. With this method, the maximum number of products that can be exported from each invoice is three (3). In the following example, two invoices have been exported and data has been dropped into Excel:
When you do the export, one export record is created for each invoice. This mode is normally used when you are creating reports for general invoice data such as the billing name and address. If you need general invoice data and product data, then the "Group Invoice Data by Product" Mode, below is the best choice.
2. Product Export Only. In this mode, only product information (and invoice numbers) are exported. In the default mode (above), you are limited to 3 products. In this mode, however, there is no limit. If there are 10 products on an invoice, then all 10 are exported. When you do the export, one export record is created for each product found on the invoice. (See "Use two files to export invoice data and products" for how you would use this mode.) In the following example, the same two invoices, above, have been exported and the data opened in Excel:
3. Group Invoice Data by Product. (Level 4 or higher Feature) When you use this mode, you can export any of the fields available on the Main Invoice Screen, User Defined Fields (if you use them), and Shipping Form Fields (if they are used). AND, you can export product data. You are not limited to 3 products as in the Default Mode. When you do the export, one export record is created for each product found on the invoice. Any Invoice data from the same invoice is repeated with each product exported:
More information on this mode is found here: Group Invoice Data by Product. Important Note: if you select this option, you'll often go into "Other Options" and turn on this feature: "Exported product rows normally include only those with an item description and a NON-ZERO price, check here to INCLUDE product rows with a zero (0) price" (Click here for more details.)
Building the Profile: Products You have two choices when dealing with products. You can create one export file with general information such as billing names and addresses, plus up to three products. This method works fine if you are exporting one, two or three products. When setting up the profile, select the desired product fields from the box on the left and place the field names in the Profile box on the right (by clicking on the +). If, among the invoices you are exporting, you have a maximum of one product listed per invoice, then you it's just a matter of selecting the appropriate field names associated with the 1st product and place them in the Profile box. If you have three products on at least one of the invoices you are exporting, then you need to select all three (1st, 2nd and 3rd product): Product Quan (1st), Product Cat # (1st), etc. AND Product Quan (2nd), Product Cat # (2nd), etc. AND Product Quan (1st), Product Cat # (1st), etc. If you need to export more than three products, then you'll need to use one of the next two techniques. Use two files to export invoice data and products. Use two files to export data when you have more than three products to an invoice--or when a third party contractor or software program requires it. The first file of the two-file set contains general invoice data (billing names and address, etc), while the second file contains only product information. The advantage of the two file system is that you're not limited to three products. Two files allow you to include as many products as you desire. The way related files work is there must be a common field that connects the two. The connection that AnyOrder uses is the invoice number. Thus the invoice number must appear in the general invoice data file and it must also appear in the Product file. Third party software and contractors use a variety of terms when they talk about export files. It's helpful to look at few terms. Understanding what they mean will help you decide on what export method will work best for you. As was mentioned, the general invoice file contains general invoice data like the billing name and address. Another name for it is the "Parent File" since it is parent to one or more children records of the product file. Or it can also be called the "Header File" since it contains "header" information about the common field which connects it to the product file. The product file is sometimes called the "Child File" since one or more child records (products) will be attached to each record of the Parent File. And finally, it's also called the "Detail File" since it provides the details to go along with the "Header" file. The profile for a general invoice data file (or Parent or Header File) is set-up as you would any file. Pick the fields that you want in the export file: billing name, address, shipping charges, total due, etc. Be sure to include the Invoice Number. Then save the information under a profile name that helps identify that it contains general information: "Fulfillment Unlimited: General" is an example. Return to the first dialog box in the Export series. Next, set up the product profile. From the first dialog box in the Export series, click on "Create New Profile." Give the new profile another name, but reference the first file so that you know they are related. If "Fulfillment Unlimited: General" is the first file name, the second might be: "Fulfillment Unlimited: Products." In the middle bottom of the second dialog box, you'll see the "Mode" box. Select the "Product Export Only Mode." As soon as select the Product Export Mode, the fields contained in the first box will change to product fields only. This indicates to AnyOrder that you want to create a product only profile. From here the process is just like the general invoice data file. This time, you are only working with product fields. Pick those fields that you want in the export file. Then save the profile. When it comes time to do the export, what you need to do is to run the export process twice. First do the export for the general invoice data file (or Parent or Header File). Then using the same invoices, do the export a second time for the product file (or Child or Detail File). Group Invoice Data by Product - Level 4 or Higher Feature This new way of exporting was introduced in the Level 4 edition. It is activated by selecting "Group Invoice Data by Product" found in the "Mode" box at the bottom of the "Profile" dialog box. Use this mode when you need to export general invoice data and product data. The "Default" mode is limited to exporting only 3 products, but there is no limit to the number of products when using "Group Invoice Data by Product."
When using this mode and building your profile, you only need to use the first product: Product Item (1st), Product Price (1st), Product Quantity (1st) and so. It's not necessary to use the 2nd or 3rd product. What it does is to duplicate the invoice data for each product showing in the Item Area. Let's say that you've set up simple profile consisting of the Billing Name and Product Item (1st). Let's also say that you will be exporting only one invoice. The invoice has 5 products on it. When you use the "Default Mode", the export file will hold only one record. It will have the Billing Name and the name of the first product. But if you select the "Group Invoice Data by Product" mode, the resulting export file will consist of 5 records. The billing name will be repeated on each record. The first record would have the billing name and the name of the first product. The second record would have the same billing name and the name of the second product, and so on. In other words, general invoice data is repeated for each product on the item list. This is becoming a very common way of exporting since you can create files no matter how many products are listed on each of your invoices. IMPORTANT: If you have items listed on the invoice without prices (a price of zero), then make sure that you go into "Other Options" and place a checkmark beside: "Exported product rows normally include only those with an item description and a NON-ZERO price, check here to INCLUDE product rows with a zero (0) price" (Click here for more details on this option.) When you are not getting the right number of exported records, this is often the cause. This provides an alternative way of looking at data. The "Product Report" option under the PRODUCT TOOLS menu arranges data in this manner. You can use this option to create your own customized product reports. The data can be move into Excel or other spreadsheet program for manipulating, sorting and printing. (If desired, Excel can be immediately started upon completion of the export.)
To continue the step by step procedure: Third Dialog Box
More Information on Exporting Advanced Export Overview (First Dialog Box) Other Options (Third Dialog Box) Sample Profiles & Creating Your Own Reports Form Filling, Labeling and Mail Merging
|
