Chapter 22 Importing
Importing lets you use spreadsheet data to create or update your Big Business entries.
Import a price list from a vendor to update your item costs. Then, export these items, calculate new prices in a spreadsheet, and import updated prices. The steps are easy.
Import Mapping
Import Mapping helps you import data and create Custom Imports, all on one screen.
Map Customers shows data on left being mapped to the Customer Fields on the right. Contact Code is highlighted and could be mapped to Customer Code by clicking Insert.
Once the fields you want are inserted, set any Tag you want assigned and click Import. This will create new Customers from this contacts data and add the Tag to help search.
Don't Import Header
Don't Import Header is pre-selected for imports to skip importing of column headings.
In a spreadsheet, you should have a Header row with column names like Contact Code.
This first row of the import file then displays in the Available Fields to help with mapping.
If Fields Available does not show names, but actual data, un-check Don't Import Header. Otherwise, leave Don't Import Header checked to skip import of the first row of the import file.
Import Tag
Don't Import Header is pre-selected for imports to skip importing of column headings.
In a spreadsheet, you should have a Header row with column names like Contact Code.
This first row of the import file then displays in the Available Fields to help mapping.
If Fields Available does not show names, but real data, un-check Don't Import Header. Othewise, leave Don't Import Header to skip import of the first row of the import file.
Import Save As
Don't Import Header is pre-selected for imports to skip importing of column headings.
In a spreadsheet, you should have a Header row with column names like Contact Code.
This first row of the import file then displays in the Available Fields to help mapping.
If Fields Available does not show names, but real data, un-check Don't Import Header. Othewise, leave Don't Import Header to skip import of the first row of the import file.
Rules for Line Item Imports
Big Business 4 adds the ability to import:
• Sales Order Line Items
• Invoice Line Items
This Solution provides some of the rules these imports follow for:
• Combining multiple line items on one transaction
• Separating transactions for the same customer
• Rebuilding Bill To and Ship To addresses
(5813)
Big Business 4 adds imports for Sales Order Line Items and Invoice Line Items. In addition to importing from other systems, this allows importing from another copy of Big Business. Use the Save To Disk from the Invoice or Sales Order QuickSearch and Include Line Item Detail to see a good example of the format expected.
Each row of data that is imported is a Line Item. Data pertaining to the Invoice (or SO) should be repeated in the import file for each Line Item. When importing Other Charges, for example, which applies once to the transaction, the entry imported with the last Line Item is used. The only exception is the Customer Name which if blank is assumed to be the same Customer from the previous Line Item.
Line Items listing the same Customer Name (or blank) are assumed to be part of the same transaction, unless:
• Invoice Number or Sales Order Number is imported and is different and not blank
• PO Number is imported and is different and not blank
In other words, adjacent transactions for the same Customer Name will be combined unless the transaction number or PO number are imported to distinguish them. If importing from another system which generates an unique code for each order, import this to the PO# for future reference and to separate repeat orders.
When Ship To and Bill To are imported they are reconstituted. When you Save To Disk from Big Business is replaces the Carriage Returns found in the Bill To and Ship To addresses with Two Spaces (e.g. " "). When Importing a Bill To or Ship To address, the first three instances of Two Spaces are replace with Carriage Returns. From another system, export a four line address (up to 32 characters per line) by adding Two Spaces after each of the first three lines.
Invoice Line Item Import Fields
This Solution describes the fields that can be imported as Invoice Line Items.
In Big Business 4.0.9 and earlier, this feature does not update Item Cards or Customer Balances correctly. Contact Technical Support for information on correcting these entries. This problem is fixed in Big Business 4.2 and higher.
Big Business 4.2.8 and 5.0.2 add a Paid amount to the import options. (5765)
Prior to importing information into Big Business, you need to prepare a tab delimited text file containing the necessary information. This is easily done using a spread sheet application with columns matching the fields below, and each Item on a separate row. Then save the data from the spreadsheet using Save As... and selecting Text (tab-delimited) as the type.
Invoice Line Item Import Fields (and Formats):
Customer Name (CL), -Bill To (Text), -Ship To (Text), -Invoice# (10), Customer PO# (16) -Date (Date), Department (DL), -Salesperson (EL), -Ship Method (SL), -Terms (TL), Other Charges ($), Printed Comments (Text), Private Comments (Text), Item Code, -Description 1, -Description 2, Quantity(#), Quantity BackOrdered (#), -Price ($), Line Item Comment (Text) , -Paid($)
Notes:
- indicates an Optional Field, which will filled automatically (such as an existing Customer's Bill To address). Importing to an Optional Field will overwrite the automatic contents, even if you are importing a blank (no data).
Formats:
(Date) accepts the format "mm/dd/yy" only; defaults to current date.
(10) accepts up to 10 characters; extra characters removed.
(CL) accepts any valid selection from the Customer Listing.
(DL) accepts any valid selection from the Department List.
(EL) accepts any valid selection from the Employee Listing.
(Text) accepts text up to 32,000 characters
Build/Bundle Line Items Import
Big Business includes sales and manufacturing features for creating Builds and Bundles. Built Items are inventoried items assembled from inventoried items. Bundled Items are non-inventoried kits that exist only to provide the bundling or kitting function of selling a group of items at once. Both are defined using the Build/Bundle tool found on the Item Card, and can now be defined using the Build / Bundle Line Items Import.
Use the Build/Bundle Line Items Import to:
- create Builds or Bundles
- update Builds or Bundles
- delete Builds or Bundles
- specify Components and Quantities for Builds or Bundles
- import Bill of Materials data
(5861)
Big Business lets you can create Built or Bundled Items. Built Items are inventoried finished goods, such as bicycles, that are assembled from inventoried components, like frames and wheels--which themselves may be built items. Bundled Items are non-inventoried kits which automatically add a group of component items to a Quote, Sales Order, or Invoice, and may or may not have special pricing.
Builds and Bundles can be defined using the Build/Bundle tool, and the Inventoried and Sold attributes, found on the the Item Card. Builds and Bundles can also be defined using the Build/Bundle Line Items Import.
To import Build/Bundle Line Items:
1. On the Maintenance toolbar, select the Import tool
2. Select a Tab-Text file to import
3. Select Build/Bundle Line Items to Import Into..
4. Insert fields to import to the following target fields:
• Build/Bundle Item Code - the item being built or bundled, e.g. bicycle
• Component Item Code - one component, e.g. a wheel
• Quantity - the quantity of the component item, e.g. two
5. Click Do Not Import Header if your import file has column headers
Build/Bundle Code is an optional import field that defaults to "1" and can be:
1 - a Built Item
2 - a Bundle Item using the price of the Bundle
3 - a Bundle Item using the price of the Components
Importing a Build/Bundle Item Code without a Component will delete any existing Components for the Item.
Build/Bundle Line Item Report
The Build/Bundle Line Item Report allows you to:
• Find Built or Bundled Items that meet the Search criteria entered
• Report the Components for the Items found
• Export this Bill of Material information for editing in a spreadsheet
• Create a file for use with the Build/Bundle Line Item Import
This Solution describes the new report. (5927)
The Build/Bundle Line Item Report allows you to:
• Find Built or Bundled Items that meet the Search criteria entered
• Report the Components for the Items found
• Export this Bill of Materials information for editing in a spreadsheet
• Create a file for use with the Build/Bundle Line Item Import
The Build/Bundle Line Item Report is found in the Item Reports. The Reports tool is found on the InfoCenter toolbar or in the File menu.
When the report runs, an Item Search dialog appears. Enter your Seach criteria (e.g. Component Item Is Equal To...) and click OK or click All. The reports finds all Built or Bundled Items that meet the Search criteria. Use the criterion, Build/Bundle Item Is... (Build or Bundle) to isolate one or the other.
To Print the report, double-click the report, or select the report (single-click) then click the Print button. To view the report on screen, OK the Print Setup and on the Print dialog choose Preview On Screen in the lower left corner of the Print Dialog.
To Export the report, single-click on the report to select it, then click the Save To Disk button. Name and Save the report in a convenient location.
To Open the export in a spreadsheet, launch the spreadsheet program, go to the File menu and choose Open. You may need to change the file-type selector on the Open dialog to see the exported report. If an import wizard appears, click Finish. If you edit the report and want to import the changes to Big Business, be sure to save the file again in Tab-Text format.
To Import the exported report, use the Build/Bundle Line Items Import.
Import Narration
Import Narration lets you follow import progress showing you each entry its creating.
Dialogs are updated for modern objects to automatically adapt to dark mode and so on.
Imports updated include Accounts, Bank Transactions, Basket Line Items, Bills, Bill Line Items, Bins, Contacts, Currency Rates, Customers, Invoice Line Items, Alternative Item Codes, Item Prices, Convert Orders, Payments, Purchase Order Line Items, Quote Line Items, Sales Order Line Items, and Vendors.