Import Field Properties - Fields

 

Import Field Properties

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Field Name

This field displays the name of the data field. This field can only be viewed.

 

Type

This field displays the data type of the data field. This field can only be viewed.

 

Description

This field displays the data field description. This field can only be viewed.

 

Operation

Select the type of operation to perform on the import field.

  • Select Assign to assign the literal value entered in the Default field. This option is available only for string-type data only.

  • Select Replace to replace data in the data file with data from the import data source.

  • Select Inc Assign to increment the record value sequentially, starting from the value entered in the Default field.

  • Select File Assign to assign the value of a data field stored in another data file.

  • Select Next Assign to assign the next sequential value entered in the corresponding application's Options feature (Invoice Number, Order Number, etc.). This operation is available only at certain fields.

  • Select Runtime Assign to assign a value to the data field based on the value entered at the start of the import job. You will be prompted to enter a value for each data field with the Runtime Assign operation.

  • Select + Add Value to add the value of an import field to a data field. This option is available only for numeric data types.

  • Select - Subtract Value to subtract the value of an import field from a data field. This option is available only for numeric data types.

  • Select Calculated to perform any valid calculation using data from the data file or the import data source.

 

Field

Enter the source data field to import into the software. If the source is ODBC, click the Lookup button to list available fields.

If the source is an ASCII file, the Recalculate feature is available in this field. Click Recalculate to recalculate the field's position based on the position of the previous item.

If the source is a ProvideX, dBASE III PLUS, Delimited, DIF, or Lotus 1-2-3 file, specify the column in which the data appears.

 

Starting

Type the starting position within the source field to import into the field. The default value is 1. This field is not available when importing from an ASCII file.

 

Length

Type the length of the source field to import into the field.

 

Prompt

Enter the prompt to display when entering the value for this data field at run time. You will be prompted for the value at the start of the import job. Click the Case Change button to change the text from uppercase to lowercase, and vice versa.

 

Calculation

Type a valid calculation expression to be performed for the data item. This field is available only if Calculated is selected in the Operation field. Click the Tools button to access the Expression Builder feature to build a calculation expression by selecting from a list of data items and operators.

The calculation expression consists of valid numeric data items, dates, and/or numeric constants separated by arithmetic operators. The field names must be enclosed in curly brackets { }.

 

File

Enter the data file or field to be used to assign the import value. Click the Lookup button to list the available files and fields; the Tree View feature allows the field detail to be expanded and collapsed. Only files logically linked to the main import file appear. This field is available only when File Assign is selected in the Operation field.

 

Import Mask

Enter the import mask used to specify the format of the data to be imported. The type of mask information to be entered is based on the field's data type. The following predefined masks are used:

  • For account fields, the pound sign (#) is used to designate the number of characters. If alphabetical data is imported, the characters are left justified in the mask. If numeric data is imported, the digits are right justified in the mask and zero filled. If the mask is smaller than the actual field size, the character positions to the right of the mask are zero filled.

  • Date masks can be selected for date fields.

  • Phone number masks can be selected for phone number fields.

 

Default

Type the value to assign to the field if the source field is empty. This field is also used to enter the value to be assigned when using the Assign operation.

 

Execute On

Select whether the calculation should occur for the header record, the line record, or both. This field is available only if Calculation is selected in the Operation field and the job is importing from a file containing header and line records.

 

Sub String

Select this check box to import data into part of a field.

Expand or collapse item Example

An example of specifying a sub string is importing just the area code portion of a phone number.

 

Sub String Start

Type the portion of the field to assign when the Sub String check box is selected.

 

Sub String Length

Type the portion of the field to assign when the Sub String check box is selected.

 

Skip Blank Field

Select this check box to skip the field if the source data is blank, which will prevent a blank import value from overwriting preexisting data in the software. Clear this check box if you do not want to skip the field if the source data is blank.

 

Clear on each Record

Select this check box to clear the value of the temporary field after each record is processed. For header files, the reset will occur when the header record is written. For non-header line files, the reset will occur when each record is written. The field is available only for temporary fields using the Calculated operation.