Loading External Batch Files

The Batch Vendors page's Load External item allows you to load batch vendor records into your database from pipe-delimited and plain-text files stored either on your personal computer or network server.

To use this function, you must ensure that the source text file is formatted correctly because you are loading the data directly into the database table vendor. Therefore, the text file's field data must be arranged in exactly the same order as are the corresponding database table columns.

The system uses the pipe ( | ) symbols in the file to identity where one field value ends and the next one begins. The following additional points are important to consider:

• In optional fields, you can omit field data from the text file by placing two pipe symbols next to each other in the appropriate position.
• The system provides default values for these fields if you leave them blank: FTD Paid, Previous Misc, Ordered YTD, Posting Hold Flag, Date Entered, Entered By, Minimum Check Amount, Previous G, and Previous Int.
• These fields require data in the text file: Vendor Code, 1099 Form, and Hold Payment Flag.
• You can define the record's Control Number in the text file or in the Load External File page. Control numbers are required.
• The following database columns are not used for batch vendor records but must be accounted for in your text files for each record you are adding: date_last and comm1 through comm9.
• The text file can contain multiple batch vendor records, but you cannot have blank lines between records. Therefore, provide a hard return at the end of each record.

The list of columns and field formats in the dvendor table is available in the Data Dictionary.

Loading an external file

1. Select Fund Accounting > Reference Tables > Reference Tables > Batch Vendors to display the Batch Vendors page.
2. Click Load External on the page's Action Bar.
3. In the Confirmation dialog, click Yes.

4. Select a radio button to identify where the file is stored:

   Client PC (default)	Your personal computer.
   Server	Your network computer.

5. In the File Name field, enter the file name and directory path. To display a page to search and select the file, use Browse. This only applies to files on your personal computer.
6. In the Control Number field:
   • To override the number in the external file, enter a number to identify the batch file you are creating. This number is applied to all records in the file.
   • To use the number stored in the external file, leave the field blank.
   • If the Control Number field in the external file is blank for any record, you must enter a control number to ensure that the file is loaded.
7. Click OK to load the file.
   • If the load is successful, a display will appear indicating the file import completed. The batch file's control number will now appear in the Batch Vendors page's list section, provided the file is for the current year.
   • If the load is unsuccessful, a display will appear indicating that errors occurred and the import did not complete. This display may be preceded by another display indicating the type of error the system encountered.