Configuring Custom G/L Direct Imports

The G/L Direct - Configure Custom Imports window allows you to add, edit, copy, and delete custom import templates that designate column data types, such as account number, account description, and tax code.

Adding, Editing, and Copying Custom Imports

To manage custom G/L Direct import settings, do the following:

1. Select Config > Configure Custom Imports in the Import group on the G/L Direct tab.
2. Do any of the following:
3. Add a custom import.
   1. Click Add to display the G/L Direct - Add Custom Import window.
   2. Enter a unique description to be used as the title for the new custom import.
   3. Enter the file path or browse to and select an import file.
   4. Select the import file type. The system automatically selects Fixed Width or Delimited based on the data in your import file. You can override the system’s selection, if needed.
   5. Select the starting row for the import if the import process should start at a row other than the top row. This option can omit unwanted data, such as headers or labels. The contents of the file are displayed. Up to 3500 records can be displayed.
   6. If the selected file type is delimited, you can select the delimiters to match the data in the import file. If you select Other (Specify), enter one or more characters that are not already listed as an option, for example, #, &, #&, or %&.
   7. Select Treat consecutive delimiters as one to recognize two consecutive delimiters (with no characters between them) as a blank column. This allows the system to skip over blank columns.
   8. Select to use single or double quotes as a text qualifier, if needed. If selected, quotes are used to enclose text that is separated by a delimiter. For example, a comma delimited file with a record 1234-A,"Equipment, Machinery",11000.00 will have three columns. With no text qualifier, it would have four.
   9. Click OK to display the G/L Direct - Configure Custom Import - <custom import title> window.

   Note: If the description you entered is not unique, you are prompted to rename the description.

4. Copy a custom import.
   1. Select a custom import.
   2. Click Copy to display the G/L Direct - Copy Custom Import window.
   3. Enter a unique description to be used as the title for the new custom import.
   4. Enter the file path or browse to and select an import file.
   5. Click OK to display the G/L Direct - Configure Custom Import - <custom import title> window.

   Note: If the description you entered is not unique, you are prompted to rename the description.

5. Edit a custom import.
   1. Select a custom import.
   2. Click Edit to display the G/L Direct - Configure Custom Import - <custom import title> window.
3. Format the custom import to determine how the data will display, based on the selected import file type. If the import file is fixed width, the Field information grid includes columns for Start (starting column) and Width. If the Import file is delimited, the Field information grid does not include columns for Start or Width and the width of the columns in the Import file grid is fixed or of equal space.
4. Explain the Field information grid columns.

Component	File Type	Description
Field Name	Fixed width and delimited	Columns must be defined for the following: Account Number Account Description Current Year Balance; either the one-column Debit/Credit format or the two-column Current Year Balance-Debit and Current Year Balance-Credit format In each of the Current and Prior Year Balance categories, only one of the formats is defined; either the one-column or the two-column format. If both current and prior year categories are defined, they generally have the same format; however, it is possible the one-column format could be defined for one category and the two-column format for the other. Tip: Consider adding Not Used fields as spacers to correctly import files with gaps between fields.
Data Type	Fixed width and delimited	The field selected in the Field Name column defines the data type's columns.
Start	Fixed width	The fixed starting row position for each column.
Width	Fixed width	The fixed character width for each column. Adjust this value to accommodate the data in each import file column. Note: If the import file type is fixed width, you can adjust the width of the columns in the Import file grid to fit the data.

4. Select a field designated as Account Number in the Field information grid and click Template.
5. Enter the string of characters to characterize the account number. The series of numbers that displays above the Account number template is a guide indicating the placement of each character in the account number. The valid values are as follows:
   • N (Numeric). Numeric characters 0 through 9.
   • X (Any). Any character is valid, including numbers, letters, control characters, or special characters.
   • A (Alphanumeric). Alphabetic values A through Z or numeric values 0 through 9.
   • Symbols. Characters such as a dash or period (for example, AAAA-AAA or NNN.NN).
6. Show me an example.
7. For an account number template of NNN.NN, G/L Direct imports only data lines with a numeric account number and a period (.) as the fourth character. If the period is not the fourth character or the account contains non-numeric characters, G/L Direct does not import that line’s data.
6. Enter the letter B in each position where blanks are allowed, if needed, in the Template blanks box.
7. Show me an example.
8. For an account number template of NNNNN.NNN with blanks (B) indicated in the sixth, seventh, and eighth positions, the format is interpreted as follows:

Account Number	Imported without Blanks	Imported with Blanks
10100.0000	Yes	Yes
10100.	No	Yes
10100	No	Yes
10100_00*	No	Yes
1010	No	No
(*The underscore character (_) denotes a space in this example.)

7. Click OK to save the custom import configuration and add it to the list of custom import templates in the G/L Direct - Configure Custom Import window.