SS> Maintenance > Import Configuration

Import Configuration

 

Summary

 

The Import Configuration tool is used to set up an import file format in Springbrook that matches an export file you would like to import. For example, an organization that outsources garbage collection could set up an import file that matches the file the garbage contractor generates for billing. This would allow a UB Billing Clerk to import the contractor's billing data directly into the UB Adjustments and Fees process.

 

Step by Step

 

1     View the existing configurations. 

 

  • Open the Import Configuration Selection window (SS> Maintenance> Import Configuration).
  • The Import Configuration Selection window displays all of the import file configurations that have been created in the application.
  • Enter information into the fields in the Search Criteria section and click the Refresh icon to locate a specific import file configuration.
  • Highlight a configuration and click the Delete icon or press DELETE to delete the selected record.
  • Highlight a configuration and click the Modify icon or press ENTER to maintain the selected record.
  • Highlight a configuration and click the Copy icon to create a renamed copy of the import file configuration.
  • Click the Create icon or press INSERT to create a new import file configuration. This will open the Import Configuration Maintenance window.

 

2     Create or modify an import file configuration. 

 

  • The Import File Configuration Maintenance window is used to create a new import file configuration.
  • Enter a unique Name for the new import configuration.
    • This is a required field and is limited to 40 alphanumeric characters.
  • Select a Definition from the drop-down list. This will determine where the import file will be used.
    • Import configuration definitions are created by Springbrook and are designed to import data into specific processes. As more Springbrook processes are exposed to the Import Configuration tool, they will be made available in the Definition drop-down list.
    • Once a Definition is selected, the Description and Properties fields will automatically populate with the associated details.
  • Select a Type for the import file from the drop-down list.
    • Select Delimited to create a delimited import file that displays the included data fields in rows separated by a specified delimiter character.
      • Use the Delimiter field below to enter the delimiter character that will be used to separate fields on each line. This will be determined by the delimiter used in the file you are attempting to import. Commas are the most commonly used delimiters.
    • Select Fixed Width to create an import file that displays the included data fields in rows with specified width and padding values for each field.
      • The Delimiter field will be disabled if Fixed Width is selected.
  • The Skip Lines field is used to force the application to ignore one or more lines at the top of the import file. This is useful if the file you are attempting to import a file includes a header row.
    • This must be a non-negative value between 0 and 100.
  • Check the Default toggle to save the new configuration as the default import file configuration.
    • Only one import file configuration can be marked as Default.
  • Once the import file configuration is complete, click the Export icon to export the file configuration so it can be shared with other Springbrook users.

 

3     Complete the Properties tab. 

 

  • The Properties tab is used to set up which of the available properties will be included in the import file configuration and how those properties will be organized.
  • Select a property in the Available Properties section and click the Add icon drop-down menu and select Add Property to add it to the import file.
  • Once a property has been added to the Selected Properties section, it can be edited in the Options section.
  • Specify a Position for the selected property.
    • Properties will automatically be placed in the last position as they are added. When the value is edited in the Position field, the Selected Properties will update to display the new property position.
    • Each property must occupy a different position. If two properties share the same position value, an error will occur when the import file configuration is saved.
    • When creating a fixed width import file, the Width field will display below the Position field. This field is used to specify the width of a property.
      • Fixed width import files use a combination of property position and property width to determine how properties are displayed. For example, if Property A is in position 1 and has a width of 5, Property B must have a position value of at least 6 in order to prevent overlap. If Property B is in position 6 and has a width of 4, Property C must have a position value of at least 10.
      • Because of this relationship, setting the width values for each property before adding the next property is suggested.
  • The Multiplier field is used to set a recalculation multiplier for the selected property.
    • For example, if a third-party file is exported without using decimals, that export file will display a dollar value of $57.25 as 5725. In order to import that value into Springbrook properly, the multiplier would need to be set to 0.01, thereby recalculating 5725 as 57.25 in Springbrook.
    • This field will only be enabled for decimal and integer properties.
  • The Rounding Place field is used to specify which decimal place will be rounded.
    • For example, if 2 is entered in this field, a decimal value of 25.926 will be rounded to 25.93.
    • This field will only be enabled for decimal values.
  • The Trim Mode field is used specify how white space should be removed from the text field. Start and End will remove this space from the beginning and the end of the field respectively. Both will remove the white space from both the beginning and the end. Any white space that does not fall at the beginning or end of the text field value will not be removed.
    • This field will only be enabled for text field properties, such as account number or fee code.
  • The Prefix and Postfix fields are used to add a prefix or a postfix value to the selected property upon import.
    • Only string values can be appended with a prefix or postfix. The prefix or postfix value cannot exceed 10 characters.
  • Set up optional property constants for the import file. These properties, and the constant specified for the property, will be included in every record in the import.
    • Select a property in the Available Properties section and click the Add icon drop-down menu and select Add Constant to add it to the Selected Constants section.
    • Once a property is added to the Selected Constants section, the Constant value must be specified before the configuration is saved.
    • For example, when creating an AR-specific import file for the CR Cash Receipts process, you could select the SubSystem property and set the constant value to "AR" in order for that column to display on every included record.

 

4     Complete the Mapping tab. 

 

  • The Mapping tab is used to map specific property values that are exported from a third-party application to match specific values that need to be imported into Springbrook.
  • Click the Create icon to create a new value mapping. This will create a new property line item in the data grid below.
  • Expand the new value mapping and select the child line item to enable the Maintenance section to the right.
  • The Property drop-down field is used to determine which property value will be mapped.
    • This drop-down list will populate with all of the Available Properties displayed on the Properties tab.
  • The From field is used to enter the value exported from the third-party application.
  • The To field is used to enter the value that will be included in the import file for Springbrook.
    • For example, if a property value for a logical field is exported from a third-party application as "TRUE", but Springbrook needs to read this value as "YES", entering "TRUE" in the From field and "YES" in the To field will create the required mapping. When the system imports the file, "TRUE" will be converted to "YES" for the selected property.
    • Each property can include a number of mappings. One property could include "TRUE" → "YES" and "FALSE" → "NO". But each From and To value must be unique, so including "TRUE" → "YES" and "TRUE" → "YOU BET" will cause an error.
  • Highlight a property mapping and click the Delete icon the delete the selected mapping.
  • Press ENTER or click the Save icon when complete to save the import file configuration.

 

5     Complete the Expressions tab. 

 

  • The Expressions tab is used to create a set of expressions that the system will execute when processing the import file. This is an optional tab.
  • Click the Create icon to add a new expression to the data grid below.
    • This will enable the Maintenance section to the right.
    • Highlight an existing expression and click the Delete icon to delete the selected expression.
  • The Expression field is used to enter the expression that will be executed when the import file is processed by the application.
  • The Action field is used to specify the action taken by the expression. This is currently limited to the Skip Line option.
  • EXAMPLE:
    • If your organization needs to import a file that includes non-data lines, you can create an expression to direct the application to skip those lines. For example, if your import configuration includes non-data lines that begin with terms like "START" and "PAY", you can create two expressions to skip those lines.
      • Enter "^S" in the Expression field to create an expression that skips any line in the import file that begins with the letter "S".
      • Enter "^P" in the Expression field to create an expression that skips any line in the import file that begins with the letter "P".
      • Additional expression operators can be used to create more complex skip line expressions, but these expressions can be become difficult to troubleshoot in the event of a parsing error. Please refer to Microsoft documentation on Regex Class expressions for more information.
  • Once you have saved your expressions, be sure to use the Preview tab to confirm the expressions do not result in a parsing error.

 

6     Preview the import file configuration. 

 

  • The Preview tab is used to preview the import file configuration.
  • Click the File Name field label and browse to your test import file.
  • Click the Generate icon to import the test file.
    • The Text section will display the actual contents of the import file. The Preview section below will display the updated values based on the import configuration settings selected on the Settings, Properties and Mapping tabs above.
    • If the import file settings are not set up properly, you will receive a parsing error and you will need to make the appropriate changes to the import configuration.
  • Press ENTER or click the Save icon when complete to save the import file configuration.

 

7     Track any changes made to the import file configuration. 

 

  • Click the Audit Trail icon to open the Audit Trail window.
  • Use the Search Criteria section to sort the displayed audit history.
  • The Audit Trail section will provide details about any changes made to an import file configuration record including the date of the change, type of change made, user that made the change, and data table that was edited.