Importing existing data into Rental Desk

Importing and Exporting with Rental Desk

IMPORTING

RentalDesk can import your key inventory and address book details from a CSV (comma separated values) text file. You may have this information already stored in other databases or spreadsheets and it is normally quite easy to get this information out into CSV format. Once you have this information in CSV format you can open the file with a spreadsheet editor like Microsoft Excel and get it ready for importing into RentalDesk. This means copying the data to our CSV files (download fromftp://ftp.navigator.co.uk/pub/RentalDesk_NX/Import_Sheets.zip and observing the following rules:

Equipment Import file

1. Do not delete or modify the first row of field names
2. Enter the correct data type for each field, do not exceed the maximum text lengths, and always fill in mandatory fields. The table below lists the specification

FIELD NAME	MEANING (Notes)	TYPE /  LENGTH	REQUIRED
MasterCategory	General class, e.g. Sound	Text, Max 50	Yes
Category	Sub class, e.g. Microphones	Text, Max 50	Yes
Type	Stock item, e.g. Shure SM57	Text, Max 50	Yes
Sales	For rent or for sale	True or False	Yes
Daily_Rate1	Main daily charge	Number
Daily_Rate2	Alternative daily charge	Number
Hourly_Rate1	Main Hourly Charge	Number
Hourly_Rate2	Alternative Hourly Charge	Number
Value	For replacement / insurance	Number
Weight		Number
Length		Number
Width		Number
Height		Number
Country_Of_Origin	Only the code is expected, e.g. UK	Text, Max 5
Nominal_Code	For your accounts package	Text, Max 20
Nominal_Description	A description of the above	Text, Max 40
Stocklevel	How many you own of the Type	Number
Stockcode	Internal number/code you may use	Text, Max 20
Barcode	For barcoded items only	Text, Max 24
Serial No	For barcoded items only	Text, Max 40
Purchase_Date	For barcoded items only	Date
Purchase_Price	For barcoded items only	Number
PriceScheme	Either 1, 2 or 3, corresponding to what you have already set up in RD	Number

3. Categories cannot be repeated in different Master Categories
4. Types cannot be repeated in different Categories
5. Barcodes must be unique
6. You CANNOT assign a Serial No without a barcode. Use a unique "dummy" number if necessary
7. Every row must have a MasterCat, Category and Type and Sales type filled in.
8. The Stocklevel on each row should be the actual stocklevel for each Type, i.e. do not enter 1,1,1 etc for each row with a unique barcode
9. PriceSchemes will be either 1, 2 or 3, corresponding to what you have already set up in RD

Address Import file

1. Do not delete or modify the first row of field names
2. Enter the correct data type for each field, do not exceed the maximum text lengths, and always fill in mandatory fields. The table below lists the specification

FIELD NAME	MEANING (Notes)	TYPE /  LENGTH	REQUIRED
Name		Text, Max 50	Yes
Supplier		True or False	Yes
Customer		True or False	Yes
VAT Number	For rent or for sale	Text, Max 30
Supplier_Acc_Ref	Main daily charge	Text, Max 30
Customer _Acc_Ref	Alternative daily charge	Text, Max 30
AddressLine1	For replacement / insurance	Text, Max 50
AddressLine2		Text, Max 50
AddressLine3		Text, Max 50
Town		Text, Max 50
County (State)		Text, Max 25
Post (zip) Code	Only the code is expected, e.g. UK	Text, Max 25
Country	For your accounts package	Text, Max 25
Telephone	A description of the above	Text, Max 25
Fax	How many you own of the Type	Text, Max 25
Mobile	Internal number/code you may use	Text, Max 25
Email	For barcoded items only	Text, Max 70
Web	For barcoded items only	Text, Max 70
Contact	For barcoded items only	Text, Max 35

3. Just like with Barcode entries in Equipment CSV file, repeat an entire row for each Contact you will to associated with a Company.

In the zip file of the import sheets you will find and example of how an Equipment and Address CSV files should be filled in.

Doing the Import

Importing and Exporting facilities are run from the Configuration Book and

there is an entry for each of them. When the main form loads you will see that you can choose between Equipment and Addresses. You then simply “browse” for the CSV file you will have created.

IMPORTANT : You will note that there is the option to change the default “Field Delimiter and Field Protector”. You will only need to adjust these in exceptional circumstances, such in the unlikely event that your spreadsheet programme cannot save to CSV format. A Field Delimiter is a character that separates each data field in the import file. In a CSV file this is a Comma, you can tell Rental Desk to use another one such as a Tab. A Field Protector is a character that prevents a field which may in itself contain a Field Delimiter from being interpreted as two or more fields. For example Mic, Shure SM57 if wrapped in speech marks, “Mic, Shure SM57” is still one field.

Once you have set your import file click the Validate button in the Action Pane to force the programme to check that the data it contains is correct. Any errors are written to a log memo in the Data Pane.  If any errors are found the Row number and the type of problem will be displayed and you will need to go back and edit your CSV file. If no errors are found then before you import you can view the contents if the CSV file one last time by clicking on the DataForm button in the Action Pane.

The final step is to click the Import button and your data will be pulled into the Rental Desk tables.