Chapter 6. Exporting data
In this chapter, you will learn how to extract data from the HandiSoft database so that it may be used in another software package.
Exporting data
You may want to export information from a HandiSoft program to use in another program. This is achieved using the
Tools menu Export Data To File or Export an ASCII File option in the following HandiSoft programs:
HandiTax
HandiTrust
Time+Billing
Practice Manager - Contact
For information on exporting data from the other HandiSoft programs, please refer to their user manuals.
HandiSoft programs export the data by extracting the required fields and records from the data tables and writing them to a text file. They use the same process as they do for creating reports. Therefore, you use the Report Designer to specify what data is to be exported to the text file. You can save these report scripts for later use.
Creating an export report
1. From the HandiTax, HandiTrust, Time+Billing or Practice Manager Tools menu, click
Export Data To File or Export an ASCII File. The “Export Reports” window will open, listing all available reports.
Figure 25 The “Export Reports” window
2. Click New. The “Export Designer” window will open with the Design Properties tab selected.
3. On the “Export Designer” window, click the
Export Fields tab.
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Figure 26: The "Export Designer - Export Fields" page
The “Export Fields” page is used to select the data tables and fields that will be included in the ASCII export file. You can also specify the order in which the fields are to be written into the ASCII file.
You can select the fields from a single or multiple data tables. If you use more than one table, you have to specify the fields that link the tables. For example, if you select multiple tables that each has a “Ref” field, you can make the “Ref” field of one of them a master and then link the other tables to it via their “Ref” fields.
4. In the Table field, select a data table from which the data is to be extracted.
5. In Field, select a field to be included, and click Add.
6. Repeat the previous step until you have added all the data fields to be included from that table.
The “Export Fields” page will display the selected fields as boxes.
If you want to add fields from another table, you will have to set one of the already selected fields as a Master. For example, if you are going to link the tables via their “Ref” fields, then you must set the “Ref” field to be the Master.
To link tables
1. Right-click over the box for the field you want set as Master.
2. On the menu that appears, click
Set Master.
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The field box will display that it is a master.
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3. In the Table field, select the next data table to be included. In Field, select the required data fields and click Add.
4. Repeat the previous step until you have added all the tables and fields.
If you have selected more that one table you will have specify the fields that will link the tables. To do this:
Right-click over the boxes for the fields to be linked.
On the menu that appears, click Set Link.
A green line will indicate the linkage to the Master.
The following figure shows an example of a completed field selection.
To set the field positions
You can swap positions of the field boxes to change their order in the ASCII file. There are two ways of doing this:
Click the field box and drag it to cover the box with which you want to swap it.
or
Right-click one of the boxes to be swapped and, from the displayed menu, click
Set Swap
Flag. The box will turn yellow. Right click the other box and click Swap with…
To remove fields
To remove a field from the ASCII file, click its box and then click Del. Alternatively, rightclick the box and, from the displayed menu, click Remove.
To remove all the fields, click Clear. Alternatively, right-click any of the field boxes and, from the displayed menu, click Remove All.
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Chapter 6. Exporting data Advanced Features 2015
Designing properties
The “Design Properties” page is used for defining the format of the ASCII file and for setting expressions to select specific records for inclusion.
To set the ASCII file format
1. On the “Export Designer” window, click the Design Properties tab.
Figure 27: The "Design Properties" page
2. Complete the fields in the “Design Properties” page.
Tip: For information on the "Design Properties" page, press F1 to display the online help.
Editing an ASCII export script
You may also edit an existing script. To do this:
1. In the “Export Reports” window, highlight the script to be edited, and click Edit. The program will open the “Export Designer” window displaying details of the highlighted script.
2. Edit the script as required.
3. Click Save to save your changes and exit the “Export Designer” window.
Viewing an ASCII export script
The HandiSoft programs provide the facility to view the ASCII export script code. You are not able to edit the text directly, but you can go back to the "Export Designer" to correct any mistakes.
To view a script
1. In the “Export Reports” window, highlight the script to be viewed.
2. Click
Script.
The program will open the “Script Viewer” window.
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Figure 28: The "Script Viewer" window
The “Script Viewer” window displays the script code. It does not allow you to edit the script.
If you want to change any thing on the script, you will have to edit it via the “Export
Designer” window.
3. When you have finished viewing the script, click Close to exit the “Script Viewer” window.
Running the script
To export the data to the ASCII file, you have to run a script. You can choose to view the contents to the ASCII file by selecting the View output file after export check box.
To run the script
1. On the “Export Reports" window, select the View output file after export check box if you want to view the file after running the script.
2. Click Run.
The program will display a status bar indicating the progress of the data export.
If you selected the View output file after export check box, the program will open the
Notepad text editor with the newly created ASCII file.
3. If required, you can use Notepad to edit the ASCII text file.
Note: This is not recommended because changes you make here will only affect the output
ASCII file. If possible, use the “Export Designer” window to edit the script, and then run it again.
4. Exit from Notepad when you have finished viewing and editing the script.
The data has now been exported to an ASCII text file.
Using expressions
You might not want to export information for all records. By creating an expression, you can specify which records are to be exported. For example, you might want to export information on clients belonging to a specific Partner in your firm, or export only unpresented transactions.
To create an expression:
1. On the “Export Designer” window, click the Design Properties tab
2. Place your cursor in the Expressions area. Press either F2, or click the button.
Note: This button will only be available if you have completed the "Export Fields" page.
The “Expression Editor” window will open.
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Figure 29: The “Expression Editor” window
3. Complete the “Expression Editor” window and then click Done.
Tip: For information on the “Expression Editor” window, press F1 to display the online help.
Tutorial – Creating an export report
The best way to learn how to create an export report is to create one you. Imagine that you work for ABC Accounting and have been asked to export all unpresented receipt transactions from HandiTrust for all clients. The procedure is similar for HandiTax, Time+Billing and Practice
Manager.
1. From the Tools menu, click Export Data To File or Export an ASCII File. The “Export
Reports” window will open, listing all available reports.
2. Click New. The “Export Designer” window will open.
3. Enter the following information into the “Export Designer” window:
Item Data to enter
Export Design Name Tutorial – Create an export report.
Fields Delimited By Comma.
Fields Enclosed By
First Line Shows Field
Names
Double quote.
Select this check box.
4. You must specify the information to be exported. In this case, we require the (a) client reference code (b) receipt number (c) date (d) category and (e) amount.
All of this information is recorded in the ReceiptItems table. To specify information to export, simply:
Click the Export Fields tab.
In the Table field select ReceiptItems.
In the Field field, select CliRef.
Click Add.
Repeat this process for all remaining fields. For example, to add the receipt number, you would select the table as ReceiptItems and the Field as ChqRecNo.
5. You only want to export unpresented receipt items. Consequently, you must create an expression to only include those items. To create the expression:
Click the Design Properties tab.
Put your cursor in the Expression field and then press F2. The “Expression Editor” window will open.
Complete the following information
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For detailed information on the fields in the “Expression Editor” window, press F1 to display the online help.
Item Information to enter
Table
Field
Operator
Value
Receipt Items
Cleared
=
Leave blank
Click Add. Notice that the program has completed the Expression section.
Click Done.
6. Complete Destination File with details of where the exported information is to be stored.
Enter
Tutorial.txt as the file name.
7. Click Save. The “Export Report” window will open, displaying your saved report.
8. Highlight your report and then click Run.
The program will create Tutorial.txt. You could use this file to import HandiSoft information into another program, such as Microsoft Excel™.
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