Summary

The Export Configuration tool is used to set up an export file format in Springbrook that matches an import file you would like to import into a third-party application. For example, if your organization uses Springbrook UB to generate and process utility bills but uses a third-party application to handle General Ledger duties, the Export Configuration tool can be used to export Springbrook UB journal entries in a format acceptable to your third-party GL application.

Step by Step

1     View the existing configurations.

• Open the Export Configuration Selection window (SS> Maintenance> Export Configuration).
• The Export Configuration Selection window displays all of the export 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 export 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 export file configuration.
• Click the Create icon or press INSERT to create a new export file configuration. This will open the Export Configuration Maintenance window.

2     Create or modify an export file configuration.

• The Export File Configuration Maintenance window is used to create a new export file configuration.
• Enter a Name for the new export 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 export file will be used.
  • Export configuration definitions are created by Springbrook and are designed to export data out of specific processes. As more Springbrook processes are exposed to the Export 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 export file from the drop-down list.
  • Select Comma, Pipe, Tab or User Defined to create a delimited export file that displays the included data fields in rows separated by a specified delimiter character.
    • If Comma, Pipe, or Tab is selected, the Delimiter field below will be disabled and will display the selected delimiter.
    • If User Defined is selected, use the Delimiter field to enter the delimiter characters 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 export. Commas are the most commonly used delimiters.
  • Select Fixed Width to create an export 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 Generate header labels toggle is used to include a header row in the export file that displays the Name value for each property included on the Properties tab.
  • This toggle will only be enabled if Delimited is selected in the Type field above.
• Check the Default toggle to save the new configuration as the default export file configuration.
  • Only one export file configuration can be marked as Default.
• Check the Include in Collection toggle if the new configuration should be eligible for inclusion in an Export Collection.
  • Export Collections are collections of export configurations that allow users to export multiple configuration files at once on batch export steps.
• Once the export 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 export file configuration and how those properties will be organized.
• Select a property in the Available Properties section and click the Add icon   drop-down and select Property to add the property to the export file.
• Once a property has been added to the Selected Properties section, it can be edited in the Options section. Delimited and Fixed Width file types will display unique options.
• When creating a Delimited export file configuration:
  • 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 export file configuration is saved.
  • The Multiplier field is used to set a recalculation multiplier for the selected property.
    • For example, if a third-party application does not import decimal values, any dollar values exported out of Springbrook must be multiplied by 100. So $57.25 would be multiplied by 100 in order to display 5725 in the export file. This value would then be imported and recalculated by the third-party application.
    • This field will only be enabled for decimal and integer properties.
  • The Format field is used to specify how data exported from Springbrook will be converted to a string representation and how that string will appear to the user.
    • When exporting data from Springbrook to a third-party application, the format requirements of that third-party application will determine how Springbrook data should be formatted. Please refer to your third-party application requirements before formatting exported Springbrook data.
    • Here are a few common format examples:

• For more information on using .NET format strings, please refer to the Microsoft Developer Network section on Formatting Types - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/26etazsy(v=vs.110).aspx

• The Null Substitute field is used to specify a substitute term or character for any NULL values that are included in the export file.
• Check the Exclude text qualifiers toggle to exclude the standard text qualifiers that the system includes in the export file. When creating a delimited export type file, the system automatically wraps string values in quotes in order to avoid invalid character issues. When checked, those qualifiers will be excluded.
  • This toggle will be unchecked by default.

• When creating a Fixed Width export file configuration:
  • 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 export file configuration is saved.
    • Fixed width export files use a combination of property position and maximum length to determine how properties are displayed. For example, if Property A is in position 1 and has a maximum length 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 maximum length of 4, Property C must have a position value of at least 10.
    • Because of this relationship, setting the length values for each property before adding the next property is suggested.
  • The Maximum and Minimum Length fields are used to determine the length of the fields included in the export file.
    • If a property value included in the export file exceeds the specified Maximum Length, the value will be trimmed based on the Pad Direction specified below.
    • If a property value included in the export file does not meet the specified Minimum Length, the value will be padded based on the Padding and Pad Direction specified below.
  • The Padding field and the Pad Direction drop-down field are used to specify the character that will be used when including padding in the property value and where that padding will be added.
    • For example, a user could enter "x" in the Padding field and select "Left" in the Pad Direction field. If the value exported from Springbrook for that property was "75" and the Minimum Length for that property was set at "6", the value displayed in the export file would be "xxxx75".
    • The Pad Direction field will also determine how the value is trimmed if it exceeds the Maximum Length for the property. If the value exported from Springbrook is "john.smith" but the Maximum Length for the property is set at "8", the value will need to be trimmed. If "Right" is selected in the Pad Direction field, the value in the export file will be "john.smi". If "Left" is selected, the value will be "hn.smith".
  • The Multiplier field is used to set a recalculation multiplier for the selected property.
    • This Fixed Width multiplier field behaves the same as the Delimited multiplier field described above.
  • The Format field is used to specify how data exported from Springbrook will be converted to a string representation and how that string will appear to the user.
    • This Fixed Width format field behaves the same as the Delimited format field described above.
  • The Null Substitute field is used to specify a substitute term or character for any NULL values that are included in the export file.
• Click the Add icon   drop-down and select Constant to add a constant value to the export file. This will add a constant line item to the Selected Properties section below.
  • Constants can be added to export configurations to include things like bank-mandated codes in positive pay files or city codes in meter reading files.
  • Once a constant has been added to the Selected Properties section, the Options section to the right will be enabled.
    • The Position field is used to set the position for the constant. This field works as described above.
    • The Constant field is used to enter the constant that will display in the export file. This field is limited to 256 alphanumeric characters.

4     Setting up the Positive Pay Payee Name format on the Properties tab.

• NOTE: This section deals with the specific process for specifying a Format for the Payee Name property on a Positive Pay export configuration. Please ignore this section if you are working with any other properties or configurations.
• The Payee Name property allows users to control exactly how payee name data is displayed on the Positive Pay export configuration. This is achieved by using the characters included in the table below:

• Any combination of these characters can be used in the Format field to determine how the payee name data is displayed.
  • Many organizations will choose the general format (last name, first name middle name), and will only need to enter "G" in the Format field.
  • If your organization would like to use a different format, use the characters in the table above to configure the field. For example, entering "F%m.%L" will display (first name) (first letter of middle name). (last name) for the payee name field. If a payee named John William Doe was included in the export, his name would display as "John W. Doe".
  • If your organization would like to include a label, such as "Employee:", at the beginning of the Payee Name field, you will need to use the escape character "\". When using the John William Doe example above, if you entered "Employee:%F%m.%L" in the Format field, the export file would actually display "EWpDoyee: John J. Doe", because the "m" and "l" in "Employee" are conditional characters and will be replaced with the first letter of the middle name and the first letter of the last name. In order to display those letters properly, you would enter "E\mp\loyee:%F%m.%L" in the Format field. The escape character "\" will tell the system to print the character that immediately follows it, rather than treat that character like a conditional character that needs to be replaced with payee data.

5     Complete the Mapping tab.

• The Mapping tab is used to map specific property values that are exported from Springbrook to match specific values that need to be imported into a third-party application.
• 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 Springbrook.
• The To field is used to enter the value that will be included in the export file.
  • For example, if a property value for a logical field is exported from Springbrook as "TRUE", but the third-party application 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 generates the export 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 to delete the selected mapping.

6     Complete the Sorts tab.

• The Sorts tab is used to set up sort properties, orders, and directions on export configurations. These sort properties can then be used to sort related export configurations, improving the user's ability to quickly find and select the desired configuration.
• Click the Create icon to create a new sort property. This will create a new line item in the data grid below and enable the Maintenance section to the right.
• The Property field is used to specify which property the sort will be based on.
  • The available properties displayed in the Property field is determined by the export configuration definition.
  • Once a property is selected for a sort, it cannot be selected for another sort on the same export configuration.
• The Sort Order and Sort Direction fields are used to specify how the properties will be sorted.
  • The Sort Order field will determine the order in which the system sorts the properties on the export configuration. A property with a sorter order of "1" will be sorted before a property of a sort order of "2". If, for example, the Bank Account property has a sort order of 1 and the Amount property has a sort order of 2, the export configuration will be generally sorted by Bank Account the Amount values will be sorted within each Bank Account section.
  • The Sort Direction field will determine if the sort property begins with a low number or letter and ascends to a higher number or letter or if it descends from higher to lower.
• Highlight a sort property and click the Delete icon   to delete the selected property.

7     Complete the Groups tab.

• The Groups tab is used to configure optional headers and footers on the export file.
• The Available Groups section will display all the groups that can be added to the export file. Which groups are available is determined by the export file Definition selected on the Settings tab. Select a group in the Available Groups section and click the Add icon to add the group to the export file.
• Once a group is selected, it will appear in the Selected Groups section below. Highlight the group in the Selected Groups section and click the Create icon drop-down menu to specify group properties and constants.
• Click the
  • The Property field is used to specify a property for the group. This selection will determine which fields are enabled below.
  • The Location field is used to specify if the data will be displayed in the header or the footer of the file. You can add multiple groups to the same header or footer.
  • The Operation field is used to select an operation for the group. See the table below for an explanation of how the different operations will calculate the value included in the export file. This field will be enabled or disabled based on the value selected in the Property filed above.

When creating a Delimited export file configuration:

• 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 export file configuration is saved.
• The Multiplier field is used to set a recalculation multiplier for the selected property.
  • For example, if a third-party application does not import decimal values, any dollar values exported out of Springbrook must be multiplied by 100. So $57.25 would be multiplied by 100 in order to display 5725 in the export file. This value would then be imported and recalculated by the third-party application.
  • This field will only be enabled for decimal and integer properties.
• The Format field is used to specify how data exported from Springbrook will be converted to a string representation and how that string will appear to the user.
  • When exporting data from Springbrook to a third-party application, the format requirements of that third-party application will determine how Springbrook data should be formatted. Please refer to your third-party application requirements before formatting exported Springbrook data.
  • Here are a few common format examples:
    • Date Examples - Please note that you MUST use an uppercase "M" when including months in a date format. A lowercase "m" will result in the format including the minutes value:

• For more information on using .NET format strings, please refer to the Microsoft Developer Network section on Formatting Types - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/26etazsy(v=vs.110).aspx

• The Null Substitute field is used to specify a substitute term or character for any NULL values that are included in the export file.

• When creating a Fixed Width export file configuration:
  • 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 export file configuration is saved.
    • Fixed width export files use a combination of property position and maximum length to determine how properties are displayed. For example, if Property A is in position 1 and has a maximum length 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 maximum length of 4, Property C must have a position value of at least 10.
    • Because of this relationship, setting the length values for each property before adding the next property is suggested.
  • The Maximum and Minimum Length fields are used to determine the length of the fields included in the export file.
    • If a property value included in the export file exceeds the specified Maximum Length, the value will be trimmed based on the Pad Direction specified below.
    • If a property value included in the export file does not meet the specified Minimum Length, the value will be padded based on the Padding and Pad Direction specified below.
  • The Padding field and the Pad Direction drop-down field are used to specify the character that will be used when including padding in the property value and where that padding will be added.
    • For example, a user could enter "x" in the Padding field and select "Left" in the Pad Direction field. If the value exported from Springbrook for that property was "75" and the Minimum Length for that property was set at "6", the value displayed in the export file would be "xxxx75".
    • The Pad Direction field will also determine how the value is trimmed if it exceeds the Maximum Length for the property. If the value exported from Springbrook is "john.smith" but the Maximum Length for the property is set at "8", the value will need to be trimmed. If "Right" is selected in the Pad Direction field, the value in the export file will be "john.smi". If "Left" is selected, the value will be "hn.smith".
  • The Multiplier field is used to set a recalculation multiplier for the selected property.
    • This Fixed Width multiplier field behaves the same as the Delimited multiplier field described above.
  • The Format field is used to specify how data exported from Springbrook will be converted to a string representation and how that string will appear to the user.
    • This Fixed Width format field behaves the same as the Delimited format field described above.
  • The Null Substitute field is used to specify a substitute term or character for any NULL values that are included in the export file.
• Click the Create icon   drop-down and select Constant to add a constant value to the export file. This will add a constant line item to the Selected Properties section below.
  • Constants can be added to export configurations to include things like bank-mandated codes in positive pay files or city codes in meter reading files.
  • Once a constant has been added to the Selected Properties section, the Options section to the right will be enabled.
    • The Property field should be left blank.
    • The Location and Position fields are used to set the position within the header or footer for the constant. These fields work as described above.
    • When creating a fixed width file, the Maximum Length, Minimum Length, Padding and Pad Direction fields should be completed as described above.
    • The Constant field is used to enter the constant that will display in the export file. The Maximum Length and Minimum Length values entered above will dictate the size of the Constant value that displays on the export file.
      • This field is limited to 256 alphanumeric characters.
• Press ENTER or click the Save icon when complete to save the export file configuration.

8     Preview the export file configuration.

• The Preview tab is used to preview the export file configuration.
• Enter the test values in the Values section and click the Generate icon to populate the Text section below. This is how the values will display in the export file.
• Check the positioning, padding, formatting and mapping of the export file. If the Text section does not display the data as intended, return to the Properties and Mapping tabs to make the required changes.

9     Track any changes made to the export 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 export file configuration record including the date of the change, type of change made, user that made the change, and data table that was edited.