Importing Units into AyaNova from a CSV format file

To avoid disappointment follow these steps when importing units into AyaNova from a CSV format file

1. Review the required format of the CSV file for use with the Unit import utility

1. Required format of .csv (Comma Separated Values) file for use with ImportUnitCSV:

•	Each field must be Quoted (surrounded by quotation characters) if the field contains a comma, a return, empty space or a quotation mark character. It is recommended to quote every field to prevent errors

•	Every record in the csv file must contain at least the first three fields and end in a return character.

•	All the normal AyaNova rules for Unit objects apply; duplicate units (same serial number) will not be imported, fields that exceed the maximum length in AyaNova will be truncated.

•	The csv file must not contain field names in the first row or any header or footer, data only.

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The PurchasedDate field will be interpreted in the date format set on the computer the import program is running on. So to confirm what format you should use do an export first on the computer you intend to import on and examine the format of the PurchasedDate field in the Units.csv file. You can change your computers date format in the control panel settings if you need to match a format in the import .csv that isn't your computer's normal date format.

Serial, Client Name, UnitModel, Notes, PurchasedFromVendor, SalesReceiptNumber, PurchasedDate, Description, Metered

•	Backup your current AyaNova database before importing, there is no undo feature and it's easy to accidentally have a field in the wrong position as the import utility has no way of confirming if UnitModel (for example) is in the Purchasedfromvendor column.

•	Use the export feature to export your current units in AyaNova to a comma separate values file which you can then open up using NotePad and see the correct format even before creating your own for import.

•	Comma Separated Values files (.csv files) can be created and opened directly using Microsoft Access, this is handy if you wish to "massage" the data before importing or examine or work with an exported Clients.csv file

•	When you open the csv file before importing, carefully examine the grid of records displayed to ensure each field is in the correct column before importing.

•	For better performance when importing a large number of units, do the import from the fastest connection to the database possible, i.e. don't import units via a dataportal unless performance is not a concern.

•	NOTE: In some cases, when you use MS Excel to edit or create a CSV file, the resultant file will not have quotes around the fields.

•	If you get errors trying to import a file you edited in Excel, it is suggested to import it into a table in Microsoft Access.

•	Right click on the table in MS Access, select Export…, select CSV from the drop down list and the CSV file will be created correctly with quotes and commas.

•	If you do not have MS Access, send the existing CSV file zipped using WinZip to AyaNova Support, along with the full text of the error you received and what you checked so far and we can see if we can import into MS Access for you and create the formatted CSV file.

•	Duplicate units will not be imported, the unit's serial number field is examined before each unit is imported and if the unit's serial number is found to be in AyaNova already then that record is not imported. This means you can re-import the same data safely without getting duplicate records.

•	After importing, examine the imported records and ensure fields were imported to the correct area of the unit record.

•	If a PurchasedFromVendor field is empty then the unit will be imported with the Bought here checkbox checked as it will be assumed that the unit was not bought from another vendor but from your company.

•	PurchasedFromVendor, Client and UnitModel will be compared case insensitive against their counter parts name field in AyaNova to see if they already exist.

•	If they are not found in AyaNova then a new record will be created for them using the name in the import file.

•	So it is important to ensure that the import file contains names of these objects exactly as they are spelled in AyaNova if you intend to match an existing record.

•	The UnitModel field in the import file is compared against the Unit Model’s name and number. If the field in the import file is not exactly laid out and typed as the Unit Model’s name and number, a new unit model will be created with just the name entered.

•	PurchasedFromVendors that need to be created on import will be set as WholeSaler vendor type in AyaNova.

•	Be sure the purchased date is set correctly in the import .csv file if you care about warranty tracking.

•	Since the Unit warranty information is not imported on a case by case basis be sure you have the UnitModel field correct in your CSV file before importing.

•	This ensures units will be imported under the correct unit model and you can then set the warranty for all imported units in one shot by setting the unit model warranty.

1. Create the csv file that contains the units information that you wish to import into AyaNova

•	Refer to the Backup & Recovery section in this Help file for information on backing up the database for your configuration.

3. Ensure all others have exited out of AyaNova during the import process so that in the event you encounter an issue you can restore from backup without having to re-enter data entered by other users.

4. If you are importing a lot of records, perform the import on the same computer where the database resides, and where the csv file is for best performance.

5. From the main menu select Plugins -> ImportExport.csv -> Units to open the unit import/export program

8. The ImportUnitCSV utility will read the file and display a message identifying the number of records it finds, and a reminder to confirm the fields and check data before continuing

•	Note – data can not be edited in the ImportUnitCSV utility. It is for viewing only before importing.

9. The data will now display with a header for each column so that you can confirm data is in the correct field

14. When the import is finished, a message will display identifying the number of unit records imported. Select OK to close.

15. Exit out of the ImportUnitCSV utility by selecting the X in the upper right-hand corner