PURPOSE:

This technical bulletin will run through how to import Master File Information and Transactional information into Sage Pastel Evolution.

SCOPE:

The Data Distribution Services (DDS) in Pastel Evolution provides you with the ability to import data directly into a company database. You will need to ensure that you have a reliable BACKUP of your data before doing any data import, as this procedure can NOT be reversed.

The Pastel Evolution Data Distribution Services (DDS) allows you to import:

1. Master File Information
2. Transactional information

The DDS works on a Publisher and Subscriber relationship. The Publisher is the Data Source (e.g. Data exported in a CSV format from your existing accounting package) and the Subscriber in this case will be Pastel Evolution.

The import process takes place in three stages which are detailed in the Procedure section of this bulletin.

PROCEDURE:

1.) EXPORTING THE DATA FROM YOUR EXISTING ACCOUNTING PACKAGE INTO A .CSVFILE

• The first step would be to export the data from your existing accounting package to a comma delimited .CSV file (also known as an ASCII files. CSV files are also a common format used in Excel).

• After exporting the file, you will need to ensure that only the information you want to import is included in this file.

• Any unnecessary information can cause the file to not be imported correctly.

• Do this by opening the file in Excel and deleting any columns which contain information that you do not wish to import.

2.) CREATE A NEW PUBLISHER / SUBSCRIBER SETUP

• Go to Start | Programs | Pastel Evolution.
• Select the Evolution Data Distribution Services option from the list.
• The Evolution Data Distribution Services will open
• Click on Add to create a new setup
• On the first screen you are asked to select a Data Publisher
  
• Click on Browse and select ASCII as your publisher
  
• Click on Next to continue and Select the type of information you want to import (e.g. Customers, General Ledger accounts, Inventory transactions, etc.);
• Click on Next and then select Evolution as the Subscriber;
• Then click on the Finish button.

Please Note: This stage completes the initial setup.

3.) SETUP THE PLUG IN PROPERTIES

Here we need to specify how the data should be imported and into which database the import should occur.

• Enter a description for the import on the General tab
  
  
  

• On the left hand side of the Properties bar click on the Publisher icon

• Click on Browse and select the file you want to import

• If the import file has column headings, check the option 'Header Record'

• Choose a ?,? (comma) as the separator;

• Set the date format to ?Windows Format?.

3.1) GO TO THE PUBLISHER 2/2 TAB

On this tab, you need to specify which data you want to import, as well as the order in which they are in, in the import file. We need to make sure that the order is correct to ensure the DDS imports the correct data to the correct location in your database.

If your import file does not have all the mandatory fields, you will need to create them in your import file before importing.

• Tick all the check boxes alongside the fields you wish to import.

• The fields that are grayed out are compulsory.

• Make sure that the field layout on the Publisher 2/2 Tab matches the same position of that in the import file (e.g. When importing customers, if the Code is the first option in the DDS then the customer code must be the first column in the corresponding import file. Likewise if the Name is the fifth from the top in DDS, verify that the customer name column is the fifth column in the import file
  
  
  
• On the left-hand side of the Properties click on Subscriber.
• Here you need to specify which database you are importing into, as well as how the data will be imported (whether existing data will be overwritten or updated, etc).
• Firstly you need to specify which database you want to import into and how to connect to it.
  

• Do this by selecting the name of your server in the SQL Server drop down.

• Select whether you are using SQL or Windows authentications.

• Normally Windows Authentication is used as this will use your windows username and password to access the database.

• Select the database you wish to import into.

3.2) SELECT THE SUBSCRIBER 2/2 TAB

On this tab you need to specify how the data will be imported. The following three options are available:

1. Update all records

• This option will update all existing records (e.g. Inventory Items) with the information in your import file as well as create new items if they do not already exist in the database.

2. Append new records

• Selecting this option will only create records if they do not already exist in the database. Any existing records will be ignored during the import and not be changed.

3. Edit existing records

• This will only make changes to records that already exist in the database. No new records will be created

• Click on OK to save the import you have created.

4.) RUNNING THE IMPORT

Now that the setup is complete, you can begin the import.

• Right-Click on the import that you have just created and select Import Now (this import will be the last line on the Data Distribution screen).

• The import procedure will begin.

• While the import is in progress a green arrow will appear in the bottom left-hand side of the screen.

• This  arrow will disappear as soon as the import is complete.

• Click on the View Log button at the top of the Data Distribution screen to see if the data imported successfully.

• This will give you a detailed log of the import and will also indicate where a problem occurred if the import failed.

• If the import did not go through successfully, please review the log file and make changes to the import file as indicated by the error message.  

If you require further assistance or information on any of the above topics, please contact our support department. If you do not have a support contract, please contact sales@sagepastel.com.au