Level 4 and Higher Feature

Step By Step Procedure (Developing the Profile)

For information on the steps leading up to this point: First Dialog Box

(This is the second dialog box for Importing Customers.  It is reached from the first box by clicking on either "Create New Profile" or "View or Update Existing Profile.  The first box is reached by selecting FILE >> IMPORT from the Customer Database Screen.)

Step # 1 (Name of Profile)

The "Import Profile" dialog box will appear after you select "Create New Profile" in the first dialog box.  At the top of the dialog box, enter a name for the profile.  Use a name that will help you remember what sort of data is being imported, i.e. "Customer Import."

Step # 2 (Type of File)

Indicate the type of file that you are using.  For more information on file types, see Supported Import File Types.  For your convenience, the name of the file that was entered in the previous first dialog box is shown to the right of the Profile Name.

Step # 3 (Record Number)

Select the record from the import file that you wish to use for developing the profile.  Usually, the first record will be used, but if one of the other records in the file is more complete, you're welcome to select it.

After indicating the record, click on "Show Import File Fields."  A list of fields contained in your import file will appear in the first box ("Fields Making Up the Import File") on the bottom of the screen.  If the fields are garbled, you may have selected the wrong file type.  Re-check your file type selection.  Also make sure the file you are importing is Comma Delimited, Tab Delimited, or a dBase file.

Step # 4 (Building the Profile)

Now take a look at the three boxes on the bottom of the screen.  To develop the profile, first pick a field from the Import file (the first box).  Then indicate where that field should be place on AnyOrder's Customer Database Screen by choosing from a list of placement locations in the second box.

In the first box, you'll see that each field of the import file is numbered.  For instance, the first field might be 1) Bill Wilson. The number is the location of the field in the import file.  You'll also see numbers in the second box, i.e. Billing Name <33> 3.  The <33> means that AnyOrder has 33 characters of space available for this field.  (If the field is a number, you'll see two numbers separated by a comma, i.e. <9,2> means a nine place number, including the decimal point with 2 decimal places or <4,0> means a four place number with no decimal places.)  The "3" means that the Billing Name field is the third field in AnyOrder's Customer Database.  The numbers are used by AnyOrder to determine which fields to use from the import file and where to place them. You can disregard the numbers.  They are used internally by AnyOrder to help guide the import process.

(Note that some import files that you may use include generic names of each field in the first record.  If so, you'll want to use it since it will make developing the profile a little easier.  Field names are always available for dBase files: just select zero (0) as the record and the field names will be displayed.)

To develop the profile, select a field in the first box by clicking on it to highlight it.  Select a field in the second box by highlighting it.  Then click on the large + sign.  The two fields will be combined in the third box.

Here's an example:

Let's say you pick "1) Bill Wilson" in the first box

And you pick Billing Name 3 in the second box.

After clicking on + the third box will show 1) Bill Wilson->Billing Name 3.

That means that when the import is done, Bill Wilson will be inserted in the Billing Name place on AnyOrder's Customer Database Screen.

Now continue the process.  Go through each of the fields in the first box.  Match them up with fields in the second box.  The result will show in the third box.

The order the fields appear in the third box is not important.

If you make a mistake, you can remove a line by selecting "Remove Line"

You don't have to use all of the fields in the import file (the first box), just those you want to move into AnyOrder.

Building the Profile: Using Import Fields in More than Once

If desired you can use an import field more than once.  You can, for instance, place 1) Bill Wilson in the Billing Name and Shipping Name placement locations in AnyOrder

Building the Profile: Using Placement Locations More than Once

You can also use the same Placement location in AnyOrder more than one.  Most commonly this is used for combining first and last names.

Here's an example:

Let's say you have the following two lines in the first box: 1)Tina and 2)Johnson.

First, place Tina in the Billing Name field.  The profile box will show: 1)Tina->Billing Name 3.

Then, place Johnson in the Billing Name field.  The profile box will show: 2)Johnson->Billing Name 4.

When the import is done, Tina Johnson will appear in the Billing Name field on the Customer Database Screen.

Note that in this case, order is important.  The first name (1) Tina->Billing Name 3) needs to appear first on the profile list and the last name (2) Johnson->Billing Name 3) after it.

The other place where you may combine fields is in the Notes area.  You may have information in the Import file which doesn't match any of the normal Placement locations on the Customer Database Screen.  Often the Notes Area is good location to place such information.  You may combine any number of import fields in Notes.

Another situation where you might combine fields is when you have an import file with a billing name and address occupying 4-lines.  (AnyOrder's name and address only occupies three lines)

Here's an example.  Let's say your import file fields (1st box) consist of the following lines: Name, Company, First Address Line, and Second Address Line.  AnyOrder in its normal configuration, however, has only the following Placement locations (2nd box): Billing Name, Address1 and Address2.  (There is a way to configure AnyOrder with an extra address line.  See "exception" information below the next couple of paragraphs.)

To move all of the address information into AnyOrder combine the last two fields.  Here's what the profile box (third box) would look like:

Name-> Billing Name

Company-> Billing Address1

First Address Line-> Billing Address2

Second Address Line-> Billing Address2

In this situation the First Address Line and the Second Address Line will be combined in the Address2 blank on the Main Invoice Screen.

Exception to above example. There is an exception to the above example.  AnyOrder has the ability to designate an extra address line for both the invoice and customer databases.  That's done by turning on the "Extra Address Fields" option when setting up User Defined Fields.  If you configured the program with the extra address fields, you can get around combining fields by setting up the profile box (third box) in this manner:

Name->Billing Name

Company-> Billing Address1

First Address Line->Billing Address2

Second Address Line->Bill Address3

More on Step #4 (Building the Profile): Constants

You can also include a constant in the profile.  A constant doesn't come from the import file.  It's a value that you establish and wish to have inserted in every new customer record that is created during the import process.

Constants are also handy in the Notes area.  You can use them as a label to identify a field from the Import file.

Here's an example.  Let's say that your import file contains a second phone number for the customer and you'd like to place the second phone number in the Notes area.  To add a label, you would first set up a constant:

Type in: "Second Phone Number: " in the Constant blank.  (This will be your label)

Highlight Notes 26 in the second box.

Click + and [C] Second Phone Number: ->Notes 26 will appear in the Profile box, the 3rd box.

Now that your label is set-up, you need to set-up the second phone number from the import file.  To do so:

Highlight the second phone number in the first box. Let's say, it's: 10) 209-888-7773

Highlight Notes 26 in the second box

Click + and 10) 209-888-7773->Notes 26 will appear in the Profile box, the 3rd box.

When the import is done, the Notes area on the Customer Database Screen will include the label and the phone number:  "Second Phone Number: 209-888-7773."

A Note About Customer Numbers

If desired, you can import customer numbers along with customers.  However, we recommend that you don't; rather allow AnyOrder to assign the numbers for you.  This will remove gaps and create a numbering system better aligned with AnyOrder.  When AnyOrder assigns numbers, it finds the last used number in the Customer Database, and starting with this number, it increments upwards.  By default, AnyOrder will make the Billing Group Number the same as the customer numbers.  You need to manually change any customers that have several store locations, but one billing address.  See Customer Database for more information on Billing Group Numbers.

More Information on Importing

Import (First Dialog Box)

Import Files Types Supported

Customer Database Screen

Working with Import Files in Excel