e-manage|ONE supports importing items from several different sources including .sif files, XML files, Spacesaver Configura (XML), Excel and Copy & Paste. e-manage comes preset with at least one import type defined that is appropriate for your company, and you may have more than one if more were created during your company's implementation. In this section we will first go over importing using an existing import going through a ".sif" file import, a Spacesaver Configura (XML) import, and a copy and paste import, then we will go through how and when you can create custom imports. This section assumes that you have gone through the "Setting up MFG Codes" section just before this section.
To begin, click the “Import SIF / XML” button located on main toolbar of the BOM Tiled window. If you have not chosen any auto-part templates, e-manage|ONE will ask you if you want to import anyway, say "Yes".
The import window will open where you can choose the type of import you will be doing.
We will start with a .sif file import for Contract Furniture Companies. Other imports will be later in this document.
By selecting the type of import you are going to do, you are also using the default settings of the import template, however you can change any of the defaults for this import only if you click on the "1 Time Settings" button inside of the "Import Type" drop down list box.
The really important settings here are "Import as Separate Options" - this will use your tags and build separate options for each distinct tag in your file (otherwise your tags will import as phases into one option), "Do not use type as Phase Name" - if this is not checked, any untagged items will use the product type set by the MFG Code as the phase name, "Phase Tag 1, 2, and 3", different pricing programs have different codes for tagging items, this setting allows you to set (in order) the possible tag fields from pricing files, "Package Tag" this will be the code that separates your order into groups for packaging when sending your order in to the vendor.
The Skipped Option Definitions tell e-manage 7 while importing which of the options should be considered "skipped" and show in red on the quote. For Haworth, this would be "~". While importing any part of the option number (ON=) that contains any of the characters (or codes) will be marked as an "error" and show up in red on the quote. Different Manufactures have different ways of specifying skipped options, so you should program in all codes here that you might hit on an import.
Click the "Settings" button again to hide the setting panel.
The filename drop down list box will show you any .sif files you have attached in the documents section that are current documents. If you already attached a .sif file to the documents section you should choose it. If not, you will need to use the "Browse" button to find the .sif file. If you are using project matrix, you will need to have the .sif file closed in order for e-manage|ONE to use it for importing as ProjectSpec locks the file while it is open.
If you would like, you can import the contents of the .sif file into an existing option if you have any options already in the BOM (If not, this drop down will be empty). If you want to import into an existing option, simply choose the option from the drop down list box.
The really important settings here are "Import as Separate Options" - this will use your tags and build separate options for each distinct tag in your file (otherwise your tags will import as phases into one option), "Do not use type as Phase Name" - if this is not checked, any untagged items will use the product type set by the MFG Code as the phase name, "Phase Tag 1, 2, and 3", different pricing programs have different codes for tagging items, this setting allows you to set (in order) the possible tag fields from pricing files, "Package Tag" this will be the code that separates your order into groups for packaging when sending your order in to the vendor.
The Skipped Option Definitions tell e-manage 7 while importing which of the options should be considered "skipped" and show in red on the quote. For Haworth, this would be "~". While importing any part of the option number (ON=) that contains any of the characters (or codes) will be marked as an "error" and show up in red on the quote. Different Manufactures have different ways of specifying skipped options, so you should program in all codes here that you might hit on an import.
Click the "Settings" button again to hide the setting panel.
The filename drop down list box will show you any .sif files you have attached in the documents section that are current documents. If you already attached a .sif file to the documents section you should choose it. If not, you will need to use the "Browse" button to find the .sif file. If you are using project matrix, you will need to have the .sif file closed in order for e-manage 7 to use it for importing as ProjectSpec locks the file while it is open.
If you would like, you can import the contents of the .sif file into an existing option if you have any options already in the BOM (If not, this drop down will be empty). If you want to import into an existing option, simply choose the option from the drop down list box.
Once you have chosen an option to import into, you can also choose to import the contents of the .sif into an existing phase of the option by choosing a phase out of the "Import Into Phase" drop down list box. This box will only be enabled once you have chosen an existing option to import into.
For .sif files there is no need to set the vendor as it will be determined by the MFG Code on a line by line basis.
The Discount Template is used for applying Manufacturer set discounts based on contracts. These discount templates are setup in a separate window, please see "SPA's and Special Discounting / Vendor Commissions". Choosing a template here will apply preset discounting to certain product types from certain vendors and / or apply a Vendor Commission Percentage to each line item that matches the template details.
Click the "Validate Parts" button. If every item in the .sif file has a corresponding MFG Code in e-manage 7, then clicking the one button will complete the process. If not, you may see parts show up in the grid below the import options with items that need to be entered into your database. The easiest way to handle this is to look in the grid at the items and note the MFG Code and add the MFG Codes on the fly see Setting up MFG Codes, then click the validate parts button again once all of the missing MFG Codes have been entered. You can also right click on each line and set the required values: Vendor, Unit of Measure, Product Type, Parts Category and MFG Discount. If you manually set the values on the parts that need to be added to the database, you will need to click the "Add Parts to Database" button, then the "Validate" button.
Importing parts from Spacesaver Configura (XML)
To begin, click the Import button located on main toolbar of the BOM Tiled window. If you have not chosen any auto-part templates, e-manage 7 will ask you if you want to import anyway, say "Yes".
The import window will open where you can choose the type of import you will be doing.
Choose "Spacesaver Configura Drawing (XML)".
By selecting the type of import you are going to do, you are also using the default settings of the import template, however you can change any of the defaults for this import only if you click on the "Settings" button inside of the "I am Importing" drop down list box.
The "Import File Contains MFG Discount" is set by default because the XML file created by Spacesaver Configura contains the correct MFG discount for the volume of what you are ordering.
"Import as Separate Options" uses your boxed named group of items from Configura and builds separate options for each distinct group in your file (otherwise your grouped items will import as phases into one option)
"Do not use type as Phase Name" - if this is not checked, any un-grouped items will use the product type set by the MFG Code as the phase name.
Click the "Settings" button again to hide the panel.
Click the "Browse" button and navigate to the Configura XML File to import.
If you would like, you can import the contents of the Spacesaver Configura (XML) file into an existing option if you have any options already in the BOM (If not, this drop down will be empty). If you want to import into an existing option, simply choose the option from the drop down list box.
Once you have chosen an option to import into, you can also choose to import the contents of the Spacesaver Configura (XML) into an existing phase of the option by choosing a phase out of the "Import Into Phase" drop down list box. This box will only be enabled once you have chosen an existing option to import into.
The "Vendor" drop down will automatically choose Spacesaver Corporation for you.
Click the "Validate Parts" button. If you have MFG Codes set up for Spacesaver Product Types, all items will import with the click of this one button. If not, you may have to add parts to the database after setting the required fields of Vendor, Unit of Measure, Product Type, Parts Category and MFG Discount. You can set these values manually by right clicking on one or more items and setting each value independently then click the "Add Parts To Database" button when all items have the required values.
Importing via Copy + Paste
The copy and paste importing of items can come from any tabular (in a table structure) data. For the most part you would use excel to put a list of parts together (or export from another application). Copy all of the cells that have data (including the column headers, then follow these instructions. If you do not have a copy + paste template, you will need to create one (see the section immediately following this one on creating your own import templates). In this example, we will define the values manually and on the fly for the copy + paste columns.
To begin, you will need a spreadsheet with the following required data columns (These are the required fields if you have MFG Codes setup for the items you will be importing.
QTY
Part #
Description
List Price
Vendor
Here is an example of a spreadsheet of data that can be used to import via copy + paste:
In Excel, highlight all rows (including column headers) and press the Copy button (or use CTRL + C).
In the e-manage 7 BOM tiled window click the Import button.
In the "I am Importing" drop down list box choose one of your copy + paste import items. Then click the "Paste" button. You will be asked if the copied data contains column headers.
If you say no, the column headers will be generated automatically but will not mean anything to the data they contain. The data will appear in the grid below the paste button.
e-manage 7 will add on a few extra columns onto your pasted data. They are as follows:
MFG Internal - an editable cell that allows you to manually set the MFG Code to use during import
Phase Name Internal - an editable cell that allows you to manually set the phase the item will go into
Manhours Internal - an editable cell that allows you to set the manhours it will take to install this item
Cubes Internal - the number of cubes this item will take up in a freight truck
Percent Internal - Depending on the pricing type, this will be the margin, markup, or customer discount
You can assign a MFG Code to one or more line items by highlighting row(s) and right clicking and choosing an MFG Code from the MFG drop down list box and pressing the ENTER key on your keyboard.
By right clicking on one or more rows, you can also set the phase that the parts will import into, the manhours, the cubes and the markup, margin, or customer discount.
Next you will need to map the columns using the drop down list boxes to the right of the grid by choosing the column from the grid that corresponds to the label of the drop down list box. This part of the process can be greatly reduces by creating a custom template for spreadsheets that are always the same.
Click the "Validate Parts" button.
If there were any missing values that will not allow the items to be added to the master part listing you will receive a pop-up message with the missing values. Correct these by right clicking on line items and setting the missing values and then click the "Add Parts To Database" button. Repeat until all parts are gone from the grid and your import will complete with a new imported option showing in the BOM Option Grid.
Creating your own Custom Import Templates
The case to be made for making your own custom import templates is simply to not forget to set a value in the "Settings" panel. For example, if you want, you can make one template each for each "Pricing Type" and name each with the pricing type, so there is no question about whether or not you set the correct pricing type ahead of time in the BOM Window Toolbar before you clicked import. Another example would be setting up a standard for importing from copy + paste. You can preset the column headers so that the user does not have to set them every time they import when the spreadsheet they are copying from is exactly (or nearly) the same.
To begin, open the Import BOM window by clicking on the Import BOM button in the BOM tiled window toolbar.
In the Import BOM from an external source file window, click the "New" button in the "I Am Importing" drop down list box.
In the resulting window, give the template a name (something that will describe the options set for this template) and a source type, also choose whether everyone can use this template. Then click the "Save" button.
Once saved you can set the options that are appropriate for the import you described in the name, then click the save button on the bottom of the window.
These will be the default options that are used unless the user clicks on the "Settings" button after choosing this import template and changes settings on the fly.
Copy + Paste templates have a little more configuration to them. When you choose Copy + Paste as your source type, the window will expand to show the further options where you can type in the column header names to pre-map the columns to data. When you fill out all of the appropriate text boxes, click the save button on that side of the window.
When you close the window, your new import template will already be chosen in the import window.
Editing a saved template is easy to do. Simply choose the template you want to modify and click the "Edit" button inside of the "I Am Importing" drop down list box. Make your changes and click the save button in the appropriate section of what you were editing. Your modifications will be immediately applied to the import you are doing.