Importing lists
You can import Client, Project/Matter, Billing category, Glossary, and Markup listings from properly formatted text files or from "IIF" list files created by the Mac or Windows version of Intuit QuickBooks. You can take advantage of that capability to update multiple users' data files with your latest listings or to set up a new TimeCache data file.

Importing lists from QuickBooks
In order to import IIF list files from QuickBooks, you need to set up TimeCache to look for QuickBooks files in the Auto list import panel of TimeCache Preferences. Then you need to make sure your QuickBooks file is set up properly for sharing lists with TimeCache, and export the lists from QuickBooks. This procedure is detailed in a document available from the TimeCache section of our Web site's Downloads page.

Importing text files
TimeCache can import files saved as "text-only" in tab-delimited format (with tab characters separating each "field" in a listing, and each listing on a separate line).

For example, you can create a Project listing file in Microsoft Excel and save it in Excel's "Text (Tab Delimited)" format. You would put the Client name for the Project in the first column of each row, the Project name in the second column, the Job number in the third column, an Estimate amount in the fourth column and Custom data in the fifth column. Each row should have the same fields in the same columns.

You can also use TimeCache itself to create listings files which can then be imported into other copies of data files. See the TimeCache Help topic Exporting lists, for more information.

To import these lists, show the List Manager and choose the type of list you want to import. Choose Import [List type] List from the popup menu that appears when you click and hold the mouse down on the widget button in the lower left corner of the List Manager panel. Then navigate to the appropriate file in the File Open dialog that appears, and click Open.

A List Import window appears with a column of boldfaced field names on the left, and a column of entries from your text file on the right. You can scan through the data from your file by clicking the arrow buttons below the right-hand list. This allows you to make sure your listings will be imported to the correct fields in your TimeCache data file.

The TimeCache list import window

If there are fields that are out of order, you will need to reorder them by dragging them into the correct order. To change the order of an item, click and drag the item until a black line appears in the location where you want to insert that item. Then release the mouse button to drop the item into the correct spot.

For all lists except Project, you can choose to skip or overwrite duplicate listings by clicking the appropriate radio button. If you choose Skip, any duplicate listings will not be added to the TimeCache data file. If you choose Overwrite, listings with the same name in the TimeCache data file will be replaced with all the information from the imported file.

NOTE: There is also auto-import functionality built into TimeCache, which can be useful for workgroups who need to make sure they're using the latest listings at all times. More information is available in the TimeCache Help section on TimeCache Preferences.

Synchronizing projects
Another option when importing Projects is to synchronize project lists. You enable this option by highlighting the Synchronize projects checkbox. In addition to adding new projects from the list you import, TimeCache archives any projects it finds in the data file that are not in the imported list. The archive is a special section of TimeCache where projects can be viewed but not altered. The Synchronize projects feature can help ensure that everyone in a workgroup is using the exact same set of projects for billing.

Text encoding
You can set the text encoding your file has been saved with by choosing it from the Encoding popup menu. TimeCache trusts what you tell it the encoding is, and imports your text accordingly. You can see the effect of changing the encoding, if any, in the listing text in the Import window. For more information on text encoding format, see the TimeCache Help topic Data export options.

When the list is in the proper order and all the appropriate options have been selected, click Import. TimeCache does any necessary processing and then lets you know when the import is complete.

For complete information on import formats for each type of listing, see the next TimeCache Help topic, Import file formats.