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.
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.
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