The Alien Import module allows you to import data from an external source into Signet (Alien being a system outside of Signet, rather than from Venus or Mars).

Three types of files can be imported using this module:

• Delimited Text Files (comma, tab, or any other character).
• Fixed Position Text Files.
• Microsoft Access Databases.

You can specify:

• The location of the file to import (either a single file, or all files in a particular directory).
• The format of the data to import.
• The field mappings to import.
• Whether certain lines should be ignored in the import file (e.g. text header lines, or lines starting with # - which are comment lines).
• How duplicate records (records which already exist in Signet) should be handled.
• How new records (records which don't already exist in Signet) should be handled.
• Whether or not the module (e.g. Debtors) should be locked during the import. This dis-allows any logins to the module while the import is running.

The following modules / areas can be imported into using the Alien Import module:

• Bill of Materials
  • Bill Headers
  • Bill Lines
  • Requisitions
  • Requisition Lines
• Bank Runs
  • Account Masters
  • Bank Transactions
  • Regular Postings
• CashBook
  • Bank Accounts
  • Debit Orders
  • Sub Ledger Masters
  • Sub Ledger Transactions
  • Transactions
• Creditors Ledger
  • Creditor Master Records
  • Creditor Address Details
  • Creditor Bank Details
  • Transactions
• Debtors Ledger
  • Debtor Master Records
  • Debtor Address Details
  • Debtor Bank Details
  • Transactions
• General Ledger
  • Accounts
  • Standing Batch Transactions
  • Transactions
  • Budgets
  • Forecasts
• Inventory
  • Product Groups
  • Products
  • Suppliers
  • Suppliers for Individual Products
  • Supplier Addresses
  • Transactions
  • Purchase Order Headers
  • Purchase Order Lines
• Mail Manager
  • Mail Entries
• Order Processing
  • Orders
  • Standing Orders
  • Invoices
  • Credit Notes
  • Standard Lines
• Vehicle Costing
  • Vehicles
  • Trailers
  • Drivers
  • Groups
  • Bowsers
  • Transactions
• General
  • Currencies
  • Representatives

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Some possible uses of the module include:

• Initial import of data into the Signet system.
• Writing an external program to customise your interface to a particular area (e.g. Orders), and then importing this data on an ongoing basis.
• Links to Web based order entry systems.