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Import from a CSV(Comma Separated Variable) format file
This section describes how to import your transactions, an account schema, or Customer/Project definitions to Lazy8Ledger from another book-keeping system or database. The CSV file format is a universal means for transferring data. Importing is a rather complex process with many possibilities to make errors so I highly recommend that you first back-up your database before attempting importing so that if something goes wrong, you can restore your data. Plus, I would not recommend anybody to attempt importing if you are not very experienced in databases in general. There is just so much that can go wrong and it requires some expertise to make it work. After importing, you must thoroughly check your database to make sure the import worked like you wanted it to.
You might also want to use the export tool to first export your information in this format and then take a normal word processor to edit the information, and then re import it again back into Lazy8Leger. That way you can do massive "search and replace" operations quickly and easily on your exported CSV file that would otherwise be impossible to do with only the Lazy8Ledger program.
When you first start this procedure, you will be presented with a dialog which will allow you to select the CSV file you want to import from. This file must exist and it must be in the CSV format.

General procedure

You must match the fields in the left list with the fields on the right list. The fields in the left list are fields read from the CSV file you selected previously. The fields in the right list are all the fields available for importing to, into Lazy8Ledger. To match the fields, select a row on the left and then select a row on the right and hit the match button. Continue doing so until all the required fields are matched. You can see which fields are required by looking in the column on the right table marked "Is Required". A "yes" in this column means you may not do the importing until that field is matched to a field on the left. When you are finished matching all the fields you want to import, hit the 'Test only' button to check if there will be errors during importing. It is suggested that you do not proceed with importing if there are errors. However, you may decide to proceed anyway and ignore the errors. Finish by hitting the button 'Import.' If errors are present, the import process will once more show you the errors and then you must hit again the import button if you want to proceed with the importing.

Options and field formats

There are a lot of special options and field formats available to specify the exact format of your CSV file. Hit the following "Options and field formats" link to read more about it.

Fields from the CSV file

This table on the left shows the fields read from the first row in the CSV file you selected when you first started this procedure. You may use the Next and Previous buttons to browse through the CSV file and eventually view all the rows in the CSV file if you desire.
You need to select a row in this table and then select a row in the table on the right and then hit the match button for each field you wish to match. At a minimum, you must match up all the fields on the right table marked as "is required."

Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table

This table on the right shows all the fields available for importing to, into Lazy8Ledger. You need to select a row in this table and then select a row in the table on the left and then hit the match button for each field you wish to match. At a minimum, you must match up all the fields in this marked as "yes" int the "is required" column. When you have matched a field, you will see the contents from the CSV file beside the lazy8 field definition. Notice that the "data types" must match the data types in your CSV file. If they don't match, you will get errors when you try to import.

Match button

Hitting this button will match a field in the Fields from the CSV file on the left, with a field in the Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table on the right. You need to first select a row in each of these tables and then hit this "match" button for each field you wish to match. At a minimum, you must match up all the fields on the Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table on the right marked as "is required."

Unmatch button

Hitting this button will remove a match between a field in the Fields from the CSV file on the left and a field in the Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table on the right.

Previous button

Hitting this button will show all the fields in the CSV file in the previous row relative to the row currently being seen in the table Fields from the CSV file on the left.

Next button

Hitting this button will show all the fields in the CSV file in the next row relative to the row currently being seen in the table Fields from the CSV file on the left.

Test only button

Hitting this button will perform several tests on the import specification and import CSV file and your present Lazy8 Leger database to see if the import will succeed. Note that before you can get this button to do anything, you must at a minimum match up all the fields on the Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table on the right marked as "is required."

Import button

Hitting this button will perform the import of the data if no errors are present. If errors are present, the import process will once more show you the errors and then you must hit again the import button if you want to proceed anyway with the importing. Note that before you can get this button to do anything, you must at a minimum match up all the fields on the Lazy8 Ledger database import fields table on the right marked as "is required."

Help button

Show the help screen associated with this form.

Exit button

Hitting this button closes this import window..


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