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About Importing and Exporting Payroll Data

Using the Export Function

Using the Import Function

Use the Import button to transfer data such as account master information and transaction batches from non-Sage HRMS Payroll programs to Sage HRMS Payroll. Transferring this information to Sage HRMS Payroll is called importing.

One common use of the import and export functions is to export account balances (or net amounts) to a spreadsheet for analysis and manipulation, then import this information as next year's budget information.

Before you start

Depending on the type of file you are exporting, you may need to create a file or a database to export to before exporting from Sage HRMS Payroll.

If you are exporting:

  • To Excel, create an Excel file.
  • To Access, create a database file.
  • An ODBC database, create an empty database. (Be sure to create it in the database type you use.)
  • In XML format, determine a location to export the file to.
  • In CSV format, set up a path to the directory where you will be exporting the Sage HRMS Payroll data.

If you are using a script, the fields selected when you created the script are displayed in the Import dialog box. If you often import the same data, you can create a script to speed up the process.

To import information

  1. Open the dialog box for the data you want to import.
  2. Click the Import button. Select the type of imported data from the drop-down list (if applicable).

    Note: In the Import window, the information columns are disabled until you select a file or database to import.

    Depending on the Type you select, the label of the field beneath the Type field will change as shown in the following table:

    Type

    Field Label 

    Excel

    File

    Single CSV File

    File

    CSV File

    Path

    Access

    Database

    dBase 5.0

    Path

    ODBC

    Connection

    XML

    File

    3. The import checks that the key values for details in CSV flat files match the header keys.

    The Import dialog box has the following columns:

    • Record. Displays the record (or records) that are available for importing.
    • Table. Displays file names.
    • Status. Displays Not Ready until you choose the file you will import, then this changes to Import Ready.
    • Field. Displays field names.
    • Contents. Displays field names from the title record. These are set to Default Value until you select the file to import, and can be changed back to Default or Default Value.
    • Data Type. Displays the type of data (for example, String, Integer, Boolean, Date/Time, or Float).

  3. Select an option in the Action field drop-down list:
    • To import new records, select Import.
    • To overwrite existing records, select Update.
    • To import new records and update existing records, select Insert and Update.
  4. Click the Browse button to specify an Access database or Excel file; for a CSV import, specify a path or database.

    The Import dialog box reopens; the columns are no longer disabled, therefore they can be edited, for example, you can right-click on cells in the Contents column to change values.

  5. Click OK to import the file. A message displays the number of updates and insertions, and the number of items processed.