Importing Account Balance History

This document describes the requirements for creating a source account balance history import file. This file can then be imported into Escape journal entries, and posted to the ledger, as historical account data. Account balances for the affected fiscal year accounts will reflect the import. Account inquiry and reporting can subsequently be done.

Importing account balance history data is generally done at system startup. Any number of fiscal year's data can be imported. Note that the fiscal year accounts to which the data will be posted must already exist in the system, and data for each fiscal year should be imported separately.

For instructions on running the Escape Account Balance Import Program, see the Escape System Setup Manual.

Import File Layout

The following table lists the data fields, with field widths, that must be included in the import source file.

Field Name	Data Type	Format	Field Desc
Account Number	String(60)	Match account structure with delimiters	Account # (left justify)
Description	String(60)	Text	Account description
Expensed Amt	String(13)	-DDDDDDDDD.dd	Total expensed balance
Encumbered Amt	String(13)	-DDDDDDDDD.dd	Total encumbrance balance
Budget Amt	String(13)	-DDDDDDDDD.dd	Original budget amount
Rev Budget Amt	String(13)	-DDDDDDDDD.dd	Revised budget balance
Revenue Amt	String(13)	-DDDDDDDDD.dd	Revenue amount
Expired Date	String(8)	YYYYMMDD	Expiration date, leave blank if still active
Short Desc	String(25)	Text	Short account description
Link To Account	String(40)	Match account structure with delimiters	Other Fyr account to link to
Link Fyr	String(4)	YYYY	Fyr for link account

Data Import File Format Rules

Following are the rules for the source account data file:

Fixed length ASCII file, no packed or binary data.
Records must end with carriage return, line feed.
The Fiscal Year field is a REQUIRED field for importing. If you do not use this field, importing will not be successful.
Left justify string (text) fields.
Zero fill dollar fields.

NOTE: When you import accounts that do not exist in Escape, they are created for you.

The format area of the fields listed above have the following meaning:

Fiscal Year
format is DDDD (eg. 1998 for fiscal year 03/04)
Account number
must include any delimiters as established in Escape account structure.
D
means that only numeric characters representing a whole number of an integer field or decimal field
d
means that only numeric characters representing a fractional part of a decimal field

NOTE: For account updating, the required fields are Fiscal Year, Account Number, and the desired account balance fields. Account Number must include delimiters, as in the Escape account structure.