PI Import Definition Setup - General field descriptions

The General view becomes available in PI Import Definition Setup when you are creating or changing a import type.

Fields are presented in alphabetical order within each section.

Assumed Decimals

Your import file may not contain any decimal points for prices or costs; the decimal placement is "implied." If it does not, you must specify the number of positions to move the decimal point. For example, a record in the file contains the value "1575," which represents a price of $15.75. The assumed decimal placement should be 2. The decimal point is placed two positions to the left of the last number in the field. Leave this field as 0 (zero) if the decimal point is already placed in the cost or price field in the import file. This field is not enterable for Trade Service files.

Change Product Names

This option determines how a product is superseded.

  • Supersede: You may receive information in the import file that a product name in your database has been changed, but the NAED or UPC number remains unchanged. If so, this option automatically creates a supersede record for the product. It, then, moves the usage information from the old product to the new product, and then inactivates the old product. This message is displayed during Product Import Edit Product Update File: "This Product Will Be Superseded by: XXXX".

  • Manual: If you select this option, you must manually change the product after importing, but before updating, using Product Administration Change Product Report. This message is displayed in Product Import Edit Product Update File: "Warning: This Product Must Be Manually Changed Using ICACP to: XXXXX - Since PISI Setup Does Not Allow Supersedes".

    Note: 

    Do not confuse the product name with the product description. The product name is the value assigned as the product identifier, or number, and mapped in the Product field.

Date Format

Specify a date format; for example, MM/DD/YY or DD/MM/YYYY. This format is created in SA Table Code Value Setup-Date Format. To successfully import the Price Effective Date and Price Expiration Date, the Date Format value must match the Description value. For example, if the Date Format is MM/DD/YY, the Description must be MM/DD/YY. If the Date Format is DD/MM/YYYY, the Description must be DD/MM/YYYY.

Default Sort

Specify the order in which you want the products to be sorted within Product Import Edit Product Update File.

  • Create: Products are sorted in the same order as they were created.
  • Import : Products are sorted in the same order as they were imported.
  • Product: Products are sorted alphabetically.
  • Vendor: Products are sorted by vendor name.
Delimiter

This field is required if you selected Delimited in the File Type field. Your delimiter is a single character only, typically a comma (",") or a tab (“T”). Your supplier can tell you what the delimiter character is for the files they send to you.

File Type

Select a file type. The file type is used to define the type of file the import function is processing. Options include Custom, Delimited, I2 Pricing, Fixed, and Trade Service. Your selection here determines which fields are displayed in the Product Mapping and Quantity Breaks views.

  • Custom: The import function uses a program that has been written exclusively for your site. This custom program has been developed by your company, or someone you have contracted with, to interface with the standard Distribution SX.e.

  • Delimited: A delimited file contains fields that are separated by a single character, such as a comma (","). The fields can be surrounded by quotation marks, which are stripped during the import process. This is also referred to as Comma Separated Value (CSV) format. Some of the applications that produce CSV formatted files include Excel and Lotus. No more than 200 fields can be imported from a delimited file.

  • I2 Pricing: Pricing based on i2 Technologies [now JDA Software Group] supply chain technology solutions.

  • Fixed: Each field within a fixed length file begins at a definable column position. For example, Vendor # begins at column position 1, Item # at 7.

  • Trade Service: This format is proprietary to Trade Service Company only. Their common information platform is a computerized price and product updating service. All information provided by Trade Service is accepted by Distribution SX.e.

Import Description

This field is auto-populated from the Import Description you specified when you created the import type.

Import Procedure

This field is enterable only if you are using a custom file type. In that case, it is a required field. Specify the name of the procedure that must be run to import the file.

Import Type

Define an import type. The import type that is specified here is automatically carried over to all setup views. It is a user-defined value that, once created, is stored in an Import Definitions table and is displayed in the grid. The import type can be accessed within any company on your database. It is not company specific.

Length of NAED

This field defines the length of the NAED (National Association of Electrical Distributors) number. It is applicable to Trade Service import types only. This number may also be referred to as the Distribution Code number or UPC (Universal Product Code) number.

  • 11: This number is normally comprised of 11 digits. The first 6 digits identify the manufacturer [vendor code]. The remaining 5 digits identify each individual item within a vendor's line.

  • 9: Some older Trade Service files have a 9-digit NAED number. For these files you would select 9. The first 4 digits in a 9-digit NAED number are the vendor code.

    Note: 

    The size of the NAED number determines the size of the vendor code when you are setting up import file definitions in Product Import New Item Default Setup. If you specify 11 in the Length of NAED field, your vendor code size in Product Import New Item Default Setup must be 6 digits long. If not, records are not imported correctly.

The NAED number is loaded into the Product Extended Product Cross Reference Setup -Auto Pricing record as the Pricing Service Product# when the Trade Service record is updated.

Record #

The record number is assigned automatically by the system whenever a new import type is set up. The number is incremented for new records when the record is saved. This number is used in Product Extended Product Cross Reference Setup to assign a unique sequence number for the Auto Pricing records, ICSEC Type ‘T’, created during PI Entry Update Products Report. If multiple vendors assign identical product names to an item, the record number helps to tie each Product Extended Product Cross Reference Setup record to the correct vendor.

Sub Type

If your import type uses a delimiter within a delimiter, specify that sub-delimiter type. For example, your import type may use a comma within a tab delimiter.