There are three ways of importing data into Manu Online:
- Import from a linked accountancy system
- Copy and paste data using the Startup wizard
- Use spreadsheets to import data
If you are live with a linked accountancy system (Xero or Sage One) you should import partners, items and the chart of accounts from these systems, even if the data is incomplete. This is because the system will “map” the internal identifiers of the two systems. If this is not done then it is likely that duplicate customers or items will be created in the accounts system when invoices are exported at a later date.
Importing from the accountancy system or using the Startup wizard is designed to be easy to do, but it includes only the most common data fields. To be able to populate all data fields then Excel spreadsheets need to be used. However it is common practice to first import the data for instance from the accountancy system, and then update that data with more detailed information using spreadsheets.
Import from a linked accountancy system
When starting to use the system, it is required to at connect and import your “chart of accounts” data, but it is also possible to import partners (i.e. customers, suppliers, contacts) and items (only material item types).
The import can be made either from the front page Start up wizard or from Invoicing – Bookkeeping connection – Your account package name. If the system is not yet connected to the accountancy system, first make that connection. You will need the user name and password for that system and you will get a popup prompt which will ask you to allow Manu Online access. The functionality of both of these places is the same.
For further details see the articles on Xero or Sage Accounts.
Copy and paste data using the Startup Wizard
A simple way to import your own data in bulk is using the Startup Wizard. Prepare your data in a spreadsheet with the same columns as the data entry area on the screen and copy and paste the data.
For full instructions see the article on the Startup Wizard
Use spreadsheets to import data
For fullest control of data download (export) and upload (import), use the Excel spreadsheet transfer tools. These provide a number of spreadsheets which can be exported from the system containing data and imported back into the system when the data has been modified or added to.
Because spreadsheets carry a complete data set of the “static” data in your system, during startup time the “truth” of your data can be kept in spreadsheets and the data deletion feature of the Startup Wizard can be used to clear the system. In this way you can iteratively trial different business processes, each time deleting the data from the system.
The spreadsheet import feature is only available if the “Analysis reports” extension is licensed on the system. Check in Admin – Licencing if the menu items are not available.
Note that the easiest way to use these tools is to first export the excel from the system to yourself with some sample data. You will be sent by email an Excel sheet which you can save to a local drive, modify the data and then upload back to the system.
The individual excel spreadsheets are accessed from Getting Started menu
Select the type of data to be exported e.g. Partners, and press the down arrow (download). The system will prompt you to optionally filter the data to be sent. Press the Send file button.
After you receive the Excel file in your email, then save it to a local drive for editing. Open the spreadsheet and “Enable Editing” if your version of Excel requires it.
Now edit the data or add records to it as appropriate. The Help page in the spreadsheet will give more information about the field data. The Version page should not be touched. It is for our system to check that the version of the sheet is the latest, in case you have been storing the Excel for some time. The first column of all spreadsheets is normally a “key” field, such as Item id. If you change the value here it will normally have the effect of duplicating the item in your system. I.e. items can not be renamed. Changes to all other data fields will result in that record being updated with new values.
When you are ready with the changes, save your work and go back to Manu Online, select the same data transfer from the drop down list, but this time click the up arrow for Upload. This will open a popup for you to select the location of the file. Select it and press Submit. This will import your data and display a Results grid as to the success or failure of the import. (Note that when you browse to the file some Internet browsers will show the words “Fakepath” in the popup. This is a normal feature of the browser and does not affect the upload.)
Notes about using the spreadsheet upload:
- Excel format of “XLS” is used.
- All data must be formated as text (even numbers). There is a macro in the downloaded sheet that will do this formatting automatically when the spreadsheet is saved. The macro inserts the Excel text formatting mark at the start of each cell. This is an apostrophe. Thus macros must be permitted.
- Data must be in a clean tabular format without any merged cells.
- Do not add any sheets to the spreadsheet.
- Do not add any extra columns to the spreadsheet.
- Do not switch extra features such as autofilter.
- Do not alter the Version page
Available spreadsheets
Below is the list of available spreadsheets. Note that some of these require the relevant Extension, so not all are necessarily present in your system.
In addition there is a spreadsheet available for importing sales orders. This uses the XLSX format and is access from the Sales order dashboard.
|
Menu |
Spreadsheet |
Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Partners | Import or update partners. After importing with your own partner ID’s consider updating the next partner id in System settings. Note that partners need a unique partner id and also “short name” The partner id must only be a number (no characters) and the short name is limited |
| Customer item ID’s | As shown on the Customer codes tab of the item card. Items must exist in the system before using this. | |
| Sales price lists | For multiple price lists. Price list names are first created in Admin – System settings. Prices are shown on an item card’s Pricing tab. | |
| Sales forecasts | Forecasts of either “comparative” or “draft order”. | |
| Purchase | Supplier quotations | Used by the bulk purchase planner if you need to produce purchase orders based on best price rather than using the default supplier for each item. |
| Purchase order lines | If you use an external system to generate requirements that result in purchaser orders with a large number of lines. | |
| Warehouse | Item properties | Item data as shown on the item card. If you specify “item families” for any of the imported items (which are Active), then these families will automatically be created in System settings. |
| Inventory | Export inventory values, take a physical inventory count and upload it back into the system with this spreadsheet. | |
| Product structures | Data shown on the item card’s manufacturing sub tabs. | |
| Cost budgets | Data shown on the item card’s budget tab. | |
| Manufacturer codes | Data shown on the item card’s Manufacturer codes tab. | |
| Invoicing | Sales invoice transfer | Used only to move invoice data from one Manu Online system to another. |
There is currently no spreadsheet for importing work time, machine time, subcontract or other cost items. Normally these do not have a large number of records.