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Importing and exporting data > -Managing import and export records
Tab-delimited and comma-separated files
Tab-delimited files contain fields that are separated by tab characters. For example, if a tab character appears between Brewster and Roundhill in a file of customer information, the file counts Brewster and Roundhill as two separate fields in a record. Tab-delimited files are a common export format in spreadsheet programs.
Comma-separated files contain records that are separated by commas. For example, if a comma appears between Brewster and Roundhill in a file of customer information, the file counts Brewster and Roundhill as two separate fields in a record. Comma-separated files are often used by popular database programs.
Header and Data records
Header records are usually used as titles in import files; for example, some header records of customers might be titled “Customer Name”, “Address” and “Telephone Number”. Header records don’t contain actual data.
Data records are actual information that you want to include in your company file.
Identifying the records you want to import
When you import Cards, Sales, Purchases, Activity Slips, Timesheets, Disbursements and Receipts, you can identify the records you want to import by using the Identify xxx by field. You have three choices; you can select by Card Co./Last Name, Card ID or Record ID.
If you choose Identify xxx by Card Co./Last Name, every record must have a customer card with a Co./Last Name assigned to it in order for you to begin the import process.
If you choose Identify xxx by Card ID, every record must have a customer card with a Card ID assigned to it in order for you to begin the import process.
If you choose Identify xxx by Record ID, every record must have a Record ID assigned to it.
Use blank lines between records when importing
A record is an organized collection of information about an individual piece of accounting data. For example, information about a single sale or purchase is stored as one record.
If no blank line is entered to separate each record, all of your records could be imported as one long record instead of as individual records.
If you’re importing information that was exported from other software, be sure the file has a blank line between each type of record. If the file you want to import doesn’t have a blank line between each record, you may want to open the file using a text editor ([such as Notepad or Microsoft Word for Windows)(such as and Text Edit or Microsoft Word for Mac]) or a word processing or spreadsheet program and insert the blank line. You can create a blank line by pressing Enter or Return between each record’s data.

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