Import Project Budgets Assumptions

There are assumptions to consider in the import process.

Assumptions

Field Description
General
  • You must be familiar with the content and format of any input file before attempting to create any interface configurations.
  • The data administrator must provide one set of input files per project to the Costpoint staff. A set consists of direct and indirect labor costs, direct and indirect non-labor costs, manual fees, and ETC revenue.
  • If you do not use the same input file format across PMs, you must create a separate source file definition to handle separate formats.
  • The project budget/forecast revisions must exist in Costpoint before you import budget data.
Input File
  • Only Comma-Separated Value (CSV) formatted files can be processed.
  • You must create all input files using the MULTIPLE COLUMN option (that is, repeating columns that represent accounting periods) in Enterprise Planner.
  • If the number of repeating column occurrences varies from import to import (that is, the accounting time dimensions covered by the input file are decreasing or increasing), you must either set up a source file definition that matches each of the expected number of column occurrences, which vary depending on the expected importing intervals and/or periods imported, or you must change the number of occurrences defined within one selected source file definition. For example, if you import annually and semi-annually, the annual import is for 12 periods, and 12 repeating columns are in the input file (assuming only one year's worth of data is in the input file and a year is made up of 12 periods). The semi-annual import is for 6 periods, and 6 repeating columns are in the input file. If the number of repeating column occurrences remains constant for each import, you do NOT need to modify the source file definition. It is critical to know the number of expected columns to verify that there is sufficient data within an input file and to know the number of accounting time dimensions to manufacture.
  • Repeating columns must run in consecutive order.
  • The Project, Organization, and Account columns must be parsed, if necessary. This data must be separated from any description data that may exist in the same column. A space is the assumed separator.
  • The amounts can be both positive and negative. Negative amounts are formatted with a leading minus sign and decimal point, with no commas (for example, -1000.00).
  • The Projects, Organizations, and Accounts must be in the proper Costpoint format and at the appropriate level for PSR reporting.
  • In order to zero out amounts for a preexisting row in a table, submit a record in the input file with the amounts being zero.
Configuration
  • Default values are NOT validated until import time, since in many cases it is the combination of a default value, a run-time value, and an input file value that must be validated, rather than the default value alone.
  • The Subperiod must always be a default value, and that value must be 1.
Import
  • The data provided at runtime applies to all input files selected and to all projects within the selected input files.
  • All insertions or updates to tables summarize the data rows provided. The application does NOT check for duplicate data because the data provided in the input file may be at a level below the correct level for posting.

Check with your system consultant to determine your company's interface schedule.