User Defined Fields

User defined fields (UDFs) are custom fields created by the user that apply to segment codes, vendors, customers, purchase orders, assets, charge codes, employees, transaction documents, or transaction lines. Although user defined fields (UDFs) themselves cannot be imported, UDF data can be imported.

Data File

When importing UDF data, the field attributes defined by the user (UDFs were set up by the Administrator using Organization>Set Up User Defined Fields) determine both the edits applied to the import process and the data file requirements.

When importing Grant chart of account codes, a Grant Award date with a MM/DD/YY format is required. If no date is included in the data file, an error is generated and the grant code fails to import. A sample CSV data file is presented below.

Sample UDF CSV Data File

Context ID,Segment,Code,Title,S Title,Acct Type,Award Date

HCOA,Grant,401,Job Skills Training,JST,,10/01/03

HCOA,Grant,501,Transportation Allowance,TransAll,,10/01/03

HCOA,GL,58006,Non Employee Registation,NE Registation,EXP

HCOA,GL,58007,Non Employee Travel,NE Travel,EXP

HCOA,GL,58008,Non Employee Meals,NE Meals,EXP

To minimize potential errors, carefully review the UDF setup information prior to importing UDF data (UDFs were set up by the Administrator using Organization>Set Up User Defined Fields).

Definition File

The context section of the definition file contains the [Context Type]_[Field Name] (referred to as the Field ID) of each field to be imported into the system. For example, the Field ID for importing a vendor ID is VENDOR_ID. The Master Definition files, installed with the system, contain the Field IDs for all system defined fields. UDF Field IDs are not included in the Master Definition files. To import UDF data, the UDF Field ID must be added to your definition file.

The Field ID for a UDF is assigned by the system when a UDF is saved. To determine the Field ID, have the Administrator print a User Defined Field List report (Reports>Lists>User Defined Fields) including "Field ID" in the report body.

The Field ID for segment, vendor, charge code, employee, and customer UDFs should be added to the Header context section of the definition file. The Field ID for transaction documents or transaction lines should be added to the related context section of the definition file.

Sample Definition File for Grant UDF

FILE,COACODE

CONTEXTIDPOSITION,1

FILETYPE,CSV

DISCARDFIRSTNRECORDS,1

CONTEXT,COACODE,HEADER,HCOA

COA_SEGID,2

COA_CODE,3

COA_STATUS,,A

COA_TITLE,4

COA_SHORT_TITLE,5

COA_TYPE,6

Segment Code:2:AwardDate,7,,MM/DD/YY

ENDCONTEXT