Excel Import

To ease the insertion of large data amounts into INEXTIA, without having to manually type it all in, there is a built-in import function where data can be imported from an Excel file.

This function is often used if you get a new facility or production line. Where the supplier delivers the data in an Excel file, and then with a few clicks, imports the data into INEXTIA.

It can also be advantageous if a lot of existing data needs changing. E.g. if you have to update a lot of components with extra data.

The Screen

The screen to Excel import starts at the menu under System Management

If the menu item is not displayed, it is because the user rights is missing.

Download Excel file

INEXTIA can only import data from an Excel file where it knows what is written on the different sheets and in the different columns. Therefore, it needs a specific Excel file when importing.

This file is downloaded by opening the import screen and pressing the DOWNLOAD button.

The file is then downloaded.

Read this article for a description of how the Excel file is set up.

Import

The Excel import screen acts as a guide, where you go through 4 steps before the import begins.

At the first step, the Excel file that is to be imported is selected.

The file is chosen by either dragging it into the screen (1) or by clicking the Search button (2) (Opens a pathfinder).

After this, proceed to the next point by pressing the NEXT button.

The data from the Excel file is loaded and displayed on the screen.

(If the Excel file has not been generated within INEXTIA, the file will appear to be empty).

1. Tabs are displayed at the top, that represent the different types of objects that can be in the Excel file.
   The number of rows found is displayed on each tab, and it can be ticked whether the data should be imported or skipped.
2. The data for the selected object type is displayed under the tabs, in columns and rows as it appears in the Excel file.

When the data that needs to be imported has been selected, press NEXT.

In point three of the guide, the data is displayed as it will appear in INEXTIA.

The New column indicates whether the specific object has been created previously in INEXTIA or if it is new.
If it has already been created, then it is because there is an existing object with the same number.
In the example above, there are two component numbers that already exist in INEXTIA. Therefore these components will be updated with the data that is being imported from Excel.

 

The individual objects can be displayed in a detail-overview by clicking on the row.
If it is an existing object within INEXTIA, it will show if there is other data on the object.
If there is a document associated with the object, it will also be displayed under the details.

 

At the top, it can be specified that only new data should be imported.

If this box is checked, the two components from the previous example will not be imported.

Then select NEXT to get to the 4th and last point.

An overview of how much data will be created / updated and displayed.

 

To begin importing, press IMPORT

Importing the document

When importing documents, INEXTIA needs to know where the files are located. Since only the file name is known from the Excel file.

If not specified, the Document tab will be marked with an exclamation point (!), which shows that an action must be taken before you can proceed in the importing process.

Under the document tab, there is a button to select the folder location of the files.

As long as no folder is selected, an error will appear on each row (each document) indicating that the file has not been found.

Press SELECT FILE FOLDER and browse to the folder on the computer where the files are located.

The browser will now search for the files in the folder + subfolders and ask if you want to upload the files.

 

Note that the files are not actually uploaded yet. INEXTIA must only use the file locations to verify if all file references in the Excel file do exist. So even if a folder with many files is selected, only the files specified in the Excel file will be uploaded later on.

 

When selecting Upload, the document list will update with the searched files.
(If there are still files not found, errors will be displayed on the specific rows that need to be corrected before importing).

If the file is located in a subfolder, the file name in Excel must be created with the subfolder.

In the example above, the file maskintegning.pdf is located in a subfolder called Tegninger.

Errors in the data

As the data is loaded, the file is scanned for errors. E.g. if text has been entered in a number field.

 

The error is indicated on both the tab and the row.

By scrolling to the column with the error, the error message will be displayed by hovering the mouse on the exclamation mark (!).

In order to import the data, the error must first be corrected in the Excel file. And the file must then be loaded again.

Error in the references

Not all errors can be caught before the import is initiated.

If data is referenced from the Excel file, which should have been created in INEXTIA, but is not, the error message will first appear when the import has run.

In the example above, an account number has been inserted which is not found in INEXTIA's database.

The other data has been imported while this component has been skipped.

By correcting the account number in the Excel file and reinitiating the import, this component can also be imported.