Importing Data Into Total Office Manager

Data & Integrations

Detailed Instructions for Importing Records and Transactions

This help topic explains how to import data into Total Office Manager. You have the ability to import a large number of Data Types including customers, job, items, bills, vendors, item adjustments, serial numbers, adjusting journal entries, and a lot of other records and transactions. Click this link for a complete list.

This help topic does not details related to importing bills, item receipts, credit card charges, and other A/P related transactions. There is a link for that at the bottom of this page.

Using the File Import

The import feature includes a quite easy to use wizard that guides you through the entire process. The use of this feature is intended to import data from other programs. For example, you may have a large customer list from another software program that allows exporting. You would, first, export that customer list from the other software program, format it for available fields, and then import it into Total Office Manager.

Note: This particular import feature is NOT meant to be used to import Flat Rate Plus data. We have a special import wizard specifically designed for importing Flat Rate Plus data into Total Office Manager. For more information on importing Flat Rate if you are on Aptora Hosted, you may review Importing Flat Rate Plus for Aptora hosted Solutions.

File Types & Data Types

File Types

Total Office Manager allows users to import using various file types which can be created either directly by exporting from other software or created for use with Total Office Manager. Importable file types are as follows. Any file types not listed below cannot be imported by users and must first be converted into one of these acceptable file types first:

Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx) Files
Comma Separated Values (.CSV) Files
Microsoft Access (.mdb, .accdb) Files
Text (.txt) Files
Note: ASCII Text files can be created using various different “delimiters”. Unless users have a specific reason for doing so or otherwise cannot avoid it, we recommend that users create Tab Delimited files. There are several types of delimiters you may use.
- Comma (,) – This key is located to the right of the letter M.
- Tab – This key is located to the left of the letter Q.
- Semicolon (;) – This key is located to the right of the letter L.
- Colon (:) – This key is located to the right of the letter L.
- Pipe (|) – This key is located to the right of the bracket ({} []) key above the <ENTER> key.

While the most commonly used delimiter is a comma, it is recommended to use a delimiter which is not often used in standard text, like a pipe ( | ).

Data Types

For the purposes of properly formatting your data file, regardless of the type, it is important to understand the various data types and how to properly use them. The following lists the various data types encountered in Total Office Manager and a description:

String: A combination of characters which can be alpha, numeric, or special characters, such as exclamation points, question marks, or parenthesis.
Double: A decimal (e.g. 4.096)
Long: A whole number (e.g 4096).
Date: A date. Must be formatted as mm/dd/yyyy.
Boolean: A Boolean represents a True/False or Yes/No value. This is usually a checkbox option within a form, where checked means True/Yes and unchecked means False/No. Your file can have “True”, “False”, “Yes”, or “No”.
Lookup: This data must exist in the software. The import will look elsewhere in the software to match the mapped field. An example of a Lookup field would be a field where a Chart of Accounts account selection is required. The account must already exist in Total Office Manager before it can be selected in the import field as the import will not create the Chart of Account if it does not exist. See the topic “Order of Import” for more information.
Memo: A string value field. This field is typically used for notes.

File Headers

This is the first row of your file. We recommend that your file have headers and that they match the name of the Column Header shown in this help topic. Using headers makes importing easier.

Order of Import

When importing records with Lookup fields, you should consider the order of importing. For example: When importing Vendors, you may also include a Vendor Type in your import file. The Vendor type must exists, otherwise it will not be imported. If this field is not required, the record will still import and you can fix it later. If you import the Vendor Types first, the imported Vendors will use those Types.

Set Certain Import Preferences

It’s a good idea to set certain preferences before importing items or transactions.

Items > Company Preferences > Default Values
Set a value for each list within that frame.

Import Form Access

From the main menu click File | Company Utilities | Import.

Step-By-Step

Backup your company file (database) before doing any importing. If the import causes major problems, you may need to consider restoring the backup.
Go to File | Company Utilities | Import to begin the import process.
In the Open dialog, locate and select the file you wish to import. Take care to change the “File Type” (above the Open button) to the specific type you wish to import. You may also select the “All Files” option.
In the “Data Type To Import” list, select the data that describes what you are importing and click Next. If you do not see a description of what you are trying to import, Total Office Manager does not allow users to import it. Please contact the Aptora Help Desk at helpdesk@aptora.com and let us know what you need imported.
If the first row of the file you are importing contains field names (e.g. Type, Email, Name, Price, etc.), check the First Row Contains Field Names box. See tips below for more information.
Select the type of delimiter used to separate the records in the import file. Tab is the most common.

When you make the selection, you will see an instant preview of the import data. If it looks correct, continue. Otherwise try Comma, Space, or Other. The Other option will require you to enter the delimiter in the box provided. If you are unsure, ask the person that created the file for you.
Field Mapping is a particularly major step and should be done very carefully. In the “Map Fields” section, under the column named Total Office Manager Field, select the data type that describes the field you are importing. The Sample Data column displays the fields from the first record in the import file. This is shown to help you figure out what the field should be mapped (matched) to in Total Office Manager. Double-check your work and click Next.
Click the Clip Strings to Length to allow the software to cut off excess data where the information entered in the import file for any specific field may be longer than the length allowed for the field in Total Office Manager.
Click the Overwrite Existing Data checkbox to allow the software to overwrite (update) the information if duplicates are found. This is particularly important if you are importing to update data which already exists in Total Office Manager.
Click NEXT to proceed
Read the Import Agreement and check the checkbox stating that you have read, understand, and agree to the risks and responsibility as stated in the agreement.
Click NEXT to proceed
Click Import to begin the import.

Once the import has completed you will be given the option to save the import log. It is highly recommended that you save this log as its contents can be useful in troubleshooting any problems related to imported data.
After the import, immediately study the results (before letting anyone else work in the program). If you see problems, restore your original company file.

Data Types & Field Definitions

The following lists all the types of data that can be imported, such as customers, employees, and vendors, as well as each field related to that data type, field lengths, and notes. Any field which is required for importing contains an asterisk (*).

Appointment Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	30
Inactive	Boolean	No

Chart of Accounts

Chart of Accounts are the foundation of the accounting processing. These accounts are used in items, bills, check, journal entries, inventory adjustments, etc. Importing parents and children (sub-accounts) is a two step process.


Column Name	Field Type	Max Length	Notes
Parent*	Lookup/Text	50	This is the name of the parent account (if any). This field is only required when importing COA Children (sub-accounts). The Parent must be a Chart of Account record that already exists in Total Office Manager. Example: Utilities.
Name*	Text	50	This is the name of the name of the COA. Example: Rent or Electricity.
Number*	Text	20	The number assigned to this account. This field may contain letters, however that is unusual in accounting. Example: 6010
Type*	Lookup/Text	30	Available types for entry are: Bank, Accounts Receivable, Other Current Asset, Fixed Asset, Other Asset, Accounts Payable, Credit Card, Other Current Liability, Long Term Liability, Equity, Income, Cost of Goods Sold, Expense, Other Income, Other Expense.
Inactive	Boolean		You may leave this field blank, and the record will be imported as Active. You may enter No, False, or Active for an active record, Yes, True, or Inactive for an inactive record.
Account Number	Text	30	This field is only present on Bank and Credit Card account types.
Description	Memo		This can be used to describe what the account is used for.
Date Created	Date		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Date Revised	Date		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Fixed or Variable	Lookup/Text		This option is for expense account types only. Options you may enter are: Fixed or Variable. You may also leave this blank.
Balance As Of Date	Date		This is the date the opening balance is effective.
Opening Balance	Double (numeric)		If you enter an amount here, the balance amount will be entered for the newly created account. Will not adjust the balance for existing COA with financial history.
What Best Describes This	Text		This option is for Income, Cost of Goods Sold, Other Income, and Other Expense account types only. Options you may enter are: Payroll and Labor Only, Parts and Material, Serialized Inventory, Sub Contractor, Other Direct Costs, Marketing & Advertising, Administration Labor, Sales Labor, Officer’s/Owner’s Salary, Other Labor, Warranty, Call-Backs, or Bad Debt.

Customer Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Inactive	Boolean	No

Customer Contacts


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Customer	Lookup	No
Name	String	No	50
Phone	String	No	20
Extension	String	No	5
Cell	String	No	50
Pager	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	20
Email	String	No	50`

Customers


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Parent	String	Yes	50	Field only visible when importing Jobs
Company Name	String	No	50
Salutation	String	No	50
First Name	String	No	25
Middle Initial	String	No	25
Last Name	String	No	25
Contact	String	No	50
Phone	String	No	20
Phone Ext	String	No	5
Cell Phone	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	20
Alt Phone	String	No	50
Email	String	No	50
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	30
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	20
County	String	No	150
Country	String	No	20
Ship Address	String	No	50
Ship Address2	String	No	50
Ship City	String	No	30
Ship State	String	No	30
Ship Zip	String	No	20
Ship County	String	No	150
Ship Country	String	No	20
Type	Lookup	No
Terms	Lookup	No
Tax Item	Lookup	No
Resale Number	String	No	30
Account Number	String	No	30
Payment Method	Lookup	No
Job Type	Lookup	No
Notes	Memo	No
Inactive	Boolean	No
Pager	String	No	20
Pin	String	No	20
Website	String	No	100
A/R Account	Lookup	No
Marketing Source	Lookup	No
Date Created	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
MapCode	String	No	35
Date Revised	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Foreman	Lookup	No
Sales Rep	Lookup	No
Industry Code Primary	Lookup	No
Industry Code Secondary	Lookup	No
Employee Count	Long	No
Year Started	Long	No
Open Notes on WOs	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Log	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Edit	Boolean	No
Credit Limit	Double	No
Credit Hold	Boolean	No
Uses AIA	Boolean	No
Job Status	Lookup	No
Start Date	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Projected End Date	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Completion Date	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Projected Total	Double	No
Contract No.	String	No	20
Job Description	String	No	100
Job Details	String	No	100
No Marketing	Boolean	No
No Finance Charge	Boolean	No
No Statement	Boolean	No
No Mail	Boolean	No
No Fax	Boolean	No
No Email	Boolean	No
No Phone	Boolean	No
Overhead	Double	No
Dollar or Percent	String	No	20
Labor Burden	Double	No
Owner	String	No	50
Department	Lookup	No
Markup Method	Lookup	No
Ship County	Lookup	No
Pronounced	String	No	100

Customer:Jobs


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Parent	Lookup	Yes		Parent must be a Customer or Job record that already exists in Total Office Manager.
Name	String	Yes	50
Parent	String	Yes	50	Field only visible when importing Jobs
Company Name	String	No	50
Salutation	String	No	50
First Name	String	No	25
Middle Initial	String	No	25
Last Name	String	No	25
Contact	String	No	50
Phone	String	No	20
Phone Ext	String	No	5
Cell Phone	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	20
Alt Phone	String	No	50
Email	String	No	50
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	30
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	20
County	String	No	150
Country	String	No	20
Ship Address	String	No	50
Ship Address2	String	No	50
Ship City	String	No	30
Ship State	String	No	30
Ship Zip	String	No	20
Ship County	String	No	150
Ship Country	String	No	20
Type	Lookup	No
Terms	Lookup	No
Tax Item	Lookup	No
Resale Number	String	No	30
Account Number	String	No	30
Payment Method	Lookup	No
Job Type	Lookup	No
Notes	Memo	No
Inactive	Boolean	No
Pager	String	No	20
Pin	String	No	20
Website	String	No	100
A/R Account	Lookup	No
Marketing Source	Lookup	No
Date Created	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
MapCode	String	No	35
Date Revised	Date	No		This must be in a Date format. Example: MM/DD/YYYY or 12/31/2030
Foreman	Lookup	No
Sales Rep	Lookup	No
Industry Code Primary	Lookup	No
Industry Code Secondary	Lookup	No
Employee Count	Long	No
Year Started	Long	No
Open Notes on WOs	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Log	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Edit	Boolean	No
Credit Limit	Double	No
Credit Hold	Boolean	No
Uses AIA	Boolean	No
Job Status	Lookup	No
Start Date	Date	No
Projected End Date	Date	No
Completion Date	Date	No
Projected Total	Double	No
Contract No.	String	No	20
Job Description	String	No	100
Job Details	String	No	100
No Marketing	Boolean	No
No Finance Charge	Boolean	No
No Statement	Boolean	No
No Mail	Boolean	No
No Fax	Boolean	No
No Email	Boolean	No
No Phone	Boolean	No
Overhead	Double	No
Dollar or Percent	String	No	20
Labor Burden	Double	No
Owner	String	No	50
Department	Lookup	No
Markup Method	Lookup	No
Ship County	Lookup	No
Pronounced	String	No	100

Customers: Updating Customers


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
ID	Long	Yes		The ID used must be assigned to a Customer or Job record that already exists in Total Office Manager. The ID can be found by viewing the ID field/column on the Customer:Job List
Name	String	Yes	50
Parent	String	Yes	50	Field only visible when importing Jobs
Company Name	String	No	50
Salutation	String	No	50
First Name	String	No	25
Middle Initial	String	No	25
Last Name	String	No	25
Contact	String	No	50
Phone	String	No	20
Phone Ext	String	No	5
Cell Phone	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	20
Alt Phone	String	No	50
Email	String	No	50
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	30
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	20
County	String	No	150
Country	String	No	20
Ship Address	String	No	50
Ship Address2	String	No	50
Ship City	String	No	30
Ship State	String	No	30
Ship Zip	String	No	20
Ship County	String	No	150
Ship Country	String	No	20
Type	Lookup	No
Terms	Lookup	No
Tax Item	Lookup	No
Resale Number	String	No	30
Account Number	String	No	30
Payment Method	Lookup	No
Job Type	Lookup	No
Notes	Memo	No
Inactive	Boolean	No
Pager	String	No	20
Pin	String	No	20
Website	String	No	100
A/R Account	Lookup	No
Marketing Source	Lookup	No
Date Created	Date	No
MapCode	String	No	35
Date Revised	Date	No
Foreman	Lookup	No
Sales Rep	Lookup	No
Industry Code Primary	Lookup	No
Industry Code Secondary	Lookup	No
Employee Count	Long	No
Year Started	Long	No
Open Notes on WOs	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Log	Boolean	No
Open Notes on Edit	Boolean	No
Credit Limit	Double	No
Credit Hold	Boolean	No
Uses AIA	Boolean	No
Job Status	Lookup	No
Start Date	Date	No
Projected End Date	Date	No
Completion Date	Date	No
Projected Total	Double	No
Contract No.	String	No	20
Job Description	String	No	100
Job Details	String	No	100
No Marketing	Boolean	No
No Finance Charge	Boolean	No
No Statement	Boolean	No
No Mail	Boolean	No
No Fax	Boolean	No
No Email	Boolean	No
No Phone	Boolean	No
Overhead	Double	No
Dollar or Percent	String	No	20
Labor Burden	Double	No
Owner	String	No	50
Department	Lookup	No
Markup Method	Lookup	No
Ship County	Lookup	No
Pronounced	String	No	100

Departments


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Alias	String	Yes	4	Must be unique
Inactive	Boolean	No
Notes	Memo	No

Departments – Children


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Parent	Lookup	Yes		Parent must be a Department record that already exists in Total Office Manager.
Name	String	Yes	50
Alias	String	Yes	4	Must be unique to all parent and children.
Inactive	Boolean	No
Notes	Memo	No

Employee Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Employees


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Alias	String	Yes	10
Salutation	String	No	15
First Name	String	No	25
Middle Initial	String	No	5
Last Name	String	No	25
Print On Check	String	No	70
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	35
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	20
Country	String	No	20
Phone	String	No	21
Phone Ext	String	No	5
Fax	String	No	21
Alt Phone	String	No	21
Email	String	No	100
Pager	String	No	20
Pin	String	No	20
Type	Lookup	No
SSN	String	No	11
Date Hired	Date	No
Date Released	Date	No
Deceased	Boolean	No
Notes	Memo	No
Inactive	Boolean	No
Cell Phone	String	No	20
Website	String	No	100
Employee Number	String	No	25
Title	String	No	25
Date of Birth	Date	No
Department	Lookup	No
Date Created	Date	No
Date Revised	Date	No

Equipment Manufacturers


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Equipment Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Fixed Assets


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Number	String	No	10
Serial Number	String	No	30
Location	String	No	50
Manufacturer	Lookup	No
Employee	Lookup	No
Department	Lookup	No
Type	Lookup	No
New	Boolean	No
Warranty Exp.	Date	No
Extended Warranty Exp.	Date	No
Extended Warranty #	String	No	30
Description	Memo	No
In-Service Date	Date	No
Cost	Double	No

Industry Codes


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Code	String	Yes
Type	String	Yes
Description	String	No
AKA	String	No

Item Categories

To import Item Categories, start by creating a simple text file (such as a CSV or tab-delimited file) where each row represents one category. You may build the category hierarchy in either of two ways. The easiest method is to place the full category path in a single column using a colon (:) between each level, like Parts:Electrical:Breakers. A category with no subcategory can be entered as a single name, such as HVAC Stuff. Colons are treated as level separators, so do not include colons in category names.

If your file already has the category levels split across columns, that works too. Put the top-level category in the first column (Level 1), the next level in the second column (Level 2), and so on. For example, Column1=Parts, Column2=Electrical, Column3=Breakers. Leave unused level columns blank at the end of the row. Avoid “skipping” a level (for example, do not fill Level 3 if Level 2 is blank). Optional columns such as Inactive, Description, and What Best Describes This (ID) may be included and mapped if you want to set those values during the import.

Tips:

Delimiter: Select “Other” and enter a semi-colon (:) with no spaces.
When Overwrite is off, the import will add new categories and missing parent levels, but it will not change existing categories that are already in your company file. If you need to change existing category names or settings, do that in Total Office Manager directly, or turn on Overwrite only when you fully understand the risks and have a verified backup.


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name (Category Level 1 to 5)	String	Yes	100	The name of the category (Ex: Parts). In the import wizard, you can associate the category name using Category Level 1 through Category Level 5. That concept is explained above.
Description	String	No	250
What Best Describes	Long	No		This is the ID of the value in the What Best Describes selection box. We recommend this be left blank unless you are an advanced database user.
Inactive	Boolean	No		This can be “True”, “False” or Null (blank or empty). If you leave this blank, the Group item will be “Active”.

Group Items

A Group item is a “container” item that lets you bundle multiple existing invoice items (labor, parts, supplies, etc.) under one item number so they can be dropped onto a Work Order/Invoice quickly.

Common Usage Case:
Use Group items for fast, consistent data entry – especially standardized repairs/installs or flat-rate tasks – so adding one Group automatically loads all the underlying items (and can keep labor/parts/COGS split correctly when those underlying items are set up properly).


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	55	This is the item number for this Group Item (part number).
Group Item	Lookup	Yes	55	This is the Name/Number (part number) of the item you wish to add to the Group item. During the import, you may get warnings about unable to add and item because it already exists. This normal is not a problem. This occurs when the same item is used in more than one Group item. Important: When importing Group items, the items within that Group item must already exist. Import individual items first. You cannot import a Group item into a Group item.
Quantity	Double	No		The number or quantity of this item.
Sales Description	Memo	No		The description you want for the Group item.
Inactive	Boolean	No		This can be “True”, “False” or Null (blank or empty). If you leave this blank, the Group item will be “Active”.
Category	Lookup	No		You must use the Id of the category and not the name of the category. You can leave this blank and select a category later in the software.

Items

Use this option to import the following item types: Serialized, Inventory Part, Serialized, Non-Inventory Part, Other Charge, and Service. There are import options for other items types.


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name/Number	String	Yes	55	If the item number already exists, nothing will be updated on that item. There are other import options for adjusting the quantity on hand and certain other values.
Type	String	Yes	30	Your import file must include an exact match to one of these types. Your file may contain a mix of these. Serialized, Inventory Part, Serialized, Non-Inventory Part, Other Charge, and Service. You cannot import serial numbers. You will not be able to change the Item type with an import.
Price	Double	No		The retail price for the item.
Cost	Double	No		Direct cost or the price you pay for it. The label will say Estimated Cost or Cost. This field will only contain a number when the “This service is performed by a . . .” box is checked.
Unit of Measure	String	No	10	UOM is optional. Import file must have the Measure (UOM) Abbreviation – not the ID. Example: B1000-S1. The UOM must already exist. This UOM does NOT overwrite an existing Items. If UOM import does not match or fails, it will not create problems. It fails silently.
Inactive	Boolean	No		True or False
Common	Boolean	No		Is this a commonly used item? There is a box that can be checked, making the item easier to locate. The import file can be True or False. Nothing (empty or blank) is the same as False.
Category	Lookup	No
Sales Description	Memo	No
Purchase Description	Memo	No
Dollar or Percent	String	No	10
Purchased	Boolean	No
Bin	String	No	15
SDS Required	Boolean	No		Formerly known as MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheet
Income Account	Lookup	Yes/No		Use the Account Number, not the Name. The account requirement depends on the Item Type used as well as use of the “Purchased…” checkbox. Please verify the specific usage of the item type you are working with. If a Chart of Account is missing from the import file or it cannot be found in the COA list, the default from Item Preferences will be used.
Expense/COGS Account	Lookup	Yes/No		Use the Account Number, not the Name. The account requirement depends on the Item Type used as well as use of the “Purchased…” checkbox. Please verify the specific usage of the item type you are working with. If a Chart of Account is missing from the import file or it cannot be found in the COA list, the default from Item Preferences will be used.
Asset Account	Lookup	Yes/No		Use the Account Number, not the Name. The account requirement depends on the Item Type used as well as use of the “Purchased…” checkbox. Please verify the specific usage of the item type you are working with. If a Chart of Account is missing from the import file or it cannot be found in the COA list, the default from Item Preferences will be used.
Deposit Account	Lookup	No		Specific to Payment type items.
Tax Code	Lookup	No	3	Example: Non or Tax.
Vendor	Lookup	No
Notes	Memo	No
Date Created	Date	No
Date Revised	Date	No
Reorder point	Double	No
Markup Method	Lookup	No
Labor Minutes	Double	No	3	Please don’t use leading zeros. Correct: 90. Incorrect: 090. The number “60” represents one hour or sixty minutes. We do not use hours.

Inventory Adjustment – Non-Serialized

This import adds non-serialized quantity item adjustments for existing items. This import does the same thing as if you manually entered a non-serialized item adjustment for a quantity, by hand.


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Item	String	Yes	55	The item name/number> The item must exist. It will not be added.
Qty to Add	Double	Yes		How many items you wish to add. This is not the new quantity.
Cost	Double	Yes		The price that you pay for this item.
Date	Date	Yes		The date that you want this transaction to apply to. This is the date you want to affect financials.
Warehouse	Lookup	Yes		The warehouse you wish to have the quantity adjusted on.
Account	Lookup	No		This is the account you wish to use for this transaction. This might be “Shrinkage” or “Inventory Adjustment”. It is usually a COGS or Expense account. If no account is selected, Opening Balance Equity will be used. This is a built-in system account and typically not the best choice.
Department Alias	Lookup	No		The unique four-character alias that is used to identify the department. Enter a value if you wish to departmentalize the adjustment.
Customer:Job ID	Lookup	No		The database ID of the customer. Enter a value if you wish to associate this expense with a customer or job. Note: This is the internal ID of this customer. You will find this value in the Customer:Job list (as a column) or in the Payment Info tab, next to the Account # field.
Memo	Memo	No		The Memo field where you may enter a note about the adjustment.

Item Bins


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Item	Lookup	Yes
Warehouse	Lookup	Yes
Bin	String	Yes	20
Location	String	No	255

Job Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Inactive	Boolean	No

Marketing Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50
Inactive	Boolean	No
Description	Memo	No

Marketing Types – Children


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Parent	Lookup	Yes
Name	String	Yes	50	Group Item must be an Invoice Item record that already exists in Total Office Manager.
Inactive	Boolean	No
Description	Memo	No

Sales Tax Items


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name/Number	String	Yes	55
Rate	Double	Yes
Vendor	Lookup	No
Description	Memo	No

Ship Via


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Unit of Measure (UOM)

Unit of Measure (UOM) defines how an item is counted, purchased, stocked, and sold (each, foot, hour, box, etc.). You may use this for containers of refrigerant or anything you might purchase by the
container and sell by the unit (ex.: pound or ounce). Tip: You purchase Units and sell Base Units.
Base Units.

Common Usage Case: Use UOMs when the buying, stocking, and selling quantities differ, such as purchasing wire by the roll but selling it by the foot or buying refrigerant by the cylinder and selling it by the pound.


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	50	The name of the unit of measure. Example: Each, Foot, Hour, Box, 25lb Container, R410a, Sold by the Foot)
Type	Lookup	Yes	50	Determines how the unit is used, such as base, purchasing, or sales units. The value must be either “Weight”, “Volume”, or “Length”.
Abbreviation	String	Yes	10	A short name of the unit of measure. An abbreviation of the name field. This is needed where space is limited in the software. Example: B1S30.
Description	String	No	250	Optional notes explaining how or when the UOM should be used.
Multiplier	String	Yes	55	The primary unit used for inventory tracking and conversions (example: “Each”). The label may say “Number of Units Bought” or “Length Per Unit Bought”. This is the number of units that come in the container. For example, A 250’ roll contains 250 units or feet of wire. If you buy it by the roll and sell it by the foot, you will enter 250.

Vendor Tax Code


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Tax Code	String	Yes	55
Taxable	Boolean	Yes
Inactive	Boolean	No
Description	String	No

Vendor Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Vendors


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Vendor Name	String	Yes	50
Company Name	String	No	50	Vendors can have a separate Company Name.
Salutation	String	No	15
First Name	String	No	25
Middle Initial	String	No	5
Last Name	String	No	25
Contact	String	No	50
Phone	String	No	21
Phone Ext	String	No	5
Cell Phone	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	21
Alt Phone	String	No	21
Alt Contact	String	No	50
Email	String	No	100
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	50
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	30
Country	String	No	20
Ship Address	String	No	20
Ship Address2	String	No	50
Ship City	String	No	50
Ship State	String	No	30
Ship Zip	String	No	30
Ship County	String	No	20
Ship Country	String	No	150
PrintOnCheck	String	No	20	Print on Check: The name you want printed on checks.
Type	Lookup	No	70
Terms	Lookup	No		The Term must already exist or it will not be selected on the vendor.
AP Account	Lookup	No		The Chart of Account name. This is usually Accounts Payable. We do not use the Account Number field. If this information is missing, it will use the Company Default in Preferences (if there is one). Otherwise, the Vendor will not be imported.
Credit Limit	Double	No
Eligible For 1099	Boolean	No
Notes	Memo	No
Inactive	Boolean	No
Pager	String	No	20
Pin	String	No	20
Website	String	No	100
Account Number	String	No		This is your account number the vendor assigned to you. This has nothing to do with your Chart of Accounts.
Date Created	Date	No
Date Revised	Date	No
Carrier #	String	No	15

Warehouses


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Type	String	No	10
Description	String	No	50
Contact	String	No	30
Address	String	No	50
Address2	String	No	50
City	String	No	30
State	String	No	30
Zip	String	No	20
Country	String	No	20
Inactive	Boolean	No
Phone	String	No	20
Fax	String	No	20

Work Order Types


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Name	String	Yes	20
Inactive	Boolean	No

Zip Codes


Column Name	Field Type	Required	Max Length	Notes
Zip Code	String	Yes	30
City	String	No	150
State	String	No	30
Area Code	String	No	10
Time Zone	String	No	50
County	String	No	150
Latitude	String	No	30
Longitude	String	No	30
Inactive	Boolean	No

Import and Import File Tips

VERY IMPORTANT: Be sure to do a backup of your company file (database) before you do any importing in Total Office Manager. After the import, immediately study the results (before letting anyone else work in the program). If you see problems, restore your original company file.
ASCII Text files can be created using various different “delimiters”. Delimiters are used to separate fields. They are how the software knows when one field ends and another field begins. If your text contains characters that are the same as a delimiter, but they are not meant to be a delimiter, the software will not “realize” this. The text will be broken into new fields each time the delimiter is encountered. A good delimiter is something that is not normally found in the text you are importing.
To prevent data discrepancies in your live company file, it is recommended to practice importing in a sandbox environment. This can be created by following the steps outlined in Creating a Training Environment.
You must have proper permission to perform an import. If you don’t, contact your Total Office Manager administrator.
A terrific way to understand the import process is to do an export from Total Office Manager. You can open the export file and see how it is formatted and laid out.
You can go back at anytime and change the various setting and selection that you made to any screen.
A delimiter is used to separate records so that software programs such as Total Office Manager know where things begin and end. When you export from a software program, you are typically asked what delimiter you wish to use. Tab is a particularly good choice.
Some files contain what are called headers (AKA: Field Names). These are basically words at the top of the page that identify the fields below. An example of a header may be “Company” or “Address” or “City”. You will need to check the First Row Contains Field Names so that Total Office Manager understands that the first row is not to be imported.
If your import file contains headers that exactly match the field name seen in the field selection list, the import will select those fields for you. Example: Your import file has a header called “Name/Number” and the matching field has the same name (which it does), the import will select that field for you.

Notes Related to Importing

This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on the size of the import file and the speed of your system. Please allow sufficient time to do this because you will not be able to use Total Office Manager while the process is going on.