Data Import

[Gus Slack]

I have vendor info in Excel format. Can I import the data? How?

[Baytek]

Your excel file with the vendor information must be saved as a CSV format in order for Peachtree to import it.

For specific information as to the order of the fields and what is required, see Peachtree's Help file under "Import, vendor fields".

For more information, email support@baytek.com.

[BJC]

My understanding is that you can only impor new vendors using
the import option within PT.

Suppose you exported the existing vendor file from PT to Excel. How can I now import those changes into PT and overwrite what is already there?

[dringstrom]

Import the changed data in and any existing IDs will be updated. Reimporting lists into Peachtree updates the records, however importing transactions more than once will result in duplicate records.

[BJC]

Unfortunately I didn't find that to be the case. I thought
it should work just that simply as well. The online help
indicates that you are allowed to import "only new
transactions". Is there a .dat file that I need to overwrite?

I am new to PT, so perhaps I am missing something.

[dringstrom]

You're mixing apples and oranges here. You reference the help file about only importing new transactions, yet your original question was about importing vendors. My suggestion is that you re-read my first post here, then do some testing in the sample company that comes with Peachtree. If you continue to have difficulties, be sure to report your Peachtree version in any follow-up posts.

[BJC]

You are correct. Thank you.

My vendor ids begin with 0001. When the file is exported to excel, the number is read as 1. Therefore there was not a match and I ended up with duplicate records as was indicated.

Before my second import I made sure that the data I imported from the .cvs file was in the correct format.

I do not know if 0001 was the default vendor id upon setting up PT, but I know that the vendor ids are not automatically incremented when I add a new one. Would they be, if the first vendor id started with 1 rather than 0001?

[dringstrom]

Leading zeros are a nightmare if you're trying to import or export from Peachtree into Excel. You take special precautions to ensure that the leading zeros are preserved when you write out the .CSV file. 0001 and 1 are considered different IDs in Peachtree, which is why you ended up with duplication. Peachtree doesn't assign IDs, so you have to do your own incrementing in Excel.

[BJC]

Thanks. I just submitted a post regarding changing vendor
ids. Would you suggest instead of using a vendor id
sequence starting with 0001, start with 1?

[dringstrom]

Absolutely. Or, what I prefer to do is use as much of the vendor name as will fit in the ID field. That makes it much easier to locate vendors in the future, instead of having to remember their number.

[jwilfong]

We use the vendor name in the ID by using the first 3 characters of the first word of their name followed by the first 2 characters of the second name followed by ## in order to increment similar names.

If the name of the vendor is only one word we use the first 5 characters followed by ## in order to increment similar names.

We zero fill vendors with less than 5 characters in their name.

Examples (XXXXXnn - always 5 alpha-numeric follow by 2 numeric):

AT&T: ATT0001 (Notice we drop the special character '&')
ARBYS: ARBYS01
Arizona Department of Revenue: AZDOR01, AZDOR02, etc..

Works good for us.

John