Output and Input
The following flowchart explains how AP Link uses output and input data.
Output. TeamConnect invoices that meet the search criteria indicate that the invoice is ready to be included with the output data. In order to ensure that invoices appear with the output data only once, you can configure a custom date field on the invoice to update with the current date. After invoice data is extracted from TeamConnect, the output data can be sent to an external AP system for payment.
Note: If you create custom AP fields, you can choose not to add a date field to the invoice for the sent-to-AP field. However, if you use another field to indicate the invoice has been sent, you must find another way to update that field.
Input. You do not have to enter input settings if you do not plan to import input data. If desired though, the external AP system can return data about the invoices paid. TeamConnect imports this input data to update invoices.
Scheduling Data Exports and Imports
Output. Schedule how often invoice data is extracted from TeamConnect. Scheduling data extraction to occur often is recommended so that you are not generating too much output data each time.
Input. Schedule how often TeamConnect imports information that the AP system returns.
To schedule data exports and imports
- From the Output or Input page of AP Settings, click the
icon to select the start date of the first time data exports or imports.
- Click the
icon to select the start time of the first time data exports or imports.
- From Output Schedule or Input Schedule, specify the frequency in days or hours you want TeamConnect to export or import data:
- From the text field, enter a number for every number of days or hours.
- From the drop-down field, select Days or Hours.
Scheduling TeamConnect to Extract Output Data Once a Day
To stop the export or import schedule, click Stop Action and the scheduled information clears.
To run output or input data outside the schedule
From the Output or Input page of AP Settings, click the Run Now button.
Creating Output and Input Files
Output: You must specify file settings and formatting information before TeamConnect can create an output file.
Specifying File Settings for a Delimited Text Output File
Input: For TeamConnect to import information from the file that the external AP system returns, you must specify file settings and formatting.
Specifiying File Settings Information for a Fixed-width Input File
To specify file information for an output file
- From the Output page, select File from the Output Interface Type drop-down.
- (Optional) In the File Name field, enter the first half of the filename. You can enter up to 35 characters.
The name of the output file automatically includes a naming convention based on the year, month, day, hour, minute, second, and millisecond when the system creates the file.
TeamConnect inserts any name you enter at the beginning of the filename. - In the File Extension field, enter the file extension. Do not include the . (dot) with the extension.
- From the File Format drop-down, select one of the following:
- Text Delimited File—A file where a character separates each field of a row.
- Fixed-Width File—A file where each column has a defined width. When the field value has fewer characters than the defined width, the user-specified character pads the empty spaces in the column.
- Specify the file format details. If you select Text Delimited File, see the Text Delimited File Fields table. If you select Fixed Width, see the Fixed Width Fields for Text, Numeric, and Date Fields table.
- (Optional) Place a check-mark in the File Contains Header Row check-box if you want the file to have a header row with field names on the first line.
To specify file information for an input file
- From the Input page, select File from the Input Interface Type drop-down.
- In the File Name field, specify information about the name of the file by selecting the drop- down and entering part or all of the name in the text field
- In the File Extension field, enter the file extension. Do not include the . (dot) with the extension.
- From the Input Format drop-down, select one of the following:
- Text Delimited File—A file where a character separates each field of a row.
- Fixed-Width File—A file where each column has a defined width. When the field value has fewer characters than the defined width, the user-specified character pads the empty spaces in the column.
- Specify the file format details. If you select Text Delimited File, see the Text Delimited File Fields table. If you select Fixed Width, see the Fixed Width Fields for Text, Numeric, and Date Fields table.
- (Optional) Place a check-mark in the File Contains Header Row check-box if the file has a header row with field names on the first line.
Text Delimited File Fields
|
Fields |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Delimiter |
Specify the character that separates fields. Pre-defined options include a Tab, Semicolon, Comma, or Space. Select Other to enter a character not provided. |
|
Row Delimiter |
Specify the type of separator between rows (of invoices or line items). Pre-defined options include Carriage return-line feed combination, Carriage return, Line feed, Tab. Select Other to enter a character not provided. |
|
Text Qualifier |
Specify the type of quotation marks that the file inserts around a field. |
|
Date Field Format |
Specify the format for date fields in the file, for example yyyy-MM-dd. Any Java date format works in this field. See the date formats of the SimpleDateFormat class in the Java documentation for more information. |
Fixed Width Fields for Text, Numeric, and Date Fields
|
Field |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Space Padding |
Select to fill unused space in the field with spaces. |
|
Zero Padding |
Select to fill unused space in the field with zeros. |
|
Other Padding |
Select to fill unused space in the field with a character you specify. |
|
Justification |
Indicate which side to align data in a field. |
|
Date Field Format |
Specify the format for date fields in the file, for example yyyy-MM-dd. Any Java date format works in this field. See the date formats of the SimpleDateFormat class in the Java documentation for more information. |
Specifying File Location
Because TeamConnect and the AP system are most likely not installed on the same server, save the output and input files to secure locations with privacy and standard encryption on the files.
Output and Input. From the Output or Input pages, select a location type in the Output File Location or Incoming File Location drop-down.
Specifying a Location on the Input Page
The following table includes a description of each location option.
Location Fields
|
Location |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Local |
Specifies a location on the TeamConnect server. Enter the directory location in the Directory field. |
|
Network |
Specifies the location on another server on the network. Enter the location of the network Directory and a Username and Password for the network. |
| FTP/SFTP |
Specifies the location of another server. Place a check-mark in the Use Secure FTP field if an SFTP is used. Enter the URL and a Username and Password for the server. If the FTP is secure, enter the location of the network file in the Known Hosts Location field. |
Input. After an input file imports successfully, you can specify whether or not the file stays in the location you select in the previous section.
Under the File Storage Post Processing block, in the Upon Success field, specify what happens to the input file:
- Rename File in Current Directory—TeamConnect renames each file after it imports the data into TeamConnect by appending Processed to the end of the file extension. The file remains in the same location.
- Delete File from Current Directory—TeamConnect deletes each file from the original location after it imports successfully.
Note: If you select to delete the files from this location, but you want to save them elsewhere, you can specify that they save to the Documents page. See Saving Files to the Documents Page for more information.
Saving Files to the Documents Page
Output. In addition to saving the output file in the Location block, you can also temporarily save the file to the Output folder of the Documents page.
Input. After you import the input file, you can temporarily save a copy to the Input folder of the Documents page.
To save files to the Documents page
- From the Output or Input pages of the AP Settings, place a check-mark in the Yes check- box of the Store File in Documents field.
Saving Fileds to the Documents Page for a Certain Amount of Time - From the Retention Period field, specify how long in days or months you want TeamConnect to temporarily store the file. At the end of the Retention Period, TeamConnect deletes the file.
- From the text field, enter the number of days or months.
- From the drop-down field, select Days or Months.
Mapping Fields
Output. Specify the TeamConnect fields that will be written to the output file for each invoice and/or line item exported.
Mapping Fields on the Output Page
Input. Specify the invoice-related fields that the AP system generates to identify or update the TeamConnect invoice.
Mapping Fields on the Input Page
On the Input and Output pages, the vendor ID, invoice number, and invoice date fields are already present on the Mapping list.
To specify invoice fields for the output data
- From the TC Field column on the Output page, click the magnifying glass icon to open the Object Navigator.
Object Navigator Opens When You
Click the Object Navigator Icon - Navigate to and select a system or custom invoice-related field that you want to include with the output data. Invoice Number, Invoice Date, and Vendor Last Name fields are already included by default.
Note: You must click outside the selection box to save the field you selected and close the box.
Example of Mapping Fields on the Output Page
- For the Output Field Name, enter the column name that you want to appear in the header row. You must have selected File Contains Header Row under File Settings for the name to appear in the file.
- For the Order field, enter a number for the order from left to right that the field will appear in the output file.
- For the Length field, enter the number of characters that you want the field to have in a fixed- width file. If you are exporting a text-delimited file, you must still enter a length in the case that you change the File Format.
- Click Save.
- Repeat steps 1-6 for every field of data you want included with the output data.
- Select an invoice search view from the Invoices for Collection drop-down.
A search view for AP Settings should already exist. See Creating an Invoice Search View for more information. - From the Sent to AP Date drop-down, select a date field on the invoice object to be updated for each invoice that TeamConnect exports.
If you have TeamConnect Legal, select INVC.SentToAPDateIn. If you do not have TeamConnect Legal and you created a custom sent-to-AP date field, select the Field name for that date.
Click edit in the Action column of the field row to edit the field information. Click minus icon in the Action column of the field row to delete the field from the list.
To specify invoice fields for the input data
- If the input data has a header row, enter the column name that appears at the top of the input file in the Input Field Name column on the Input page. If the input data does not have a header row, you do not have to enter a name in this field.
Invoice Number, Invoice Date, and Vendor Last Name fields are already included by default.
Example of Mapping Fields on the Input Page - For the Order field, enter a number for the order from left to right that the field appears with the input data.
- For the Length field, enter the number of characters that the field has if the input file is a fixed-width file. If you are importing a text-delimited file, you must still enter a length in case the File Format changes.
- From the TC Field column, click the magnifying glass icon to open the Object Navigator.
- Navigate to and select a custom invoice-related field to be updated for each invoice when TeamConnect processes the input data.
You must click outside the selection box to save the field you selected and close the box. - Click Save.
- Repeat steps 1-6 for every field of data included with the input data.
Click Edit icon in the Action column of the field row to edit the field information. Click the minus icon in the Action column of the field row to delete the field from the list.