Creating an Import
Document Imports will allow you to generate multiple documents within Paradigm from a spreadsheet template.
You can find 'Document Imports' under the 'Data Imports' navigation menu item.
You can create a new 'Document Import' by clicking the 'Add New Document Import' button on the top-left of the screen.
Select your 'Company'. The 'Document Status' will then default to 'In Progress'
Select the 'Import Document Type'
This determines what type of document will be generated by Paradigm for the data provided.
Ticking the 'Auto Generate Document No' check box will tell Paradigm to generate document numbers for your newly imported documents using Paradigm's numbering system. The newly imported document's numbers will count up sequentially from the last document number that was generated for that document type.
If left Unchecked. Paradigm will generate your documents using the document numbers provided by you within your data import. For Auto Generated Document No's, you must leave the document number field blank on your data import template.
Setting up Your Data Import File
You now need to attach your data import spreadsheet to your 'Document Import' in Paradigm, the following steps will cover how to set up your data import file.
Here is an example of a completed Data Import Template for Documents :
You can download an empty template here, attached to the bottom of this article.
Note : Do not format any of the cells on the template as Paradigm is designed to read this specific setup. Only the data input is required.
The template's fields are as follows :
'Document No' : If you are using 'Auto Generate Document No' then you can leave this field blank. In the example above, you will see 2 document numbers over 6 lines. This is to say that Paradigm will generate 2 documents, each containing 3 lines of detail.
'External Reference' : This is the customer's/supplier's reference, it is commonly the customers Purchase Order number corresponding to the relative invoice.
'Document Date' : This is the date to be set on the document.
'Account Code' : This is the Customer 'Code' assigned to the customer in Paradigm.
'Is GL' : In the case of a journal entry, set 'Is GL' to true. On the Data Import template for the 'Is GL' field, a 1 = TRUE and a 0 = FALSE.
'GL Code' : This is the code assigned to the Ledger Account in which you wish to make the journal entry. If 'Is GL' is FALSE or 0, then you must leave 'GL Code' blank.
'Inventory Code' : This is the code assigned to Inventory Items within Paradigm.
'Warehouse Code' : This is the code assigned to a Warehouse within Paradigm. Depending on the document type, this will be the warehouse that the Inventory will be taken out of or brought into.
'Qty' : This is the number of units you wish to process on the respective line.
'Unit Price' : Here you can assign the Price per Unit of the respective line.
'Line Discount Percentage' : Here you can set the Discount on the respective line for the total Price of the line ('Qty' x 'Unit Price'). This field is a percentage and can only take values from 0 to 100.
'Is Inclusive' : This is a Yes/No field stating whether the Price of the respective line is Inclusive/Exclusive of Tax. 'Y' meaning Yes and 'N' meaning No.
'Tax Code' : This is the 'Code' assigned to a Tax Type in Paradigm.
Once you have filled in all the required data, you must now save the spreadsheet as a (Comma Delimited) CSV file.
In Excel, click 'File' > 'Save As'.
In the file type drop down menu underneath the file name, select 'CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)'.
Generating Documents from Your Import Data
Attach the CSV file to the 'Data Import' in Paradigm. You can drag and drop the file onto the open pane on the 'Data Import' screen. Alternatively you can use the 'Add From File' button.
This button will allow you to browse your local files and select the file you wish to attach.
Once you have successfully attached the CSV file, click the 'Import Data from CSV Attachment' button.
This will populate the 'Document Import Data' tab with the lines from the imported file.
In the above scenario, one line has a Validation Error. The imported file must be amended and then re-imported.
You can do this by pressing the 'Reset Data Import' button.
This will clear 'Document Import Data' tab.
Navigate to the 'CSV Attachment' tab and click the 'Unlink' button.
This will remove the attached file. You can now amend your data in the Excel spreadsheet and then re-attach as a CSV file and re-import the data.
Click the 'Approve Import Data' button.
This will set the Approval Status to 'Approved' and set the 'Date Approved' to the current day.
Once the Data Import has been approved, the 'Process Data Import' button will enable.
This will populate the 'Processed Documents' tab with the new documents generated from the 'Document Import Data'
The new documents are generated as 'Drafts'. This is to say that they can still be edited further if required.