Special instructions for EDI

This section describes special instructions for EDI.

Enabling the definition for partners

When the format has been finalised you must attach it to the right message. You do this by entering the file name in the EDI template field in the EDI messages table. It is important to remember to enter the format for the right message and in the right direction (in/out).

Importing orders and customer/suppliers simultaneously

You can import a customer or supplier at the same time as you are importing an order. By using the Actor definition and marking the lines with A instead of H for head (order head) or L for line you can run this definition at the same time as an order is being imported.

The fields are defined in the same way as the order fields Actor.ActNo, Actor.Nm, etc.

An Associate no. is created if a customer or supplier does not already exist in the table.

EDI import of credit notes

You can import credit notes. The amount must be negative for the entry to be identified as a credit note during import.

Allocating new customer/supplier and employee numbers when importing

Using the Add parameter it is possible to allocate new customer/supplier and employee numbers when importing from file. When the import file has Add behind CustNo, SupNo or EmpNo a new associate is created with the next available customer/supplier number or employee number.

Example

@Actor (CustNo:Add, Nm) New customer
@Actor (SupNo:Add, Nm) New supplier
@Actor (EmpNo:Add, Nm) New employee

Importing new orders with Ordersr

New orders are imported with Ordersr.edi, and you can use order lines with and without line numbers.

Importing products that use split order line

Importing products that uses "Split order line" in the "Price and discount matrix" table only expands it if both "Line no." and "Price" are blank in the EDI import file. If the product has a "Line no". and/or "Price", the product will not be split on the order line on the basis of quantity, as there may be other lines in the file with line numbers that conflict with the split lines.

Importing structure products with automatic expansion

When importing structure products with automatic expansion, line numbers in the import file cannot be used. This means that the import may give an SQL error message indicating a double primary key.

Importing purchase orders with partial deliveries

On a purchase order that has been confirmed from your supplier you can enter partial delivery in the file Ordrspr.edi.

When importing the file Ordrspr.edi, in the NoCf – Confirmed field you can enter the quantity to be imported to the order in the Confirmed field. If no confirmed quantity is defined in OrdLn.NoCf the whole quantity will be treated as confirmed in the order line.

Adding order lines without a line number with Ordrspr

In Ordrsp there is a function that adds a line without a line number.

You can use this function, for example, when importing an order confirmation from a supplier into Visma Business, in which a product line is split in two with different delivery dates.

Importing orders without order lines with Ordchgr

You can use the file Ordchgw.edi when you want to import orders that do not already have order lines. If the import file only has the order head, the changes in the order head are not updated. The same applies if all the order lines have no change status.

If you want to update the changes in the order head and do not have information about the order lines, you can create a text product without line numbers. You must add the text product every time you make a change in order for a change to take effect in the order that again means that the order head is changed.

You can also use standard import and place the file in the "IMPORTS" folder, so that the EDI clock processes it. If the change requires the order to be re-saved, you can use @READ_ORDER and @SAVE_ORDER. This requires that EDI folders are used.

New lines for existing orders

If for example you want to add an order line to an existing order the file name becomes ORDCHGR.EDI. See the example below.

In the case of EDI import of order changes, you must have line numbers in the file in order to update existing lines. If you also want to add new lines at the same time, these will not have line numbers.

Locked orders with ORDCHGR

If an order is locked by another user in Visma Business, this order is not processed on import. When this happens, you get an error message in EDI error messages if you have tuned on error logging of EDI import in "System information". At the same time an EDI file containing the order that was locked is created. The file is in the same location as the data file and has the same name as the rule file that is used, as well as the date and time. The file extension is ERR. If the imp file is ordchgr.imp, a locked order is created in the same folder as the data file ordchgr.edi, with the name "ordchgr 20071218 10.10.45.err". This makes it easy to change the file name in order to run it again by changing the file name.

Product number is processed as follows in connection with EDI import

You can enter the following values directly into the position for product number in the import file:

• Product no. from the "Products" table.
• Bar code from the Bar codes table.
• the customer's "Product no." from the "Product customers" table.
• GTIN item no. from the Products table.
• the supplier's "Product no." from the "Delivery alternatives" table.

If you have not selected the "Check product customer (first) when importing" or "Use GTIN item no." fields under "EDI processing" in the Bedriftsopplysninger table, the following search is performed:

• Product no. in the "Products" table.
• Bar code in the "Bar codes" table.
• "GTIN item no." in the "Products" table.
• the customer's "Product no." in the "Product customers" table.
• Sup. product no. in the "Delivery alternatives" table and
• that "Sup. no." is in the order head in the import file or in the order line.

If you have selected the "Check product customer (first) when importing" under "EDI processing" in the Bedriftsopplysninger table, the "Product customers" table is checked first.

If you have selected the "Use GTIN item no." field under "EDI processing" in the Bedriftsopplysninger table, you can use the positions for "GTINItemNo" or "Productno." in the file. If there is only one value in "Product no.", a lookup is also performed in "GTIN item no." once "Product no." has been checked and nothing found.

On lines with an existing line number, "Product no." will not be changed, because it must be possible to change "Product no." when a line is changed. On new lines, a lookup will be performed in Visma Business in the following sequence on the basis of the product number in the EDI file:

• the "Products" table
• the "Bar codes" table
• if the product number is present as a bar code in the "GTIN item no." field in the "Products" table
• the "Delivery alternatives" table

Error messages when importing XML format

If you have selected to log EDI error messages in the "EDI Error message level" field in the "System information" table, and you import a file in XML format that does not have valid tags in the order head, you receive the following error messages in the EDI error messages table:

• ERROR : No fields found. Format error?

you also see the error message

• ERROR : product no. "not found" (applies to the order lines in the file).

Suppressing the dialog boxes for the "Send XML" and "Receive XML" processing menu items in the "EDI transaction log" table on importing

When using the import command "EXEC_PMC (External ID)" for the processing menu items "Send XML" (745) and "Receive XML" (746), the dialog boxes will be suppressed on import, when "@DEFAULT_PARAMETERS (1)" comes before "EXEC_PMC (External ID)" in the file. The dialog boxes will appear automatically when you send or receive data from Strålfors. This means that the dialog boxes will not stop Visma Business from completing the import, and you will then be able to run sending and acknowledgement receipt via /R or the EDI clock.

Example of a command file to start the sending of XML to a recipient:

@FIRM_BEGIN (Firma no.)
@OPEN_SUBWINDOW (338)
@DEFAULT_PARAMETERS (1)
@GO_TO_COLUMN (13726)
@FIND_APPEND (1)
@FIND (2)
@GO_TO_COLUMN (13728)
@FIND (1)
@SELECT_ALL ()
@EXEC_PMC(745)
@CLOSE_WINDOW ()

Testing the format

The test on a format for importing or exporting data to or from EDI is often carried out in cooperation with those supplying or responsible for the customer’s EDI converter.

Visma Business can only import files with the name xxxxxxx.edi, where xxxxxx is the 6-character file name. The 7th character indicates whether or not the file is writeable, i.e. r=read or w=write.

If you are intending to import an order into Visma Business it must have the name ORDERSR.EDI.

Example of a standard order - ORDERSR.EDI

4; 3; <CR/LF>
H; 0; 39; 1; 10.46; 20000; 76455; Dataleverandøren AS; Postboks 45; Nedre Strandgt. 45; ; ; 3015; Drammen; NO 936 455 700; VISMA Demo AS; Postboks 240; Gml. Drammensveien 98; ; ; 3420; Lierskogen; 19970527; 0; 0; 30; 0; 0; 0; ; ; ; 1; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 6; 0; 0; 100; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; VISMA Demo AS; Postboks 240; Gml. Drammensveien 98; ; ; 3420; Lierskogen; ; ; 0; -1 <CR/LF>
L; 1; 5000; Key ring; 1; ; 10; 10; 47; 100; 47; 100; 0; 19970527; 19970527; 19970527; 0; 0; 0; 20000; 0; 0; ; 0; 1; 0; 0; 0; ; 1; 3; 2; 6; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 3; 6; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 100; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; -1 <CR/LF>

Example of an order with amendments - ORDCHGR.EDI

4;3; <CR/LF>
H; 5; 17; 1; 10.46; 20000; 76455; Dataleverandøren AS; Postboks 45; Nedre Strandgt. 45; ; ; 3015; Drammen; NO 936 455 700; VISMA Demo AS; Postboks 240; Gml. Drammensveien 98; ; ; 3420; Lierskogen; 19970527; 0; 0; 30; 0; 0; 0; ; ; ; 1; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 6; 0; 0; 100; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; 0; VISMA Demo AS; Postboks 240; Gml. Drammensveien 98; ; ; 3420; Lierskogen; ; ; 0; 4 <CR/LF>
L;2;5002;Business pen set;4;15;15;15;47;100;47;100;0;0;0;19970605;0;0;0;20010;0;0;;0;0;0;0;0;;1;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;4;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;1 <CR/LF>

Dealing with errors during EDI import when making changes (ORDCHGR), where the order that should be imported is locked by another user

If you have selected "Error level "Error"" field under "EDI error report level" in the "System information" table, a line with the text "Order [no] was locked during import and was not processed" in the "EDI error messages" table will be created. At the same time a file will be created in the same folder as the original EDI data file is located, where the order with order lines is exported, so that you can import this file later. The file gets the original name and in addition gets the date and time with the surname err, for example "Ordchgr 20080303 - 14.02.56.err".

Explanation of head and line status

A status value is always inserted at the end of each single line both in the head and line. The status value indicates the process the order will go through during import. For example, if the value at the end of the head line is 4, Visma Business will add an order line to an existing order. The order line will then have the status value 1.

Importing orders to Visma Business

Preparations required in Visma Business

In the "EDI messages" table you must enter Message type, Direction and EDI template.

The following message types are available:

These must be seen in the context of the "Direction" field. The "Direction field can have the values "1. In" for importing into Visma Business and "2. Out" for exporting from Visma Business. The EDI template field shows the imp file's path and file name. The Imp file is the file that describes the fields contained in ordersr.edi (which record, position, length).

In existing versions of Visma Business, the imp file’s name is optional, but the file you intend importing must be called ORDERSR.EDI.

Visma Business also imports XML files. A check will be performed to ensure that there are XML files in the Orders directory and they will automatically be imported as XML files when the EDI clock runs.

If you have selected the "EDI folders" field in the "System information" table, Visma Business automatically creates new folders when you start up. The folders refer to the company database. A folder with the name IMPORTS will be created automatically. You can use this folder to store files with the suffix ". edi" and with the Visma Business standard import syntax "@FIRM_BEGIN(xxxx)" etc. Here, you can create file to execute commands or to import directly into the tables.

The EDI files will be placed in different folders depending on the document type and the EDI path in the "EDI path" field in the "System information" table.

When the EDI clock takes into account the selection in the "EDI folders" field in the "System information" table, the folders will be processed in the following sequence:

1. ORDERSR
2. ORDCHGR
3. INVOICR
4. QUOTESR
5. PARTINR
6. DIRDEBR
7. CREAGRR
8. IMPORTS

Fields in EDI order documents

When exporting to EDI file you can export additional associate fields for "Invoice customer no.", "Delivery associate", "Ship to associate no.", "Contact", "Contact 2", "From w.house" and "To w.house" to the EDI file. The GLN/GS1 location codes for the aforementioned associates/customers/suppliers can check the "Associates" table against the GLN/GS1 location code during import instead of Associate, Customer or Supplier number. In the import file you can replace Associate, Customer and Supplier number with the GLN/GS1 location number. Visma Business first performs a lookup in Customer number, then in GLN/GS1 location number, on the condition that you have selected the "Use GLC/GS1 no." field under EDI processing in the Bedriftsopplysninger table.

A summary of fields that you can use when importing and exporting EDI orders:

Example of files when orders are being imported

Ordersr.edi

Ordersr.imp

• A description of the record types is given earlier in the document.
• Orders must always have a record type a.
• Record type b is mandatory. There can be several record types b in an imp file.
• Record type c describes each single field being exported. There is a line with record type c for each field in the file from the customer. This also applies to the fields which are blank in the file from the customer (,,).

Importing orders that are finished or without price changes (NetQty and KeepPrice)

You can import the orders finished. You do this by defining the status NetQty 0 (Off) 1 (On) in the file Ordchgr.imp. The status NetQty indicates the quantity that is the quantity of the order. The file Ordchg.imp normally indicates orders as an addition if positive and deduction if negative. The KeepPrice status controls whether you would like the price to be calculated (0) or to be left unchanged in the order (1).

Example of Ordchgr.imp file:

a,1,;,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
b,OrderHead,1,,1,
c,RecType,1,1,0,,,,,,,,,S,
c,Ord.OrdNo,2,10,0,,Ord.OrdNo,,,,,,,I,
c,Ord.Label,3,40,0,,Ord.Label,,,,,,,S,
c,HeadStatus,4,1,0,,HeadStatus,,,,,,,I,
b,OrderLine,1,,1,
c,RecType,1,1,0,,,,,,,,,S,
c,OrdLn.LnNo,2,10,0,,OrdLn.LnNo,,,,,,,I,
c,OrdLn.NoInvoAb,3,40,0,,OrdLn.NoInvoAb,,,,,,,F,
c,4729,4,40,0,,OrdLn.FinN,,,,,,,F,
c,NetQty,5,1,0,,,,,,,,,I,
c,KeepPrice,6,1,0,,,,,,,,,I,
c,LineStatus,6,1,0,,LineStatus,,,,,,,S,
b,DummyLayout,1,,1,
c,RecType,1,1,0,,,,,,,,,S,

The file Ordchgr.edi then looks like this:

H;47;label;4 -> Order no. 47 47

L;1;;48;48;1;3 -> Line 1 Original quantity 48 finished 48 and does not change the price

L;2;12;6;1;3 -> Line 2 Original quantity 12 finished 6 but calculates the price again

Setting the EDI clock

You set the EDI clock for a user that uses Visma Business every day.

To do this, select Home/Firm/Import/EDI clock via the menu bar in the Users table.

EDI clock automatic start

By using the start-up parameters (/EDI[S] [S], the figure specified in seconds is the period of time during which the search for import files will be carried out. Parameter must be started together with /u[User name] and, if necessary /p[Password]. The EDI clock will then start automatically when Visma Business starts running. The EDI clock starts even if an EDI session is already under way, and the previous session is terminated, so that a previous hang does not stop a new login of the EDI clock. You should therefore start Visma Business with only /EDI without an interval. Visma Business then starts with the EDI clock, and checks the paths for files and closes Visma Business. You can define a setting in the time-based task on the server for Visma Business not to start at the specified times using the parameter /EDI /uUser/password.

Locking import files

If the file you want to import using EDI import has been locked by another process, the file will not be imported. No dialog will be shown but a message will be written in the log file stating that the file was not found. You will not see any dialog because import will not stop to wait for a manual instruction to continue the import.

Starting an EDI session when an EDI session is already under way

When you start Visma Business using the command line parameter /EDI[interval] you must also enter a user name (/u[Username]) and password (/p[password]), if you are not logged on to Windows with NT authorisation.

If you have selected the "1 at a time" field in the "Users" table and you start a new EDI session when a session is already under way, this is what happens:

• The new EDI session closes the old EDI session.
• If the old EDI session is in the middle of a process, this is completed.
• When the old EDI session starts, the session is checked and you are given a message stating that the session has been closed. If you respond to this message with OK, you close Visma Business. There can be several Visma Business startups waiting to be closed, but these are no longer active.
• The new EDI session continues to run as defined, and performs a check before the EDI import starts to make sure that the EDI session is OK.

If you have not selected the "1 at a time" field in the "Users" table, the old session is not closed by the new session, and the old session does not start with the EDI clock, as only one session can run with the EDI clock.