Spreadsheet import - customer data

Show expandable text

We moved!

Help articles have been migrated to the new Help and Support. You can find help for your products and accounts, discover FAQs, explore training, and contact us!

Use the Spreadsheet Import wizard to import customer data (including beginning accounts receivable balances, if applicable) from a spreadsheet file using .XLS or .XLSX file format. You can use this method to add new customer records to a client record or to update existing customer records.

Note: If you map a spreadsheet row to an existing Accounting CS customer record, the application replaces most of the existing Accounting CS values with the spreadsheet value. However, the application will not replace existing beginning balance values. Instead it appends the spreadsheet data to the existing customer record. For example, if an existing customer has two beginning balance rows and the spreadsheet includes one beginning balance row for the customer, the customer will have three beginning balance rows after the import.

Special information

Be sure that the spreadsheet is closed and remains closed during the import process.

Be sure that the spreadsheet is not password protected.

Selecting the source file

  1. Choose File > Import > Spreadsheet.
  2. In the Source Data screen, select the appropriate client from the Client name field.
  3. Select Customers from the drop-down list in the Data type field.
  4. In the Import File section, enter the path and filename of the spreadsheet file to import, or click the Browse button to navigate to the file.
  5. Select the worksheet within the spreadsheet file to import.
  6. To have the spreadsheet import wizard skip all data-mapping screens for the additional data types, mark the Skip data mapping screens checkbox. The application will skip all data-mapping screens unless it requires input from you.
  7. Click Next.

Mapping spreadsheet columns

Use this screen to map the spreadsheet columns to specific data fields in Accounting CS.

  1. If you saved mapping information from a prior import as a mapping template, that template will be included in the drop-down list in the Template field. If applicable, select the appropriate template.
  2. If the spreadsheet includes column headings or other rows of data that should not be imported, mark the checkbox in the Omit row column for that row. The application will not validate or import data in that row.
  3. For each column, click the column heading in the grid, and then select the applicable mapping item from the drop-down list in the Column <x> field above the grid.
    Mapping item Additional info Required?
    ID Yes
    Customer Name Yes
    EIN/SSN --
    Tax Exempt # --
    Address Line 1 --
    Address Line 2 --
    Address City --
    Address State --
    Address Zip --
    Address County --
    Address Country --
    Phone Business
    Car
    Home
    Mobile
    Pager
    Other    		 --
    --
    --
    --
    --
    --
    Phone Fax Extension --
    Email --
    Website --
    Beginning Balance Amount --
    Beginning Balance Reference --
    Beginning Balance PO# --
    Beginning Balance AR Account Yes, if beginning balance is a non-zero amount
    Beginning Balance Date Yes, if beginning balance is a non-zero amount
    General Ledger Account --
    Finance Charge --
    PO# --
    Payment Term --
    Shipping Item --
    Sales Tax Item --
    Message --
    Credit Limit Amount --
    Credit Hold --
    Prompt At Limit --
  4. After you have mapped all applicable columns, click Next.
  5. The application validates the spreadsheet data. If any issues are found, the invalid items are highlighted. If necessary, correct the data and then click Next.

Mapping additional data types

Depending on the columns you mapped in the Column Mappings screen, the application may display the following Data Mapping screens, where you can select the Accounting CS data to correspond with the spreadsheet data. The Data Mapping screens may include the following fields and buttons.

Clear Mapping button

Click this button to clear any changes made in the current Data Mapping screen.

Show all mappings

Mark this checkbox to display all mapped and non-mapped items in the grid. If you clear this checkbox, the grid displays only those items that are un-mapped and need attention.

Reset default to

If the application encounters a blank field in the spreadsheet, and that blank field is mapped to a required field, the application enters Add as is in that field by default. To change the default information to Do not import or to a blank field for any of these fields that you have not changed, select the desired default value from this field.

Data mapping screens

Customers

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS customer. The drop-down list includes all customers that were set up in the Setup > Customers screen. If a corresponding customer record is not listed, select Add as is to import the customer record as it appears in the spreadsheet, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that customer.

Chart of Accounts

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS GL account number. The drop-down list includes all GL accounts that were set up in the Setup > Chart of Accounts screen. If a corresponding account is not listed, select Add as is and then enter a valid account number and class code to add the account, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that account.

Payment Terms

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS payment term. The drop-down list includes all payment terms that were set up in the Setup > Firm Information > Payment Terms screen. If a corresponding payment term is not listed, select Add as is and then enter a payment term ID and due date type to add the payment term, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that payment term.

If you select Add as is, the application opens a subsequent payment term Data Mapping screen, based on the due date type you select.

  • Day Based. Enter the number of days after the transaction date to use as the due date.

  • EOM Based. Select the month on which to base the calculation of the expiration date. EOM represents the last day of the current month; EOM+1 represents the last day of next month; EOM+2 represents the last day of the month after next; and so forth. In the Days +/- from EOM column, specify the number of days from the last day of the month. In the Cutoff day column, enter the number of days from the beginning of the month to represent the cutoff day. For examples, see the Payment Terms screen.

Finance Charges

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS finance charge. The drop-down list includes all finance charges that were set up in the Setup > Finance Charges screen. If a corresponding finance charge is not listed, select Add as is and then enter a finance charge ID, annual rate, and GL account number to add the finance charge, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that finance charge.

Shipping Items

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS shipping item. The drop-down list includes all Shipping type items that were set up in the Setup > Invoice Items screen. If a corresponding shipping type invoice item is not listed, select Add as is and then enter a shipping item ID, method (percentage or amount), and GL account number to add the shipping item, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that shipping item.

Sales tax Items

For each row in the grid, select the corresponding Accounting CS sales tax item. The drop-down list includes all sales tax items that were set up in the Setup > Invoice Items screen. If a corresponding sales tax invoice item is not listed, select Add as is and then enter a sales tax ID, firm sales tax item (as set up in the Setup > Firm Information > Sales Taxes screen), GL account number, and tax rate to add the payment term, or select Do not import to skip the import of data for that payment term.

Reviewing import diagnostics

The Data Analysis screen displays a list of the information that will be imported from the spreadsheet and the analysis results for the data. If necessary, you can click the Back button to make changes to any of the mapping and options screens. To view a diagnostic report for any of the items listed, mark the checkbox next to that item, and then click the Preview Selected or Print Selected button.

When you are satisfied with the data that will be imported, click the Finish button.

The Import Complete screen displays a summary of the information that was imported from the spreadsheet. Review the information. You can click the Print button to display a simple report of the import results, or you can click the Close button to close the Spreadsheet Import wizard.

Sample spreadsheet file

The following sample spreadsheet file is available for you to download and review. The sample spreadsheet is set up with commonly used columns and sample data. You can modify the formatting, column, and data to fit your needs.

Note: If you import the sample data into a live client record, please remember to delete the imported data when you are finished.

Open the spreadsheet file, and then save the file to the location specified in the Spreadsheet field in the Import Data tab of the Setup > File Locations dialog.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for the feedback!