Converting client data from CBS Accounts Receivable

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Certain CBS client data (including CBS Accounts Receivable setup and transaction data) does not transfer to CSA. Consequently, that data cannot be converted into Accounting CS data. To make conversion of CBS client data easier, we have created the CBS AR data utility. This utility pulls data directly from a Client Bookkeeping Solution (CBS) Accounts Receivable company database into a spreadsheet file that is formatted and ready for import into Accounting CS.

The utility enables you to easily export customer information, invoice items, and sales tax codes from CBS Accounts Receivable. If you have the Accounts Receivable service enabled for your client in Accounting CS, you can then import the spreadsheet data into Accounting CS via the Spreadsheet Import wizard.

For CBS ASP clients: If you have set up your clients to use CBS ASP, you or your client must back up their company database to a local drive, and then extract the company database from the backup ZIP file before you run the CBS AR data utility on the backup file.

You must have Microsoft Excel installed on the computer on which you are running the CBS AR data utility.

Notes

  • CBS allows a maximum of 20 characters for the customer ID and 16 characters for the invoice item ID. However, Accounting CS limits both of those IDs to 11 characters. Therefore, if the CBS AR data utility encounters any IDs that are longer than 11 characters, it truncates them to 11 characters in the spreadsheet. This may cause the spreadsheet to contain duplicate IDs. If the Accounting CS Spreadsheet Import wizard encounters any duplicate IDs, it will prompt you to rename the duplicate IDs in the Column Mappings screen.
  • The CBS AR data utility does not import customer beginning balances. To establish beginning balances for the client's customers, you must enter the beginning balances manually.
  • If you will import CBS Accounts Receivable data for a client more than once, you can save time by creating a mapping template to save column mapping assignments for future imports.

    To save mapping information as a template, right-click in the Template field, choose Add Template from the context list, and then enter the template name in the dialog that opens. Note that you must do this before you map the columns; otherwise the application will not save the mapping selections.

    Excel import

Downloading the CBS AR data utility

Download the CBSARExportUtility.zip file from our Help & How-To Center, and then unzip the EXE file to a location on your local machine. You can either run the utility for your CBS clients, or you can provide it to them to run themselves.

Either you or your clients will need to follow the procedures below.

Converting CBS Accounts Receivable data

  1. Double-click the ARExportUtility.exe file.
  2. Enter or browse to the folder where the CBS company database is located.
  3. Select the appropriate company database.
  4. Select the destination folder for the spreadsheet file.
  5. Click the Export button.
  6. The utility displays a results dialog that shows the total number of customers and invoice items that were converted and the location of the spreadsheet file. Click OK to dismiss the dialog.

Files created by the utility

The utility creates the following files in the destination folder.

  • <company database name>_customers.xls: Includes customer data from the Setup > Customers window in CBS.
  • <company database name>_AR_Item_Import.xls: Includes invoice item information from the Setup > Invoice Items window in CBS and sales tax information from the Setup > Sales Tax window in CBS.
  • ConvReport__<company database name>.txt: Includes details about the conversion.

Importing spreadsheet data into Accounting CS

  1. In Accounting CS, choose File > Import > Spreadsheet.
  2. Select the appropriate client and data type.
    1. Customer data – see Spreadsheet import — customer data.
    2. Invoice item and sales tax data – see Spreadsheet import — invoice items.

      If the spreadsheet includes CBS sales tax items, the utility creates a sales tax invoice item in the Setup > Invoice Items screen for each sales tax row in the spreadsheet. To also create a global sales tax item in the Setup > Firm Information > Sales Taxes screen for each sales tax item, follow these steps during the import.

      1. In the Column Mappings screen of the Spreadsheet Import wizard, map columns for Sales Tax Description and Sales Tax General Ledger Account.
      2. In the Sales Tax Descriptions data mapping screen, select Add as is in the Sales Tax Description column, and then enter the appropriate sales tax rate.

    Note: In the Column Mappings screen for either data type, if any columns have a column header but no data, do not map those columns (leave them set to "Not Used"). Map only the columns that contain the data that you want to import.

  3. After completing the import, be sure to verify the imported data in the Customers screen, the Invoice Items screen, and the Sales Taxes screen.

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Internal only

  • You do not need to have CBS installed to run the data utility. Just save the CBS Sample Company ZIP file to a location on your local machine, browse to that file, and unzip the company database. Then follow the steps outlined in these instructions.
  • You cannot run the utility on VO because the utility cannot access company database on the Y drive (step 2 of the "Converting CBS Accounts Receivable data" section).