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How to do a custom import

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Summary

Steps to use the Custom Import helper to import new assets into a company for Sage Fixed Assets Depreciation.

Resolution

Before you begin

  • Make sure no other users are in the company.
  • Custom Import only creates new assets. Include information for all books needed in the import.
  • You can’t change or add Book Information later using an import. That is, Property Type, Acquisition Value, Depreciation Method, Estimated Life.
  • You’ll find Sample Import.xls in C:\Program Files (x86)\Sage Fixed Assets\User Files under the Depreciation folders.
    These folders include Depreciation, Depreciation Network, or Premier Depreciation.
  • For more resources, see Appendix C. Custom Import Helper section of the Depreciation user's guide.
  • You can ignore the warnings on the exception report.

Access the Custom Import process

  1. Close the company file.
  2. Go to File, Company Utilities, select Custom Import.
  3. Open the Welcome dialog, click Next.
  4. Click Browse and select the file you’re importing and click Next.
  5. Select the Database and Company you want to import to.
  6. Select either create a new map or select an existing map and click Next.
  7. Use this mapping dialog.
    • At the bottom, the file you’re importing displays.
    •  that area is blank or shows incorrect data, there’s an issue in the file.  You’ll need to fix this before continuing.
       NOTE: If the import file doesn’t show in the mapping dialog, check it’s local to the client. If it is, copy the entire spreadsheet and paste as values into a new single-workbook spreadsheet. Use that new spreadsheet as the import file.
    • The rest is a process of selecting the column you’re mapping.
      • Select the column you want to map.
      • Choose the correct field from the Available fields.
      • Click the arrow button to move it under the Field Mapping on the right.
    • Once you’ve mapped all the desired fields, click next.
  8. Click Validate to validate the data for import.
  9. Review the validation report for errors and correct them in either the import file or the mapping. Repeat until there are no invalid assets found on the validation.
    • See the list of common errors below.
  10. When the validation completes with no invalid records, click Import to complete the Importing process.

Include the following in your import file

  1. Save the file from Excel Office using the default *.xlsx format or Comma-Separated Values (.CSV).
  2. Format all columns to General Text. For date columns, set to Custom and enter: MM/DD/YYYY.
  3. Import file must include five critical fields:
    • Property Type
    • Place in Service Date
    • Acquisition Value - Format will be a number with a decimal point, no commas, and no dollar signs
    • Estimated Life - Format sample: 0506 for five years and six months and 1000 for 10 years
    • Depreciation Method
      Format sample
      • MF200 needs to be in two separate columns. Map MF to Depreciation Method and 200 to Declining Balance Percentage
      • MA200 needs to be in three separate columns. Map MA to Depreciation Method. Map 200 to Declining Balance Percentage. Map the percentage (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, or 100) to the 168 Allow % field
      • SL and other methods that don't have percentage use only the Depreciation Method column

TO IMPORT ENDING ACCUMULATION

  • Ending accumulation requires separate fields on the import file, Beginning Date, Beginning YTD, and Beginning Accum: Beginning YTD is optional. If there’s a Beginning Date, there must be a Beginning Accum amount.
    • Beginning Date - Ending date for the accumulation.
      Example: If importing ending Accum for 12/2022, the column needs to have "12/31/2022".
    • Beginning YTD - Current Year to date as of the Beginning date.
      Example: If importing ending Accum for 12/2022, the column needs to have a year to date calculation. This is the amount of depreciation calculated from 1/2022 - 12/2022.
    • Beginning Accum - Ending depreciation accumulation as of 12/31/2022.

TO FIX OR AVOID COMMON ERRORS

  • Unknown Depreciation Method - Separate depreciation method and depreciation percent into two columns.
  • Critical Fields Missing - Ensure the map contains all critical fields for each book you’re importing.
  • Invalid Life Format - Check the estimated life format and rules to verify if life is valid.
  • Beginning Accumulation must not be zero - If you have a Beginning Date.
    • You must have an amount in the Beginning accumulation field.
    • Clear out the beginning date or insert an accumulation amount into the Begin Accum field.
  • Beginning Accumulation must not exceed depreciable basis - Beginning accumulation must not exceed the depreciable basis of the asset. Section 168(k) Allowance and Section 179 amounts reduce the depreciable basis.
  • If the asset uses Section 179 or Section 168(k) allowance, exclude those amounts from Beginning Accumulation.
  • Unable to convert column X to a number.
    • The acquisition value must contain only a number with a decimal point. Don’t include commas or dollar signs.
  • Unable to convert column X to a date - Format the Date columns as a Date format: MM/DD/YYYY.
  • BEG through date must be the end of the periods.
    • If using a monthly cycle, it must be the end of the month.
    • If using a different cycle, go to File, Edit Company, check the calendar for the ending period.

Training templates 

  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Sage Fixed Assets\Depreciation, Depreciation Network, or Premier Depreciation\Training.
    • Import 2 books.csv (Internal and Tax books)
    • Import 7 books.csv (All seven default books)
  • Find Sample Import.xls in C:\Program Files (x86)\Sage Fixed Assets\User Files under the Depreciation folders.
    These folders include Depreciation, Depreciation Network, or Premier Depreciation.

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