Working with Import/Export templates

Best practices for using import and export templates in Sage X3 ERP

CAUTION: Sage support can't assist with third-party products, hardware, report customizations, or state and federal tax questions. Refer to our Scope of Support for more info. Contact your Sage business partner, network administrator, or accountant for assistance.

Note: The following is a high-level overview. For customization of these templates, contact your certified Sage Consultant or request Center of Excellence through Sage support. Sage Support can answer specific answers, but doesn’t customize import/export templates.

• Don’t modify standard/Sage provided templates.  Use these for troubleshooting and reference.
• When making a copy of a standard/Sage provided template, or when creating a custom template, always start the name with the letter "Z".  
  • Various records in X3 can’t be modified once created, without the proper naming convention.  X3 intentionally does this to preserve certain standard Sage records.
• Create and modify Import/export templates under Setup, Usage, Imports / exports, Import/export templates (GESAOE).
• To use the template (importing or exporting), access the menu function: Usage, Import / exports, Exports (GEXPOBJ). 

1. To test a template, access the screen, for which, the template is meant to export data from or to.
   • For example: if this is for purchase invoices, access this screen within X3.
2. Enter a record manually.  X3 will perform the typical verifications to ensure required fields are filled in.
3. Save the record and make a note of the record value, such as the invoice number.
4. Go into Usage, Import / exports, Exports (GEXPOBJ) and select your template.
5. Locate the field for your record (that is, the order number, for example), and fill in the order number you created from the prior steps.
6. Follow the prompts to export the record.  When prompted to select a location or a filename, enter a location or filename of your choice. 
   • This can be a filename such as export.txt, export.csv, or any naming convention of your choice.
7. Whether existing invoices can be updated or not depends on the template setup having the option of "Update allowed" or "Import" checked.   For example:
   • Case when "Update allowed" is checked:  If values are updated in the exported file and an attempt is made to import this with the same invoice number, the import process will update the invoice.
   • When the invoice number is cleared from the exported file and imported, a new invoice number will be created.

Note: The required fields will be listed as mandatory in the Fields tab when setting up your template.  Manually entered records from in the programs user interface (UI) are enforced by business logic.  The export process will use the business logic to format a file, including any required fields.  As a result, the export file can be used as a template for the import file creation. More required fields will be enforced during validation. Mandatory values in the Fields tab are always enforced.