The following is a sample file layout for the ASCOM.EXE program.
Program: ASCOM.EXE
Note: There are 3 possible Ascom Hasler AMS 24 Mail Management System formats
that this program supports.
Format 1: Format for MMS versions prior to 4.4E
Input File: The file can have any name
File Type: Fixed Length (record length = 37 bytes)
Input File Layout
Name Start Length Description
------- ----- ------ ---------------------------------------------------
Account 1 10 Client/Matter code - TABS III numeric and mixed key
types can have ".", "-", or no separator between
client and matter codes. Alpha key types must
have "." or "-" separator between client and
matter codes.
Amount 11 8 $1.23 stored as 1.230 (padded with spaces on left)
Date 21 6 Transaction date in YYMMDD format
Carrier 27 5 Used in descriptions
Service 32 4 Used in descriptions
Note: The Carrier and Service fields are only displayed on a list of rejected
transactions that do not successfully merge in with TABS III.
Sample input file
Notes:
1) The first 3 lines are not part of the input file.
2) The "[" and "]" characters have been added to illustrate where the carriage
return/line feed combination would appear in each record.
1 2 3
1234567890123456789012345678901234567
-------------------------------------
100.00 2.90019970329POS 1C []
101.00 12.65019970329POS IL []
123.45 0.27619970329POS 1N []
102.00 2.90019970329POS 1C []
103.00 0.26719970329POS 1B []
200.01 0.24219970329POS 1Z []
200.02 2.90019970329POS 1C []
20001 0.24219970329POS 1Z []
20002 2.90019970329POS 1C []
20003 30.22019970426POS 1C []
30000 2.90019970426POS 1C []
40000 27.33019970426POS 1C []
==============================================================================
Format 2: Format for MMS versions 4.4E and later (the format is not by
transaction - it is in "Todays and Month to Date Totals" format)
Input File: The file can have any name
File Type: Fixed Length (record length = 80 bytes)
Input File Layout
Name Start Length Description
------- ----- ------ ---------------------------------------------------
Account 1 18 Client/Matter code - TABS III numeric and mixed key
types can have ".", "-", or no separator between
client and matter codes. Alpha key types must
have "." or "-" separator between client and
matter codes.
Amount 22 7 $1.23 stored as 123 (padded with zeroes on left)
Date 30 6 Transaction date in MMDDYY format
Acct Desc 44 18 Used in descriptions
Note: The Account Description field is only displayed on a list of rejected
transactions that do not successfully merge in with TABS III.
Sample input file
Notes:
1) The first 3 lines are not part of the input file.
2) The "[" and "]" characters have been added to illustrate where the carriage
return/line feed combination would appear in each record.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100.00 0100000090 0430990000026 []
101.00 0100000133 0430990000004 []
123.45 0100000202 0430990000008 []
102.00 0100000290 0430990000003 []
103.00 0100001265 0430990000002 []
200.01 0100000027 0430990000002 []
200.02 0100000290 0430990000007 []
20001 0100000027 0430990000006 []
20002 0100000000 0430990000019 []
20003 0100000290 0430990000002 []
30000 0100003022 0430990000008 []
40000 0100000290 0430990000012 []
================================================================================
Format 3: Format for WinMMS (Either the "ASCII by Date Delimited" or the
"ASCII by Date 2000 Delimited" format will work)
Input File: The file can have any name
File Type: Variable Length (comma-delimited)
Input File Layout
Field Is Field
Number Converted? Field Description
------ ---------- ------------------------------------------------------------
1 Yes Client/Matter code - TABS III numeric and mixed key types
can have ".", "-", or no separator between client and
matter codes. Alpha key types must have "." or "-"
separator between client and matter codes.
2 No Job Number
3 Yes Date in MM/DD/YY format (or MM/DD/YYYY format for "ASCII
by Date 2000 Delimited" format)
4 No Operator Number
5 No Unit Number
6 No Class Number
7 No Minutes
8 No Number of Pieces
9 No Add On Amount
10 Yes Postage Amount
11 No Manual Transaction
Sample input file
"100.00","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,2,0.00,0.90,""
"101.00","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,1.33,""
"123.45","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,2.02,""
"102.00","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,2,0.00,2.90,""
"103.00","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,12.65,""
"200.01","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,0.27,""
"200.02","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,2,0.00,2.90,""
"20001","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,0.27,""
"20002","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,0.00,""
"20003","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,2,0.00,2.90,""
"30000","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,30.22,""
"40000","##NONE##","05/15/98","9999",1,1,1,3,0.00,2.90,""
==============================================================================
Validation File: The ASCOM program can create a client validation file
named CLIENT.DAT. There will be a record in the validation file for each
active client in TABS III.
Format
------
<client/matter co><client/matter na>
<client/matter co><client/matter na>
<client/matter co><client/matter na>
.
. (and so on for all clients in TABS III)
.
Notes:
1) The CLIENT.DAT file is written in a fixed length ASCII text format.
2) The text "<client/matter co>" stands for the the TABS III client/matter
code. It is padded with spaces on the right to be exactly 18
characters long.
3) Client/matter codes that are or numeric or mixed key types in TABS III
will be exported with no separator between the client and matter codes.
Client/matter codes that are alpha key types in TABS III will be exported
with a "-" between the client and matter codes.
4) The text "<client/matter na>" stands for the TABS III client/matter name.
It can be a maximum of 18 characters long. If the client/matter name is
less than 18 characters long, it is padded with spaces on the right to be
exactly 18 characters long. If the client/matter name is greater than 18
characters long, it will be truncated on the right.