Timeslips Interface Program
Version 1.6

Overview

The Timeslips interface program (CONVTS.EXE) is a DOS program. It is used to convert time and expense transactions from a TIMESLIPS file to be compatible with the TABS III Merge Data Capture Transactions program.

Prior to converting the Timeslips file using CONVTS, you must first define the TABS III timekeepers, clients and transaction codes in your Timeslips data files (referred to as users, accounts and activities by Timeslips). The corresponding TABS III code numbers must be right justified and preceded with a "/" character in the Timeslips data files. Note that this process only needs to be done one time and not each time that you convert the Timeslips data to TABS III. Refer to the section "Defining TABS III Names in Timeslips" for more detailed information.

The Timeslips data must be exported to a file named TIMESLIP.DTA. Refer to the section "Exporting Timeslips Data" for more detailed information on creating and exporting to the TIMESLIP.DTA file. The TIMESLIP.DTA file must be copied to the directory where the TABS III data files reside.

Note: The Create Validation Files program must be run before you can successfully use this data capture device interface program. The Create Validation Files program is found in TABS III by selecting the following menu options Maintenance|Integration|Create Validation Files. When creating validation files, select a Validation File Type of Data Capture Device.

This particular data capture device uses the information from the Tcode file. When running the Create Validation Files program the Tcode check box must be selected. The Client, Timekeeper, and Category check boxes can be cleared. This will result in a TBCUSTOM.DTA, T3LOG.DTA, T3TCODE.DTA, and a T3TCDESC.DTA file being created, which are the only files required by this interface program. The Create Validation Files program will need to be run for this data capture device each time you add or change Tcode information in TABS III.

Installation

The Timeslips interface program (CONVTS.EXE) must be transferred to the directory on your hard disk where the TABS III program files reside. This is done by using the INSTALL program on the Timeslips interface program disk.

To install the Timeslips interface program on your hard disk:

  1. Insert the Timeslips interface program disk into your floppy disk drive.
  2. From a DOS prompt, make the floppy disk drive the default drive by entering the drive letter followed by a "colon". For example, if your floppy disk drive is drive A, then enter:

    3.         A:

  3. From the floppy disk drive prompt, enter the command:

    4.         INSTALL

    Note: The INSTALL program has a built-in search feature that will find where your TABS III program files reside. On larger network hard drives, this search feature can take quite a bit of time. If you know where the TABS III program files reside, you can bypass this search feature by entering the path following the install command. For example, if the TABS III program files reside on drive F: in a directory named "STI", you would enter: INSTALL F:\STI

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software onto your hard disk. The Install program will locate your TABS III software on your hard disk so that the interface program can be transferred to the same directory as TABS III. After the installation process, the message "Installation Complete" will be displayed.
    5.

Executing the Timeslips Interface Program

First, the Timeslips data must be exported to a file named TIMESLIP.DTA. Refer to the section "Exporting Timeslips Data" for more detailed information on creating and exporting to the TIMESLIP.DTA file. Then the TIMESLIP.DTA file must be copied to the directory where the TABS III programs and data files reside.

After transferring the TIMESLIP.DTA file to the directory where the TABS III programs and data files reside, from a DOS prompt, enter the command "CONVTS" to prepare the Timeslips data in the TIMESLIP.DTA file to be merged with TABS III. You will be asked "Is it OK to continue? (Y/N)". If you enter "N" the program will be aborted. If you enter "Y" the program will look for the TIMESLIP.DTA file containing Timeslips data. If the TIMESLIP.DTA file is found to contain data, the program will display the message "Converting Transactions" followed by a "." for each transaction read from the file. As the transactions are being read, they will be converted so they will be compatible with the TABS III Merge Data Capture Transactions program.

When the CONVTS program is done, the following files will exist: T3FEEKEY.REM, T3FEE.REM, T3FDESC1.REM, T3EXPKEY.REM, T3EDESC1.REM and T3EXP.REM. You must then start TABS III and run the Merge Data Capture Transactions program. This program will merge the data files (*.REM) created by the CONVTS program with your main TABS III data files.

Note: If you are not using a demo version of the program, the TIMESLIP.DTA file will automatically be deleted when the CONVTS program is done to prevent double posting the data.

Defining TABS III Names in Timeslips

Prior to converting the Timeslips file using CONVTS, you must first define the TABS III timekeepers, clients and transaction codes in your Timeslips data files (referred to as users, accounts and activities by Timeslips). The corresponding TABS III code numbers must be right justified and preceded with a "/" character in the Timeslips name file. This only needs to be done once prior to running the CONVTS program for the first time.

See the sample user, account, and activity name files defined below:

User

From the TSTIMER Main Menu screen press F4 to DEFINE NAMES. Then press F4 again to DEFINE USERS (same as timekeeper in TABS III):

User

rate

1

Sam Kramer /01  

 $50.00

2

S. Marrows /02  

 $52.00

3

Undefined       

Account

From the TSTIMER Main Menu screen press F4 to DEFINE NAMES. Then press F6 to DEFINE ACCOUNTS (same as client in TABS III):

Account

rate

1

Jeffer I/200.01  

 $

2

Barrett /101.00  

 $

3

Lopes M /300.00  

 $50.00

4

Jeffer I/200.02  

 $

5

Undefined        

Activity

From the TSTIMER Main Menu screen press F4 to DEFINE NAMES. Then press F8 to DEFINE ACTIVITIES (same as transaction code in TABS III):

Activity

cat

tax

rate

1  

Office conf/001  

B

N

 $

2  

Phone conf /003  

B

N

 $

21  

$photocopy /021  

N

23  

$filing fee/023  

N

5  

Undefined        

Exporting Timeslips Data

The Timeslips data must be exported to a file named TIMESLIP.DTA using the Timeslips TSREPORT module (described in Chapter 5 of the Timeslips manual).

Start up the TSREPORT module. On the left side of the TSREPORT Main Screen you will see a menu of reporting options (Report Generator Menu). There are seven steps required to produce the necessary export data file. You must perform these steps in the order they appear on the Report Generator Menu:

  1. Which file will the timeslips come from?
  2. Which timeslips will be included in the output?
  3. Select & sort timeslips (sorting is not necessary, only selecting)
  4. In what format? - select user defined using the following format (in the order shown):

    5. Field

    Name

    Format

    1

    		 User (timekeeper) name

    2

    		 Account (client) name

    3

    		 Activity (tcode) name

    4

    		 Description lines 1 - 4 (5000 characters maximum) (version 5 use all paragraphs)

    5

    		 Last date mm/dd/yy

    6

    		 Accum time hr. decimal

    7

    		 Hourly rate by bill rate

    8

    		 $ Amount billable $
  5. To what device? - select send to file in interchange format
  6. Name of file - TIMESLIP.DTA
  7. Mark as exported? - yes
    8.