Meridian Norstar Hourglass Interface Program
Version 1.1

Overview

The Hourglass interface program is a DOS program. It is used to convert timer and telephone records from a Meridian Norstar Phone System to be compatible with the Tabs3 Merge Data Capture Transactions program. The Hourglass interface program must reside in the same directory as the Tabs3 programs in order to work properly.

This program only works with "closed collection" files. Hourglass timer records are accumulated and stored in binary files and are sequentially named N0000001, N0000002, N0000003, etc. When you close the binary files using Hourglass Administration, closed collection files are created. These closed collection files are distinguished from the open collection files by their extensions. Closed regular Timer collection files have a filename extension of TSD and closed Long Distance Timer collection files have an extension of LSD (the S stands for stored). Open collection files have TCD and LCD extensions (the C stands for current). After closing your collection files, you can determine the names of the newly closed files by exiting to DOS and entering the DOS command "DIR *.?SD". The newly closed files will be displayed on your screen with today's date (i.e. the closing date). For example: N000012.LSD and N000012.TSD.

Both fee and cost transactions can be converted by the Hourglass interface program. When converting a TSD file, fee transactions will be converted. When converting an LSD file, cost transactions will be converted. You can configure the Hourglass interface program to ignore timer records that have a timed duration less than a duration of your choosing. You can also configure the Hourglass interface program to ignore long distance call records whose costs are less than a specified dollar amount of your choosing.

The Hourglass interface program (HOURCONV.EXE) must reside in the same directory as the Tabs3 programs in order to work properly. The Tabs3 program directory can be found by starting Tabs3 and selecting Help | About Tabs3.

Note: Numbers do not allow decimal points. The Hourglass interface program will automatically insert a decimal point based on the Key Length defined in the Tabs3 system (i.e. if Tabs3 is set up for file numbers with two decimal places, an Hourglass file number of 10000 will be imported as 100.00).

Important: Tabs3 fee transactions require an attorney number for each timer transaction. You must configure the Hourglass program in a certain way to accomplish this. From the main menu of Hourglass, access the Configure Hourglass System menu. Then, select Register Telephone Sets. Each Set Number has a User Name associated with it. Immediately following the User Name, enter a "/" character and the User's Tabs3 timekeeper number. For example:

        A.G. Bell/12

        W. Churchill/24

You may need to abbreviate names that are too long, but it is important that a "/" character and the Tabs3 timekeeper number are the last characters in the User Name field for each telephone set. This will allow the Hourglass interface program to convert timer collection records properly.

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 Tabs3 by selecting the following menu options Maintenance | Integration | Create Validation Files. When creating validation files, select a Validation File Type of Data Capture Device.

Note: This DOS program cannot be run under a 64-bit operating system. Although it can be installed on a 64-bit server, it must be run from a non-64-bit workstation.

Installation

The Hourglass interface program (HOURCONV.EXE) must be transferred to the directory on your hard disk where the Tabs3 program files reside. This is done by using the SETUP program on the Hourglass interface program CD.

To install the Hourglass interface program on your hard disk:

  1. Insert the Hourglass interface CD into your CD drive.
     
  2. The installation program will automatically start.

    Note: If the CD Autorun feature is disabled, click the Start button, and then click Run…  Click the Browse button and navigate to the CD drive.  Double-click the LAUNCH.EXE file.  Click OK.
     
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software onto your hard disk.

Executing the HOURGLASS Interface Program

Use the following procedure for conversion:

  1. Transfer a closed collection file from your phone system to your computer's hard disk in the directory where the Tabs3 programs reside.
     
  2. From a DOS prompt, start the interface program by entering:

    3.         HOURCONV filename

    where filename is the name of the closed collection file to be converted. It should end with an extension of either TSD or LSD.
     

  3. The first time you run the HOURCONV program, you will be asked to enter the Tabs3 fee transaction code number that you would like to use for timer transactions. You should add a transaction code in Tabs3 with a Type Code of 5 (Miscellaneous) with a description that can be used when importing Hourglass timer transactions. Timer records that have a non-blank Task Name and/or Task Detail Name will be converted using the Task Name descriptions for the Tabs3 transaction description text. However, if the Task Name descriptions are blank then the description for the Type 5 tcode that you specify here will be used.
     

    4. You will also be asked to enter the Tabs3 cost transaction code number that you use for telephone cost transactions. You can also specify the minimum phone call duration before a fee transaction will be created. For example, if you don't want to charge a fee for phone calls less than 6 minutes, enter 6. Lastly, you will be asked to specify a minimum cost to be billed for phone calls. Any long distance calls less than the amount that you specify here will not be converted.
     

  4. Next, 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 filename that you specify containing the Hourglass phone data. If the file is found to contain data, the program will display the message "Converting Transactions" followed by a count for each transaction read from the file. The files T3FEEKEY.REM, T3FEE.REM, T3FDESC1.REM or T3EXPKEY.REM, T3EXP.REM, T3EDESC1.DTA will be created which can be merged with the main Tabs3 data files. You must start Tabs3 and run the Merge Data Capture Transactions program.

Note: If you are not using a demo version of the program, the closed collection file that you specified when starting the interface program will be deleted from your Tabs3 directory when the conversion is complete to avoid double posting of the data.

Note: You may change the telephone transaction codes in the future by deleting the file HOURCONV.PRM which is created in your Tabs3 directory. This will enable you to go through the setup procedure described above in Step 3 as a first time user of the program.

20100720