Norstar Call Accounting Interface Program
Version 2.1

Overview

The Norstar program is a DOS program. It is used to convert telephone expense transactions from a Norstar Call Accounting System to be compatible with the Tabs3 Merge Data Capture Transactions program. The Norstar program must reside in the same directory as the Tabs3 programs in order to work properly.

The Norstar Call Accounting program does not allow the entry of decimal points or special characters (* or #). The interface program assumes that the Tabs3 Client/Matter number entered on the phone keypad will be entered as a single number. For example, if the client/matter number in Tabs3 is 200.03, the number should be entered as 20003 on the phone keypad. The interface program will automatically insert a decimal point based on the key length defined in Tabs3. All trailing zeroes in the Tabs3 client/matter number must be entered. For example, if the client/matter number in Tabs3 is 200.00, the number must be entered as 20000 on the phone keypad.

The Norstar interface program (NORSTARC.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: 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 Norstar interface program (NORSTARC.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 Norstar interface program CD.

To install the Norstar interface program on your hard disk:

  1. Insert the Norstar 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 NORSTAR Interface Program

Use the following procedure for conversion:

  1. Create a data file from your Norstar Call Accounting system by entering the export utility of the Call Accounting program. Choose the phone calls desired and enter the file name where the data should be stored. The file name entered here should be the same one entered in Step 3 of these instructions. Transfer the data file from the Norstar Call Accounting subdirectory to the directory where your Tabs3 data resides.
     
  2. From a DOS prompt, start the interface program by entering:

            NORSTARC
     
  3. The first time you run the Norstar program, you will be asked to enter the Tabs3 transaction code number that you use for phone calls. You will also be asked to specify a minimum amount for phone calls. Any transactions with a cost below the minimum will be ignored. You will also be asked to specify the file name of the Norstar phone data. Once you specify the transaction code number, minimum cost and filename, the Norstar interface program will use those same values each time you run the Norstar interface program.
     
  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 data file containing the Norstar Call Accounting data. If the data file is found to contain data, the program will display the message "Converting Transactions" followed by a counter as each transaction is read from the file. The files T3EXPKEY.REM, T3EXP.REM and T3EDESC1.REM will be created which can be merged with the main Tabs3 data files. You must then start Tabs3 and run the Merge Data Capture Transactions program.

Note: If you are not using a demo version of the program, the data file will automatically be deleted when the conversion is complete to avoid double posting of the data.

Note: You may change the phone call transaction code, minimum amount, or data file name used by the Norstar Call Accounting program by deleting the file NORSTARC.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.

2008/12/15