SoftSolutions Interface Program
Version 1.2

Overview

The SOFTSOL program is a DOS program. It is used to convert expense transactions from a SoftSolutions Advanced Document Management System to be compatible with the TABS III Merge Data Capture Transactions program.

The SOFTSOL program must reside in the same directory as the TABS III data files.

Billing in SoftSolutions is performed only if the BILL? flag in the Control File screen is Yes. The rate at which documents are billed is based on the Document Type, the user creating or editing the document, and the Hourly Rate in the Control File screen.

Fields to keep track of the TABS III Client/Matter number need to be defined as Custom Prompt Definitions in the SoftSolutions Advanced Document Management System. One field must be defined for the TABS III Client number and one field for the TABS III Matter number.

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.

Installation

The SoftSolutions interface program (SOFTSOL.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 Softsol interface program disk.

To install the Softsol interface program on your hard disk:

  1. Insert the Softsol 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.

Executing the SoftSolutions Interface Program

Use the following procedure for conversion:

  1. Create a data file from your SoftSolutions Advanced Document Management System by using the SoftSolutions Report Writer utility. Create a Billing report with the following fields included, in the exact order shown:

    2.         Billing Date
            Client Number (Custom Prompt)
            Matter Number (Custom Prompt)
            Document Number
            Author
            Revision Duration
            Pages Printed
            Amount

    The report format must be Delimited ASCII. The output file name entered here should be the same one entered in Step 3 of these instructions. Transfer the data file from the SoftSolutions subdirectory to the directory where your TABS III data resides.

  2. From a DOS prompt, start the interface program by entering:

    3.         SOFTSOL

  3. The first time you run the SOFTSOL program, you will be asked to enter the TABS III transaction code number that you use for document cost transactions. You will also be asked to specify the file name of the SoftSolutions cost data file. Once you specify the transaction code number and filename, the SOFTSOL interface program will use those same values each time you run the SOFTSOL 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 SoftSolutions 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 TABS III data files. You must then start TABS III 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 cost transaction code or data file name used by the SoftSolutions interface program by deleting the file SOFTSOL.PRM which is created in your TABS III program directory. This will enable you to go through the setup procedure described above in Step 3 as a first time user of the program.