Tabs3 TBDevice
CONVTRAK (ERS) Data Format

Overview

The Tabs3 TBDevice software [CONVTRAK (ERS) format] can be used to convert photocopies, faxes, phone calls, laser copies, database records, disbursements, and time transactions from the Control Systems ERS System software to be compatible with the Merge Tabs3 Remote Data program.

The TBDevice software must reside in the same directory as the Tabs3 software in order to work properly. The Control Systems ERS data must reside in the Tabs3 program directory. Details regarding the exact file layout can be found on the following page.

Installation

To install the TBDevice interface program on your hard disk:

  1. Insert the TBDevice interface program disk into your floppy disk drive.
  2. Click the Start button, and then click Run...
  3. Type A:SETUP or B:SETUP (depending on the floppy drive used), and then click OK.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to run the SETUP program.

    5. Note: The TBDevice interface program (TBDEVICE.EXE) must be installed in the same directory where the Tabs3 program resides.

Configuring the Data Collection Device Type

Before you can convert any data from a data collection device, TBDevice must be configured to handle the necessary format. The main purpose of the configuration is to map the disbursement codes to Tabs3 tcodes with the information that will be imported into Tabs3.

  1. From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDevice icon to start the TBDevice software.
  2. If the Logon dialog box is displayed, enter your User ID and Password and click OK.
  3. From the File menu, select the Configure option.
  4. The Configuration window will be displayed. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field and select CONVTRAK (ERS).
  5. Select the Default check box if you want to make the CONVTRAK (ERS) device the default in the Conversion and Validation programs.
  6. In the File field, type the name of the file containing the data from the collection device (i.e., erscust.dat).
  7. Click the More Config button. In the Disbursement column, map the following disbursement codes to Tabs3 tcodes by clicking the drop-down arrow next to the corresponding tcode field and selecting a Tabs3 tcode. (Note: If a disbursement does not need to be mapped, NA can be entered in the field. When NA is specified, the next time you access the CONVTRAK (ERS) configuration, that Disbursement field will be unavailable. If you need to change the mapping, you will have to delete the tbdevice.dat file from the TBDEVICE program directory. Doing so will require you to reconfigure all previously configured formats.)
       C Photocopy 
       F Fax
       P Phone Call 
       L Laser Copy
       D Database
       X Disbursement
       T Time
  8. If you want the description for the Tabs3 transaction to use the tcode description, select the Use Tcode Descriptions check box.
  9. If you want the description added to a Tabs3 transaction to use all uppercase letters, select the Upper Case Text check box.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click the Save button.
  12. Close the Configuration window.

Creating Validation Files

A client validation file named CLIENT.DAT can be created that is used by the Control Systems ERS system. This file will contain a record for each active client/matter that exists in the Tabs3 Client file. Use the following procedure to create the validation file:
  1. If the TBDevice program is already started, skip to step 3. From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDEVICE icon to start the TBDevice program.
  2. If the Logon dialog box is displayed, enter your User ID and Password and click OK.
  3. From the File menu, select the Validation option.
  4. A Validation window will be displayed. If the CONVTRAK (ERS) device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the CONVTRAK (ERS) format.
  5. Click the Create button.
  6. Once the CLIENT.DAT file is created, click OK.
  7. Click Cancel to close the Validation window.
  8. Transfer the CLIENT.DAT file to the Control Systems ERS system.

    9. Note: Validation files should be recreated and transferred to the Control Systems ERS system after changes have been made to the client file in Tabs3.

Converting the Control Systems ERS Data

Use the following procedure for conversion:
  1. Copy the file containing the data from the collection device to the Tabs3 directory.
  2. If the TBDevice program is already started, skip to step 4. From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDEVICE icon to start the TBDEVICE program.
  3. If the Logon dialog box is displayed, enter your User ID and Password and click OK.
  4. From the File menu, select the Convert option.
  5. A Conversion window will be displayed. If the CONVTRAK (ERS) device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the CONVTRAK (ERS) format.
  6. Click the Convert button. The program will look for the ERSCUST.DAT file name. If the file is found to contain data, the program will read transactions from the file and increment the Processed count for every transaction that is read. All transactions that are successfully converted will increment the Added count and will be written to the Tabs3 Remote data files (RMT*.*).

    Note: A TBDEVICE.LOG file is created and will contain any records that were not converted. If no errors were encountered during the conversion, then the TBDEVICE.LOG file will be a zero byte file.

    Note: If you are using a full user system, the data file containing the logged data will automatically be deleted when the conversion is complete to avoid double posting of the data. However, when using a trial system, the data file is not deleted.
  7. When the process is complete, the data files will have been created allowing you to merge the information into Tabs3 using the Merge Tabs3 Remote Data program. To merge the files, start Tabs3. From the Integration task folder, select Merge Tabs3 Remote Data. This program will merge the remote data files created by the TBDevice program (RMT*.*) with your main Tabs3 data files. The Tabs3 Help includes complete details regarding the Merge Tabs3 Remote Data program.

Note: You can change the disbursement transaction codes and the detail description options used by the CONTRAK (ERS) format by selecting File | Configure.

ERSCUST.DAT File Layout

File Type: Fixed Length (various lengths depending on the transaction type)

Note: The record length for each transaction type is different. The following table lists the possible transaction types and record lengths:

Type

Description

Length

C

Photocopy

184

F

Fax

217

P

Phone Call

201

L

Laser Copy

176

D

Database

195

X

Disbursement

175

T

Time

187

 

Name

Start

Length

Description

Transaction Type

1

1

Either a "C", "F", "P", "L", "D", "X", or "T"

Client/Matter Number

2

16

Can have a "." or "-" or no separator between

Transaction Date

20

6

Transaction date in YYMMDD format

Description

70

32

Transaction description - used in converted descriptions

Fields Specific to Photocopies

Copy Count

159

8

Used in converted descriptions

Amount

175

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Faxes

City

166

8

Used in converted descriptions

State

174

2

Used in converted descriptions

Page Count

184

8

Used in converted descriptions

Amount

208

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Phone Calls

City

166

8

Used in converted descriptions

State

174

2

Used in converted descriptions

Amount

192

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Laser Copies

Page Count

151

8

Used in converted descriptions

Amount

167

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Database Transactions

Amount

186

6

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Miscellaneous Disbursements

Amount

166

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Fields Specific to Time Transactions

Timekeeper

30

8

Has to correspond to the Tabs3 timekeeper number

Amount

178

8

$1.23 stored as 123

Sample ERSCUST.DAT data file:

Note: Each record has been divided into 3 separate sections (2 75 byte sections followed by a 34/67/51/26/45/25/37 byte section for record type C/F/P/L/D/X/T) so the records won't be truncated on the page. Also, the first 3 lines are not part of the ERSCUST.DAT file.

 

         1         2         3         4         5         6         7
123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C100.00          199502011116                                        SUBPOE
NAS                       COPFAX02WAGNER                          5516    1
       3       3      75      75
F200.01          199502021626                                              
                          COPFAX02SMITHC                          1186    1
8002530332     NEW CASTDE      68       2     550       0     550
P200.02          199502161125                                        21    
                          PHONTRAKEXT21                                   3
023258900      NEW CASTDE      78      61      61
X200.03          199502081210                                              
                          COPFAX01HENRY                           2179    P
OSTAGE     1441    1441
D300.00          199502031124                                              
                          COPFAX01ADAMS                           0796    L
EXIS                    180    2995    2995
L400.00          199502031447                                              
                          COPFAX01GUTH                            5804    1
     112    1120    1120
T402.00          199502031459003                                     CORP D
OCUMENTS                  COPFAX01GUTH                            5804    1
99502272314     960    9750    9750

Startup Options

Command line options can be used when starting TBDevice to bypass the User ID prompt and automatically execute the Convert and Validation programs thereby eliminating user interaction. These startup options can be quite useful when implemented as part of a batch file.

The following are examples of the available startup options:

Bypass the User ID prompt F:\STI\TBDEVICE.EXE ALICE

Convert F:\STI\TBDEVICE.EXE /CONVERT CONVTRAK (ERS)

Validation F:\STI\TBDEVICE.EXE /VALIDATION CONVTRAK (ERS)

Note: The normal "sign in" routine is used when TBDevice is started with the "/CONVERT" or "/VALIDATION" options. If you have not specified a User ID on the command line, you will be required to enter the User ID. If password security has been defined, you will also be required to enter the password before the Convert or Validation program will proceed.

The TBDevice Help includes complete details regarding Startup Options.

2003/12