Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice)
Danyl-Expense Logger Data Format

Overview

The Tabs3 Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) software (DANYL-Expense Logger format) can be used to convert photocopy expense transactions from the Danyl Expense Logger system to be compatible with the Merge Tabs3 Remote Data program.

The Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) program must reside in the same directory as the Tabs3 programs in order to work properly. The Danyl-Expense Logger data must reside in the Tabs3 program directory. Details regarding the exact file layout can be found on the following page.

Installation

The Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) program must be installed to the directory on your hard disk where the Tabs3 program resides. The Tabs3 program directory can be found in Tabs3 by selecting Help | About Tabs3.

  1. Insert the enclosed CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.
  2. A CD Browser program will automatically start. 

    Note:  If the CD-ROM Autorun feature is disabled, click the Start button, and then click Run... Click the Browse button and navigate to the CD-ROM drive. Double-click the LAUNCH.EXE file. Click OK.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the selected systems.

Configuring the Data Collection Device Type

Before you can convert any data from a data collection device, Tabs3 Device Interface (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 Tabs3 & PracticeMaster folder, double-click the Data Collection Device Conversion icon to start the Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) program.
  2. If the Logon dialog box is displayed, enter your User ID and Password and click OK.
    3.
  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 DANYL-Expense Logger.
  5. Select the Default check box if you want to make the DAYNL-Expense Logger device the default in the Conversion and Validation programs.
  6. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Tcode field to select the transaction code number to be used for records with a disbursement code of 00 - photocopies.
  7. Click the More Config button. Map up to 10 Danyl Expense Logger disbursement codes to Tabs3 tcodes.
  8. If you want the description added to a Tabs3 transaction to use all uppercase letters, select the Upper Case Text check box. 
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click the Save button.
  11. Close the Configuration window.

Creating Validation Files

A client validation file named TRACER.CV2 can be created that is used by the Danyl Expense Logger 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 Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) program is already started, skip to step 3. From the Tabs3 & PracticeMaster folder, double-click the Data Collection Device Conversion Data Collection Device Conversion icon to start the Tabs3 Device Interface (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. The Validation window will be displayed. If the Danyl-Expense Logger device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the DANYL-Expense Logger format.
  5. Click the Create button.
  6. Once the TRACER.CV2 file is created, click OK. 
  7. Click Cancel to close the Validation window.
  8. Transfer the TRACER.CV2 file to the Danyl-Expense Logger system.

    9. Note: Validation files should be recreated and transferred to the Danyl-Expense Logger system after changes have been made to the client file in Tabs3.

Converting the Danyl-Expense Logger 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 Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) program is already started, skip to step 4. From the Tabs3 & PracticeMaster folder, double-click the Data Collection Device Conversion icon to start the Tabs3 Device Interface (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. The Conversion window will be displayed. If the Danyl-Expense Logger device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the Danyl-Expense Logger format.
  6. Click the Convert button. The program will look for the TRACER.LGS file name. If the file is found to contain data, the program will read transactions from the file and increment the Processedd 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 include a start and finish time.

    Note: If you are using a full user system, the data file containing the logged photocopies will automatically be deleted when the conversion is complete to avoid double posting of the data. However, when using a demo 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 Tabs3 Device Interface (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 Danyl-Expense Logger format by selecting File | Configure.

File Layout

The following information is imported from the Danyl-Expense Logger data file.

TRACER.LGS File Layout

Field #

Is Field Converted?

Field

Format

1

Yes

Date

MM/DD/YY

2

No

Time

HH:MM

3

No

Unit Number

01 thru 95

4

Yes

Disbursement Code

00 thru 99

5

Yes

Amount

nnn.nn format

6

No

Copy Count

1 thru 99999

7

Yes

Phone Number

nnn-nnn-nnnn or 011nnnnnnnn

8

No

User Initials

  

9

Yes

Client Number

  

10

Yes

 PMatter/File Number  
   

CrLf

carriage return/line feed

Notes

Sample Data File

The following is an example of a Danyl-Expense Logger data file.

01/08/09,08:57,01,13,00002.50,00025," ","PJT",101,00
01/08/09,09:14,01,14,00004.25,00000,"609-234-8000","WF ",200,03
01/08/09,10:15,02,14,00015.00,00000,"212-921-1175","WF ",200,0101/09/02,09:10,01,11,00003.75,00035," ","PJT",200,03
01/09/09,10:15,01,13,00005.00,00042," ","PRM",200,02

Startup Optionss

Command line options can be used when starting Tabs3 Device Interface (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   C:\Program Files\Tabs3\TBDEVICE.EXE ALICE

Convert   C:\Program Files\Tabs3\TBDEVICE.EXE /CONVERT DANYL – EXPENSE LOGGER

Validation   C:\Program Files\Tabs3\TBDEVICE.EXE /VALIDATION DANYL – EXPENSE LOGGER

Note: The normal "sign in" routine is used when Tabs3 Device Interface (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 Tabs3 Device Interface (TBDevice) Help includes complete details regarding Startup Options.

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