TBDEVICE Interface Program
JASPrint Data Format
Overview
The TABS III Data Collection Device Conversion program (JASPrint format) can be used to convert print and photocopy expense transactions from Network Printing Solution’s JASPrint system to be compatible with the Merge TABS III Remote Data program.
The TBDEVICE program must reside in the same directory as the TABS III program in order to work properly. The JASPrint data file must reside in the TABS III 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:
- Insert the TBDEVICE interface program disk into your floppy disk drive.
- Click the Start button, and then click Run...
- Type A:SETUP or B:SETUP (depending on the floppy drive used), and then click OK.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to run the SETUP program.
Note: The TBDEVICE interface program (TBDEVICE.EXE) must be installed in the same directory where the TABS III 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 specify the name of the collection device data file and specify a default tcode.
- From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDEVICE icon to start the TBDEVICE program.
- Enter your User ID and Password in the STI Logon dialog box and click OK.
- From the File menu, select the Configure option.
- The "Data Collection Device Configuration" window will be displayed. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field and select JASPrint.
- In the File field, type the name of the file containing the data from the collection device (i.e., JASPRINT.DAT).
- Select the Default check box if you want to make the JASPrint device the default in the TABS III Data Collection Conversion program.
- Click the drop-down arrow next to the Tcode field to select the transaction code number that you use for print/photocopy charges.
- Click the More Config button.
- In the Descriptions section, the Use Tcode Descriptions check box is selected by default. When this check box is selected, the tcode description is used in the cost transaction’s description field. Clear this check box if you want a blank transaction description instead. Select the Upper Case Text check box if the Use Tcode Descriptions check box is selected and you want to use all upper case letters in the cost transaction description.
- Click OK to close the More Configuration window.
- Click the Save button.
- Close the "Data Collection Device Configuration" window.
Creating Validation Files
A client validation file named JASPRINT.CV can be created that is used by the JASPrint System. This file will contain a record for each active client/matter that exists in the TABS III Client file. Use the following procedure to create the validation file:
- From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDEVICE icon to start the TBDEVICE program.
- From the File menu, select the Validation option.
- The "Data Collection Device Validation" window will be displayed. If the JASPrint device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the JASPrint format.
- Click the Create button.
- Once the JASPRINT.CV file is created, click OK.
- Click Cancel to close the Data Collection Device Validation window.
- Transfer the JASPRINT.CV file to the JASPrint system.
Note: Validation files should be recreated and transferred to the JASPrint system after changes have been made to the client file in TABS III.
Converting the JASPrint Data
Use the following procedure for conversion:
- Copy the file containing the data from the collection device (JASPRINT.DAT) to the TABS III directory.
- From the Software Technology folder, double-click the TBDEVICE icon to start the TBDEVICE program.
- Enter your User ID and Password in the STI Logon dialog box and click OK.
- From the File menu, select the Convert option.
- The "Data Collection Device Conversion" window will be displayed. If the JASPrint device is not displayed in the Device field, click the drop-down arrow next to the Device field to select the JASPrint format.
- Verify that the file name to be converted (JASPRINT.DAT) is displayed in the File field.
- Click the Convert button. The program will look for the file name specified in the "TABS III Data Collection Device Configuration" window. 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 TABS III 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 data collection information 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.
- When the process is complete, the data files will have been created allowing you to merge the information into TABS III using the Merge TABS III Remote Data program. To merge the files, start TABS III. From the Integration Task Folder, select Merge TABS III Remote Data. This program will merge the remote data files created by the TBDEVICE program (RMT*.*) with your main TABS III data files. The TABS III online Help includes complete details regarding the Merge TABS III Remote Data program.
Note: You can change the print/photocopy transaction code and the detail description options used by the JASPrint format by selecting File | Configure.
Input Field Positions
The following information is imported from the JASPrint data file.
|
Field |
Position |
|
Client |
1 |
|
Matter |
2 |
|
Date |
3 |
|
Amount |
4 |
|
Phase |
5 |
|
Activity |
6 |
|
Tcode |
7 |
Notes
Each field is delimited by a comma. The quotation marks at the beginning and end of each field are optional.
The Client ID can be up to 12 characters in length. It must precisely match Client IDs that are entered into TABS III.
If using an Alpha Key Type, the full Client ID must be entered in the Client field including the decimal place. The Matter field is left blank.
The Date field includes the date followed by the time. The date must be in an mm/dd/yyyy format. The time is not used.
The Phase field is
optional and can be used to specify a Phase Task Code.
The Activity field
is optional and can be used to specify an Activity Code.
The Tcode field is
optional and can be used to specify a tcode. If a tcode is not included in the
import data file, the default tcode specified in the configuration will be
used.
Sample Data File
The following is an example of a JASPrint data file.
"1","000","9/03/2002 11:02:02AM","0.10","B240","A106",""
"2","000","9/02/2002 7:02:02AM","3","","","059"
"100","001","9/04/2002 8:12:05AM","2.20","","",""
"202","002","9/14/2002 9:22:15AM","1.50","","",""
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 JASPRINT
Validation F:\STI\TBDEVICE.EXE /VALIDATION JASPRINT
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 online Help includes complete details regarding Startup Options.
2002/12