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Flexible Upload 

Use

The flexible upload was developed in three directions: 1) The upload now encompasses more objects of consolidation; 2) the features were enhanced; and 3) the functionality was standardized so that certain options, which were previously restricted to special uploads, can now be used equally by all uploads.

The flexible upload with extended functionality is now available for the following objects of consolidation:
The upload of consolidation group hierarchies is now integrated in the flexible upload of consolidation groups. The principle is the same as for the upload of FS item hierarchies. (See the documentation relating to this in the Implementation Guide.) The header requires the entry dimension, version, year and period. The rows with hierarchy information (indicator '4') follow the fixed structure: consolidation group, consolidation group/consolidation unit (from), consolidation unit (to), year of first consolidation, period of first consolidation, indicators: first consolidation at the period end, year of divestiture accounting, period of divestiture accounting, indicators: divestiture accounting at the period start, parent indicator. Example: A file with hierarchy information for dimension 01, version 100, hierarchies H1, H2, would be approximately structured as follows:
1;01;100;2000;001
...
4;01;H1
4;H1;CG1
4;CG1;CG2
4;CG2;CU1;;;;;;;;X
4;CG2;CU2;CU5
4;CG1;CG3
4;CG3;CU6;2000;006;;2002;012;;X
...
4;01;H2
...
With the help of uploads of breakdown categories, which are available for the first time, the upload of complete consolidation chart of accounts is now possible, by first uploading the breakdown categories and subsequently the FS items including the breakdown category assignment.
The specification of the breakdown occurs analogue to online Customizing. Though the entry of the technical field names of the subassignments is necessary for the upload. (Tip: existing breakdown categories can be comfortably exported from the master data listing of breakdown categories (accessible from the maintenance transaction via the printer icon), so that they can be imported again with the help of a suitably defined upload method.)
Up to now the upload of reported financial data worked with just one header, followed by data rows. All remaining uploads expected a row type indicator at the beginning of each row, which enabled the entry of several headers within a file, as well as marking long texts and hierarchy information (See also the online documentation (F1 help) in the maintenance of upload methods).
By using row type indicators, you can now decide on the definition of the upload method.
For the upload of reported financial data, different update modes were available in earlier releases, with which the treatment of already existing data records could be specified. No explicit choice could be made for the remaining uploads.
As of this release (for non-reported financial data) there are four different update modes to choose from: Existing settings: delete all, delete uploaded, overwrite, do not change. For which settings this grading applies, is dependent on the respective context. For further information see the online documentation (F1 help) in the method maintenance (Tip: the aggregation step in which records are 'deleted' or 'not changed', corresponds to the most detailed hierarchy step in the 'statistic of modified objects' in the log).
The field catalog 'Dialog box' for online entry is now available for all uploads (previously only reported financial data).
The field name 'free field' is now available for all uploads. It can be assigned to all field catalogs as often as you want. The respective column in the file is not interpreted when executing the flexible upload. This enables processing of files, which contain additional information unknown to consolidation. (Tip: The content of the free files is available in the user exit.)
The pushbutton 'upload method' goes to the maintenance of upload methods. If a method is already entered, then it goes to its definition. Changes, which you make in the method definition, are immediately effective after returning to the initial screen.
The pushbutton 'file' reads the currently entered file for display in a text editor. If desired you can also change and save the file there. (Tip: Use this function to avoid confusion when working simultaneously with several files.)
The entry of the file format is no longer imperative. A missing entry defaults to text format ('ASC').
Previously you could only distinguish between a detailed log and statistical information. In the course of the enhancement and standardization of the upload log (see below), now an added option exists to only display data records with errors or warnings.
The log output of the flexible upload was brought into line with the standard of remaining consolidation functions. The upload of reported financial data profits from this in particular. In comparison with the earlier log it results in the following advantages:
The log is divided into three sections:
The detailed log about the precessed data records is divided further into a technical check of the imported data records, a semantic check of the interpreted records and a check whether the records can be written or not. This enables you to analyze the causes of errors exactly.
The message statistic gives information on the number of records with information, warnings and erorrs. Every data record is easily included (with the most serious message) in the statistic. The records without erorrs of a sub-log form the basis for the subsequent sub-log.
When uploading master data, the statistic gives information about how many objects were deleted, added, changed or unchanged by the upload. Every object (for example consolidation unit) only counts once here, independent of the number of data records belonging to it. Tip: Be aware, with the help of these statistics, of the fact that data records can be deleted or changed inadvertently.
During the upload of transaction data the statistic breaks down the number of data records without errors. (They appear in the log under 'added', independent of whether records already existed.) Tip: Position the cursor on this statistic for the upload of reported financial data, to go to the corresponding listing of the totals records.