Datafile Software Namespaces The element names defined within a schema relate just to that schema. But someone may, for very good reason, want to vary a standard schema. BOSSFed, for instance, base their schemas on the BASDA ones, but include... Read More

Datafile Software   Keyboard Shortcuts Alt - L Ledger Enquiries Alt - = Calculator Alt - B Desktop Databases (Customers / Suppliers Stock etc) Alt - P Change Printer Alt - S Spooled Reports Alt - Z Pause System (until password is re-entered) Alt... Read More

Datafile Software Example Datafile XML Template The Datafile template below is the BOSSFed order template, which includes specific variations required to create order files. It is a regrettable fact of life that the opXML standards have been... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Order Input File - Other XML Associated Files This database is an intermediate file between the XML order and SOP batch update utility. The data is split across three major headings: Data from the XML file envelope, where... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Faxed/Phoned Orders Life is very straightforward if XML invoices are returned that match to an originating XML order. Sometimes, however, it may be expedient to phone or fax an order — perhaps... Read More

Datafile Software Accumulator File - Other XML Associated Files This is a fixed database containing entries used mostly when processing invoices and credit notes, particularly when these are batched into single XML files. It serves a similar... Read More

Datafile Software Output XML Orders This will normally be a standard XML output transaction to create the purchase order XML file or files regardless of which supplier these are to be sent. If you should deal with a set of suppliers whose schemas... Read More

Datafile Software Lookup File Structure Item Name Type Size Description 1 CODE X 17 Lookup code, which might be a trading partner code, an EAN product or location code, or any other code 2 NAME X 40 Description or name 3 INTERNAL-CODE X 17 Used... Read More

Datafile Software XML Transaction Types These are the XML transaction currently available. Only the first two are supplied as standard with the XML module. Any others required must be purchased as separate XML transactions. Transactions shown in... Read More

Datafile Software decimals decimals="n" — This specifies the places of decimal to be output. In its absence, K and L-type items output with two places of decimal, M-type with four. Read More

Datafile Software Specific Trading Partner Notes - Spicers Also have their own set of order codes. This is wider than for Kingfield Heath, they also have an extra option — the "parcel open” indicator — for orders picked and wrapped... Read More

Datafile Software Report Exceptions Where order responses, whatever their nature, indicate exceptional conditions such as back orders and product substitution, then this ProFiler report can be used to note these back to you. You can predefine... Read More

Datafile Software Template Configuration Notes Below are some notes to help guide configuration processes according to the XML application transactions that are to be used. Note that these guidelines have been followed in the example XML... Read More

Datafile Software Purchase Order Header (POH) Items Required Item Name Type Size Description 1 ORDER-REF X 10 3 ACCOUNT X 10 4 DATE-INPUT D/E 31 DATE-REQUIRED D/E The date by which the goods are required (can be blank, which will mean as soon... Read More

Datafile Software EAN/Locns (Incoming Messages) This option allows you to add or amend details (see details below) in the EAN code table used for incoming messages. This allows you manually to create a new entry in the table without having... Read More

Datafile Software Specific Trading Partner Notes - ISA Wholesale Ltd At present ISA have only two order types: delivery to the dealer’s warehouse (HW) and direct delivery to the dealer’s customer (DD). Read More

Datafile Software Useful Links www.w3c.org — the web site of the World-Wide Web Consortium, the almost-standards organisation that has developed XML standards www.xml.com — a commercial site that includes some XML tutorials (under ... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Ledger Accounts (SLA) Items Required Item Name Type Size Description 1 ACCOUNT X 10 2 NAME X 30 50 DEL-ADD-XREF X 10 86 CONTACT X 20 Recommended Items to Add Item Name Type Size Description 150 XML? ? 1 "Y” if this... Read More

Datafile Software Integrating XML Processes XML processes are defined, and can be run, from the XML application menu, as described above. In many cases, however, you may want to position the XML option either at an appropriate point within an... Read More

Datafile Software Print CrNotes Processed This is another ProFiler report, this time printing the details of XML credit notes received and processed into the purchase ledger. Read More

Datafile Software Additional Data Items and Parameters This section describes the standard data items that are needed by the XML transactions and ProFiler applications, together with extra data items that are likely to be required when installing... Read More

Datafile Software Style Sheets Whilst the schema might be adequate from the point-of-view of a processing application to describe what an XML file contains, a further element is still required to tell a browser or any other application how to... Read More

Datafile Software XML File Transfer The most common way to exchange XML files currently is via FTP File Transfer Protocol. This is a technique that uses the Internet to move files from one computer to another. Although common, it has the downside... Read More

Datafile Software Print Invoices Processed We supply a ProFiler option to print a log of the XML purchase invoices received and processed into the purchase ledger each day. Read More

Datafile Software Diagnostic XML File Print XML files may be sent as a continuous stream of data, with little or no formatting enclosed within them. This makes them hard to read. This option prints each element on a new line, indenting by two... Read More

Datafile Software "Escaped” Data Characters Data in an XML file can consist of virtually any character. However, special processing is required if the data contains any of five characters that serve specific functions within an XML file. When... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Customer Information You must create (if not yet existing) an account for each XML customer (i.e. trading partner) in your sales ledger system. The details of each account must also be transferred to... Read More

Datafile Software Formatting XML Files With "White Space” XML standards are to ignore any formatting characters — such as spaces, tabs, carriage returns and line feed characters — that appear outside of actual data. This allows XML... Read More

Datafile Software Credit Control Manager / Additional Options Three further new features have been added to the popular Credit Control Manager utility.Firstly an extra account display item has been added, secondly a facility to update two... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Back-to-Back Order Systems Many companies will work a back-to-back system whereby purchase orders are generated from the original sales orders. Whilst this is not an XML issue as such, there are... Read More

Datafile Software Specific Trading Partner Notes - BOSSFed BOSSFEed has defined a set of XML schemas, based on the BASDA schemas, and known as the opXML standard. These differ from BASDA schemas only in that an extra set of elements was defined... Read More

Datafile Software Handling Incoming XML Errors In a well-ordered XML world, incoming XML files will not be the cause of any errors. Sales orders, for example, should not include data elements unknown to the template; orders will quote locations... Read More

Datafile Software Purchase Order Detail (POD) Items Required Item Name Type Size Description 2 ENTRY N 4 Line number in order 6 STOCK X 16 Your own stock code (see also 112 below) 7 ORDER-QTY K 10 9 COST K 10 Price from supplier 14 DETAIL-VALUE... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Order Headers (SOH) Items Required Item Name Type Size Description 1 ORDER-REF X 10 4 DATE-INPUT D 12 DATE-DELIV D 14 CUST-REF X 10 Recommended Items to Add Item Name Type Size Description 140 ENV_MSG-ID X 12 141 ORH... Read More

Datafile Software Accounts (Outgoing Messages) It is essential to use this option for each customer to whom you send XML messages. It gives the parameters for such messages for each customer. Main account? Mark Y if this is the main customer... Read More

Datafile Software test testx="Dnnn-Data-Item XX aaaaaaaaa or testx="Dnnn-Data-Item XX [fff,]Dnnn-Data-Item" This attributes undertakes a test on the stated data item in the current file, or in the file referenced by a prior dfd attribute. Up to... Read More

Datafile Software XML Audit Trail Error Codes The following are the error codes that can appear in the XML audit trail and audit logs. They are largely self-explanatory. 101 Database not found 102 Break condition not applicable 103 Database is... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Sales Order Processing The sales order cycle XML transactions consist of the input of customer sales orders transactions, plus the output of transactions used to acknowledge orders, notify deliveries... Read More

Datafile Software Sending/Receiving XML Files XML is closely related to HTML, the technique used to display web pages in your browser. Web pages are held passively on servers for anyone to access and display (albeit security of access may be... Read More

Datafile Software Accumulator File This is a single record database, whose purpose is to accumulate values, just like the accumulator feature used in ProFiler user-defined reports. For an input XML file it can be used to accumulate values that... Read More

Datafile Software Data Item Names Data items in the template are specified using the data item number in 3-digit format preceded by a "D” and (optionally) followed after a hyphen by a data item name that describe its contents, e.g. D010-BALANCE... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Ledger Transactions (SLT) Items Required Item Name Type Size Description 1 TYPE X 1 2 DATE D 3 ACCOUNT X 10 4 REF X 6 6 AMOUNT K or L 7 TAX X 1 8 TAX-AMT K or L 10 TOTAL * 14 OUTSTANDING * 35 DEL-ADD-ACC X 10 ... Read More

Datafile Software Typical XML Sales Order Cycle The first menu option (Receive and Process Orders) and the last (Invoice/Credit Note Actions) take you to separate sub-menus, as does the Maintain Lookup Files option. If acknowledgements and/or... Read More

Datafile Software Database Identifier <?dfd id="aaa" path="folder\filename" type="x…x" ?> This defines an additional database to be used within the process. An XML transaction will know about the standard application databases —... Read More

Datafile Software XML Transaction Definition XML transactions, whether simple export or import options, or application transaction options, are driven by definitions held in a single folder. This folder generally lives in the root Datafile folder... Read More

Datafile Software Change Forward Order Status If using the ‘F-forward’ order status within order entry then when these orders become due they have to be changed to the ‘A-active’ status before they can be received. You... Read More

Datafile Software Invoices & Credit Notes Report Invs/CrNotes to Send This looks for any invoices and credit notes that are available to send by XML, checking for any data omissions that might create an issue — for example, no proof... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Order Cycle The following items are the ones required by the XML templates and ProFiler applications, and which were added to the standard Datafile demonstration data files (based on the FCS company) using the data item... Read More

Datafile Software dfd This switches the XML processor to look at the database given as its value. There are two version of this: dfd="aaa" or dfdx="aaa" … where "aaa” is either a 3-character mnemonic for the application file, such as "SLA”... Read More

Datafile Software Processing Commands Processing commands are a general facility offered for XML file design, and Datafile uses them for its own purposes, as described below. Processing commands start with "<?a…a” (opening angle bracket,... Read More

Datafile Software POP XML Invoices Input This takes the incoming supplier purchase invoices and processes them against the original purchase order. This links to a POP purchase order invoice document that updates the purchase ledger from the... Read More

Datafile Software XML Schema Definition (XSD) This is the authoritive source for what can an XML instance can contain. It describes, in XML, each and every possible element, giving details about whether it is mandatory or optional, the number of... Read More

Datafile Software Database Items For Supplied Templates As part of the XML module we distribute XML templates and example ProFiler routines for the BASDA standards. Since the XML templates relate XML files to Datafile databases, we have based... Read More

Datafile Software Using Table Flags When designing a ProFiler screen to maintain these tables, use the option that allows you to process only records marked with one of these flags. For example, item 21 LOCNOUT? is used to mark those records... Read More

Datafile Software Output XML File Questions Output Sequence The choices here are for record number sequence, prime index sequence (but only if a prime-indexed file) and an order of your choosing. If you choose the latter, then a subsidiary... Read More

Datafile Software Path and File Names Although a full path and filename must be given in the transaction definition, a batch run could well create XML files for different trading partners. It is often the case that trading partners will dictate... Read More

Datafile Software Permitted Characters Any printable characters can be used within a Datafile template, other than with the restriction on element names given above. However, certain characters have specific uses and are best avoided within data... Read More

Datafile Software increment increment="Dnnn-Data-Item" — This increments by one the value of the data item defined. The file in which that data item is held must be defined by a preceding "dfd” attribute if it is not the current target... Read More

Datafile Software Datafile XML Template The Datafile XML template is, as its name suggests, an example of what the application XML file looks like, except that data is represented by references to the application database items. It also includes... Read More

Datafile Software Log File Should XML start to be widely used, then it may be helpful to maintain a log of the XML files both received and sent, in case it is necessary to query the receipt or transmission of a file. Since filenames themselves... Read More

Datafile Software XML Definition Process This has many similarities with the Report Generator, whereby by you can create new transactions by choosing an unused numbered option, or amend an existing transaction. Use the [F6] key to delete an... Read More

Datafile Software Update EAN/Products from Stock This process runs through your stock or product database looking for those that contain an EAN or other product code, and then either updates the existing entries in the XML. † GS1 UK is at 10... Read More

Datafile Software Linking to POP Document Layouts There are three levels at which you may wish to link XML processes to POP documents: To make sure the POP order header is marked so that subsequent processes can recognise which orders to process... Read More

Datafile Software Checking an XML Template A Datafile XML template should itself be a well-formed XML file. To check that a template is "well-formed” (i.e. follows the XML schema rules) you may either use it in an XML definition process, or use... Read More

Datafile Software Example of XML Document The example below is taken from Microsoft’s Introduction to XML, from their web-site, and is a weather report. † BASDA — Business Accounting Software Developers Association, a UK initiative... Read More

Datafile Software Other XML Associated Files The XML schemas and ProFiler applications distributed with the XML module require two other databases, both of which are single-record databases, the constants file and the accumulator file. In... Read More

Datafile Software Missing Elements (Input XML Files) If an element is present in an XML file but is not present in the Datafile template, then the element (and any child elements) is ignored, and any data it might have contained is lost.... Read More

Datafile Software Purchase Ledger Accounts The supplier account code, name and address are often required by the purchase order cycle in preparing the XML purchase order. Recommended Items to Add Item Name Type Size Description 150 XML-SEND ?... Read More

Datafile Software Application Screen Changes The purchase accounts screen needs to amend XML-SEND and BACK-ORDER The stock file should allow for any EAN and alternate product codes The purchase order header should allow for any additional... Read More

Datafile Software XML Template Display Once the second parameter screen is completed, and any selection criteria entered, then the Datafile XML template is now displayed. The eventual intention is that you would be able to write and amend the... Read More

Datafile Software Tables Distributed The following tables are distributed with the XML module under the filename BASEGLU.DFD in the XMLPROF ZIP file, but are not marked with any of the flags (data items 20–29). Read More

Datafile Software Template Wizard The template wizard allows you to pick any or all of the data items from the targeted database. If you reply "Y” to the question Default output/input all data items? then the full set of data items in the file... Read More

Datafile Software Send XML Acknowledgements, Send XML Delivery Notifications If present, these are likely to be straight XML transactions, and the Run XML Process instructions above will apply as normal. For some customers it may be necessary to... Read More

Datafile Software Receive and Process Orders Process XML Files IN This option populates an intermediate database with data from XML order files received. As distributed, this is actually a set of processes that strips out processed orders from... Read More

Datafile Software Input XML File Template Notes There are a few situations where it can be hard to write the template so that it processes incoming XML files unambiguously, and the following notes may help you solve these: Be careful with... Read More

Datafile Software XML Background This background note is an introduction to what XML is about. There are many publications about XML, and you will find tutorials and any amount of other information about XML on the web, see the Useful Links... Read More

Datafile Software Constants File As with ProFiler, it is helpful to have a database that holds system-wide values that can be used by XML files. For example the company name and address, VAT registration and EAN codes are all values that may be... Read More

Datafile Software General Lookup File The ability to look up values in tables that are not included amongst the application databases is always required. For example, incoming sales orders may use a code (EAN or the customer’s own) to... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Other Considerations Product Codes The stock codes used in your system will not normally be the product codes used by your suppliers. There are a number of alternative ways to determining the... Read More

Datafile Software Sales Order Details (SOD) Recommended Items to Added Item Name Type Size Description 140 ORD_ORD-LINE N 4 141 ORD_PRD-EAN X 14 142 ORD_PRD-CUST X 20 143 ORD_UNIT X 6 144 ORD_PRICE K 10 145 ORD_CONTRACT X 17 150 XML? ? 1 151... Read More

Datafiile Software XML Application Options These are the options given on the right-hand side of the sales and purchase order processing cycles described and illustrated in the menus above. Read More

Datafile Software flgn flgn="true" — This attribute is used in conjunction with a "dfd” and "increment” attribute to note that the "dfd” attribute is only to be used temporarily whilst processing attributes, and the original target... Read More

Datafile Software search search="aaa" — where aaa is the mnemonic for a detail file. This is used when creating an output XML file of detail records where the driving file is the master file. It was defined specifically for creating XML... Read More

Datafile Software General Lookup File - Appendix 6 The General Lookup file is used to hold certain codes that are needed within the system. This single file can hold the members of any number of different tables. To avoid having to trawl through... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Purchase Order Processing The purchase order processing XML transactions consist of an output transaction for the original purchase order, plus input transactions used to process order... Read More

Datafile Software Maintain XML Lookup Files In the sales order cycle, the orders we receive will need to specify product codes and delivery locations for the orders. To ensure that no product codes from two different suppliers are coincidentally... Read More

Datafile Software subtractfrom subtractfrom="Dnnn-Data-Item" or subtractfromx="Dnnn-Data-Item" — where x can be a number in the range 1–5. This works just like the "addto” attribute defined above, except that the element value is... Read More

Datafile Software Date and Time An exception to the rule that any item of data must be contained between element tags is the issue of date and time. These could be represented as data individual elements, of course, but often they are given in a... Read More

Datafile Software Call XML Option From ProFiler Queued Menu In a similar way to the call XML option from application menu, an XML option can also be called from a ProFiler queued menu. Read More

Datafile Software Constants File - Other XML Associated Files The constants file is intended to be compatible with EDI applications, and few of the fields may be required by XML applications or templates. Some of them are used by the XML ProFiler... Read More

Datafile Software Template Attributes Attributes are used in XML files to provide extra information about the data in that element. They are specified by the schema designer, and take the form word="value". E.g: <BuyersOrderNumber Preserve=... Read More

Datafile Software EAN/Product Table Update This allows you manually to maintain entries in the XML EAN/Product table. The intention is always to use EAN codes. But some customers may agree to use a different code with you — their own, maybe... Read More

Datafile Software Database Profile Copy Items The XML-SEND and BACK-ORDER data items should be copied from PLA to POH The BACK-ORDER and XML_PROD-CODE data items should be copied from POH to POD Any EAN and alternate stock codes required for... Read More

Datafile Software Diagnostic XML File Print - Intergrating XML Processes A special option is available to print an XML file in a formatted style. Its function is to print an XML file with each element on a separate line, indented by a couple of... Read More

Datafile Software XML Audit Log As well as the audit trail report, a separate log of all XML actions, including anything printed on the XML audit trail reports is recorded in a text file. This could be of particular benefit when XML processes... Read More

Datafile Software Print of Output XML Files A definition option can be marked to request the XML processor to print — generally to the spooler — a copy of the output XML file(s) created. This can be useful during testing phases. But... Read More

Datafile Software File Generation Numbers Each XML message file normally has a file generation number in it. This is a sequential number per customer per message type. If a customer system rejects a message for some reason, or it gets lost, then... Read More

Datafile Software XML Error Files If errors occur whilst parsing an input XML file, such errors will be recorded in the audit trail. However, it may not be obvious where, within the original XML file, an error has occurred — particularly if... Read More

Datafile Software restore restore="nnnnnn" — where nnnnnn is a label of some sort (any text with no spaces). This is used in conjunction with the "save” attribute (see below) when processing input XML files. The issue is that all the data... Read More

Datafile Software Purchase Order Cycle The following items were added to the standard Datafile demonstration data files (for the FCS company) using the data item numbers given here. If you are not able to use these data items numbers, then you... Read More

Datafile Software Missing Element Tags For an output XML file template, if an element is optional, then you can ask that it be omitted in the output file by using a "test” attribute within the element in the template. For incoming XML files,... Read More

Datafile Software Call XML Option From Application Menu To call an XML option direct from an application menu, use parameter 3nnn, where nnn is the number of the XML option you want to run. At present you can define a maximum of 99 XML options. ... Read More

Datafile Software check check="yes" — For input XML files only, this checks that the value of the element data matches the accumulator item given as the accumulator data item. If it differs, an error will be noted on the input log. Read More

Datafile Software XML Audit Trail Report Whatever the action, an audit trail report is usually printed. This may include every action taken by the XML processor (if Report in Full was ticked for input applications) or just show errors and any... Read More

Datafile Software Supplier Parameters This provides the data necessary for XML file creation and processing for each specific supplier. This may well need to be modified to fit the particular supplier set that you use. The options here include... Read More

Datafile Software Comments Comments can be embedded within an XML file for documentation purposes, and are ignored by all XML file processors. Their use is highly recommended within a Datafile XML template to offer any future observer explanatory... Read More

Datafile Software Stock Control (STA) Recommended Items to Add Item Name Type Size Description 150 STOCK-ONLY = 16 Use this to remove the location code in a multi-location system. If you are never going to use location codes — not even for... Read More

Datafile Software Transaction Template Structures Most Datafile applications are based on linked master and detail databases, so the Datafile XML template generally matches to a similar model, being primarily driven by, or related to, the master... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Document Definition Parameters When using a document in a batch process, the following parameters would generally be set to ensure correct document processing: General Document Parameters – 1 OR... Read More

Datafile Software P/L XML CrNotes Input There is a POP credit note transaction that will create purchase credit notes in the purchase ledger via an originating credit order. However, supplier credit notes tend not to be the result of credit... Read More

Datafile Software repeat repeat="x" — where x can be an integer from 1 upwards. This attribute is used where there could be many consecutive repeats of the same element with no distinguishing differences, as for example with lines of... Read More

Datafile Software Schemas Looking at the above XML document, it is not difficult to appreciate that weather reports sent in from all over the country in this form could be processed and collated by a suitable application program. But for this to... Read More

Datafile Software Input XML File Questions Clear Input Database (not offered for application transactions) Tick this box if you want the input database first to be cleared of data before data import. Create New Records (not offered for... Read More

Datafile Software Markup Rules The rules for XML markup are fully defined in W3C documentation, and can be found from their web-site. But the main aspects are covered in the Datafile XML Template section — the Datafile templates used to... Read More

Datafile Software analysis analysis="true" — This is used to mark the point where detail analysis record elements start. It is specifically required for sales ledger output XML files or similar, where analysis records are not linked to the... Read More

Datafile Software addto addto="Dnnn-Data-Item" or addtox="Dnnn-Data-Item" — where x can take a value from 1–5. Add (or move) the element value into the accumulator data item (in the accumulator "ACC” file) named as the attribute value.... Read More

Datafile Software match match="xxx" — This (input) attribute is required if there are similar branch structures in an input XML file, all headed by exactly the same element (including attributes), and where the data items are to be entered... Read More

Datafile Software clear clear="yes" — This is used to clear or blank an item in the accumulator file. Where an accumulator is used for (say) the tax values of an invoice, then it needs to be zeroed before starting on the next invoice. It... Read More

Datafile Software Purchase Ledger Transactions Since purchase transactions are created by the PPO document processes and not directly by the XL module, the only additions are for reference information that may be required. Recommended Items to... Read More

Datafile Software Supplier Codes These codes are used within the XML templates distributed with the purchase order cycle transactions for BOSSFed suppliers: SPIC Used for aspects specific to Spicer KING Used for aspects specific to Kingfield... Read More

Datafile Software Order Type Codes The BOSSFed suppliers use different order codes, as described in the specific trading partner notes. GLU entries matching the technique described in that appendix are distributed. Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Product Information A number of factors need to be thought through when automating the ordering and invoicing processes, relating to the trading units used, and the prices charged. Product Codes ... Read More

Datafile Software Other Lookup Parameters This is a catch-all option that allows you to create additional entries in the general lookup file for tables or other factors required by the XML processes. Typical such entries are: EAN and Mailbox... Read More

Datafile Software Element Names If you are creating your own XML file design, then you decide the element names, and any attribute names you may require. Such names may contain any character from the Roman alphabet (A–Z, a-z), the digits 0–9,... Read More

Datafile Software Foreign Currency If foreign currency is required for XML, it may be that the currency codes required for the XML files are not the same code used as the Datafile currency code — we recommend the currency codes used by HMRC... Read More

Datafile Software Use of XML Documents For Data There are many good reasons why electronic means of exchanging data makes sense. At the very least, if data can be exchanged between organisations and processed by the receiving organisation... Read More

Datafile Software Archive XML Orders Unless you automate the process of sending XML files, you are likely to use a third-party program to send XML order files. Such a program is unlikely to archive the original XML order files. This option... Read More

Datafile Software break There are a number of different versions of this, used in different types of XML input and output templates. They are needed in order to switch the focus of the XML processor either between master and detail file, or... Read More

Datafile Software Specific Trading Partner Notes - Kingfield Heath Use their own unique set of order type codes. These are included in the GLU file, using the technique described above If no specific required date is given, the next working day... Read More

Datafile Software Break Item On Output <?break item="D001-Ord-Ref"?> This processing command is used for output XML file creation, and defines the data item on a break of which the existing XML file will be closed and a new XML file will be... Read More

Datafile Software copy There are a number of versions of this: copy="Dnnn" — This requires a dfd attribute too (see below) to state the primeindexed file from which the copy is to take place. In this form the element data is used as the... Read More

Datafile Software XML General Configuration At present there are only two general configuration options: Base location for XML definition files Enter here the pathname for the folder in which all the XML transaction definitions will be stored... Read More

Datafile Software Order Responses An order response might merely be an acknowledgement that an order has been received, perhaps telling you whether or not they can be supplied and if so when; or a notification of some goods about to be shipped,... Read More

Datafile Software Run-Time Document Processing Errors Where the XML application transaction is chained to a Datafile document process, it normally runs in a batch mode. However, occasionally a specific document cannot be processed because of an... Read More

Datafile Software additions additions="Dnnn-Data-Item" — This is used specifically with input XML files when updating detail file records when a detail record is not referenced. It defines a header item into which the element data (which... Read More

Datafile Software Run XML Transaction This runs any previously-defined XML transaction. It offers a menu very similar to that offered by the Datafile Report Generator, as in the example below. The following is a general description of what... Read More

Datafile Software Typical XML Purchase Order Cycle The XML application menu shown above was designed for the stationery industry — BOSSFed is the Business Offices Supplies and Services Federation. The left-hand side contains the purchase... Read More

Datafile Software Application Considerations - Multiple Companies If you run more than one company’s accounts on your system, but want to use a single XML system to send and receive messages, then there are two approaches, depending on how... Read More

Datafile Software Trading Partners from S/L This process runs through your sales ledger accounts database looking for those that contain an EAN or other location reference. It then either updates or creates new entries in the table. It does in... Read More

Datafile Software Document Batch Processing Call This allows a call to a POP document process to process only those orders that were updated by an XML process. See Linking to POP Document Layouts. Read More

Datafile Software System Status This just shows the general status of the XML system in a simple screen. No diagnostic values are currently displayed in this screen. Read More

Datafile Software save save="nnnnnn" — where nnnnnn is a label of some sort. See "restore” attribute above. Read More

Datafile Software flag flag="Dnnn-Data-Item" or flagx="Dnnn-Data-Item" — where x can be a number between 1 and 5. This attribute either ticks a Boolean (?-type Y/N) field or puts today’s date into a date-type field. Read More

Datafile Software Element Tags An element starts with an opening element tag, and is closed with a closing element tag. The element name must be the same in both opening and closing tags. If more than one data item is required to be included... Read More

Datafile Software time time="Dnnn-Data-Item" — this attribute can only be used in output XML templates, and in an element that is defined to write to a date field. Its purpose is to add a time onto the value of the element in the XML... Read More

Datafile Software Run XML Transaction Extensions The XML user instructions for transaction extensions given here are based on the two main transaction processing cycles: for sales orders received through to invoice files generated; and for... Read More

Datafile Software key key="Dnnn-Data-Item" — This attribute defines the data item in the current database that is to be used to lookup into the database defined by the dfd attribute. For example, if used when processing data from an order... Read More

Datafile Software XML User Instructions The basic XML module definition and run-time facilities are very similar to those of the current Datafile Report Generator. Up to 99 XML transactions can be created and used, including the transaction... Read More

Datafile Software Database Issues As well as the application databases, it is convenient to have access to some other databases. These must be defined within the template Read More