I'm a CPA in industry, and have just taken a new position as Information
System Director for a large site contractor. The accounting software my
company uses (Timberline - the preeminent construction accounting software in
the marketplace) has the capability of importing a comma delimited text file
to expedite the process of voluminous data input (for example, dollar
estimates by cost code).

I've been given the assignment to develop a protected template that can be
used by others to create the file for importing. The specs of the Timberline
readable file calls for specific identifiers in the first column of the
spreadsheet to distinguish the row's characteristic (for example, "*" in the
first row to introduce the Project ID#, "P" in subsequent rows that represent
cost codes, and "C" in rows disbursed between the "P" rows that represent
categories that make up the cost code).

As of this writing, I have started developing a 2-tabbed .xls file, whereby
the first worksheet is where the user will input his/her data, and the second
worksheet lays out the data as per the Timberline specs (via cell references
and formulae). The second worksheet would then have to be saves as a .csv
prior to running the Timberline import command.

Is this approach the simplest one for the user, or would I be better off
using VBA to point the data to a ready to import comma delimited .txt file?
--
Thanks for your help,

dlewanda

You could always just write a macro that a user can click on once they've
inputted all the data to save the second worksheet as a CSV.

It's faster since you've already made the worksheets. =P

"CFOconsulting" wrote:

I'm a CPA in industry, and have just taken a new position as Information
System Director for a large site contractor. The accounting software my
company uses (Timberline - the preeminent construction accounting software in
the marketplace) has the capability of importing a comma delimited text file
to expedite the process of voluminous data input (for example, dollar
estimates by cost code).

I've been given the assignment to develop a protected template that can be
used by others to create the file for importing. The specs of the Timberline
readable file calls for specific identifiers in the first column of the
spreadsheet to distinguish the row's characteristic (for example, "*" in the
first row to introduce the Project ID#, "P" in subsequent rows that represent
cost codes, and "C" in rows disbursed between the "P" rows that represent
categories that make up the cost code).

As of this writing, I have started developing a 2-tabbed .xls file, whereby
the first worksheet is where the user will input his/her data, and the second
worksheet lays out the data as per the Timberline specs (via cell references
and formulae). The second worksheet would then have to be saves as a .csv
prior to running the Timberline import command.

Is this approach the simplest one for the user, or would I be better off
using VBA to point the data to a ready to import comma delimited .txt file?
--
Thanks for your help,

dlewanda