Data Import
Description

Please be aware that data import is a complex process. If you have any queries, please contact Sage technical support or your accredited business partner for further assistance. Alternatively, Sage can potentially perform the data import for you, as a chargeable service. For more information about this, please email contact technical support.

Cause
Resolution

Importing data in Sage Payroll requires two separate files to complete the process: a CSV file containing the data you wish to import, and a IMP file which instructs Sage Payroll in how to handle the data in the CSV file.


Create an IMP file

The *.IMP file contains the database files and payroll fields you want to import into your payroll. You can create the *.IMP file using either Notepad or Wordpad.

Import fields

To view a full list of the database fields that can be imported into:

  1. Log into a payroll, click Help then System Information.
  2. Click the link beside the Program Directory.
  3. Locate file MICW.DDL, and right click on it.
  4. Click Open with, then select Notepad or Wordpad.

NOTE: We recommend you don't import employee year to date values, as they are set when an RPN is retrieved or when you process payments. Any other year to dates should be entered manually to the ETP tab of the employee record. 

Example IMP file

The following is an example of a *.IMP file using just one table, although more than one table can be used.

[tables]
table1=Employee
[Employee]
record=EMPLMAST
key=EMPLOYEE
field1=employee
field2=name
field3=first
field4=addr1
field5=addr2
field6=addr3
field7=addr4
data=C:\EXAMPLE.CSV
create=yes
blank=yes
decimals=yes
audit=Yes
verbose=Yes



Create a CSV file

The *.CSV file contains the data you want to import into your payroll. Its fields correspond to those detailed in the .imp file you created earlier.

NOTE: The name of the *.CSV file must match the *.IMP file exactly. For example, NewStarters.csv and NewStarters.imp. If the names are different, the import won't work.

The following is an example of the contents of a typical CSV file:

001,Smith,Sam,Waterstone House,Moycullen,Galway,

002,Jones,Bill,Citywest,Tallaght,Co Dublin,

The above CSV file content must match the fields on the corresponding *.IMP file:

field1=employee
field2=name
field3=first
field4=addr1
field5=addr2
field6=addr3


CSV file – Data validations and limitations
  • All mandatory fields involved in the import process are validated. If an invalid entry is being imported, it will be ignored, and the field will not be updated in the database.
  • If a department, cost centre, bank, job or location code has been imported into the Employee Master File, it will have been created exclusively in the Employee Details, and not at payroll level. For example, if you add department ABC to an employee import, it will not be created in Company/Payroll > Departments.
  • If the CSV file has more fields per record than is defined in the IMP file, the extra data is ignored by the import process. The import is concerned only with the fields that match the corresponding entries in the import file.
  • There is a limit of 2048 characters or digits, including commas for each record line in the CSV file. Once the limit is reached, the rest of the line is ignored.


How do I import data?
  1. Open Sage Payroll and log in to the payroll as normal.
    NOTE: Before you proceed, you must take a backup of your payroll data.
  2. On the menu bar, click Miscellaneous, then Data Import then Data Import.
  3. Browse to and select the *IMP file you want to import, then click Open.
  4. When prompted to view the import log, click Yes.
  5. Check the details of the data import are correct.

NOTE: You should view the import log after every data import process.


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