Lifecycle Entry Import

Menu Path: Product Lifecycle Management $Images\bluerarw.gif$ Workflow Import / Export $Images\bluerarw.gif$ Lifecycle Entry Import

Purpose

Import product lifecycle management data from an external file.

Overview

Use Lifecycle Entry Import to import product lifecycle management data instead of manually entering the data in Lifecycle Data Entry.

The import file should include data for tasks in a specific workflow type and workflow level. If you do not know what data should be entered for the workflow, you can export the data from Lifecycle Data Export to a spreadsheet.

Importing Product Lifecycle Management Data

To import product lifecycle management data:

Select whether you want to validate and import valid data from a file, validate and import all data from a file if it is all valid, or only validate data in a file.
Enter the product lifecycle management data import file in the Import File Name field.
Enter a product lifecycle management team for the import in the Team Code field.
Click the Print Options tab.
Select output options for the Workflow Entry Import Report.
Click the Import or Validate button in the ribbon to start the import and/or validation process. The Importing dialog box appears. The Current Status field displays the status of the import, including any error messages.

If the import file format is not correct, the import is not completed.

You can import from the following file types:

Excel (.xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, or .xlsb)

Note If you import from an Excel workbook that contains multiple worksheets, data is only imported from the first worksheet in the workbook.

comma-separated list (.csv)
text (.txt)
data (.dat)

Note To import a .csv file, enter your data in Excel, and then save the worksheet as a .csv file. Each field in a .txt or .dat file must be separated by a caret (^) character. There should be no spaces between each field in a .csv, .txt, or .dat file.

Ribbon Home Tab Buttons

Button	Description
Exit	Click this button to close the Lifecycle Entry Import window.
Import	Click this button to start the import process. This button is only available if you select the Import Valid Data (Skip Errors) or Import if all Data is Valid radio button.
Validate	Click this button to start the validation process. This button is only available if you select the Validate Only radio button.
Import Override Maintenance	Click this button to display Import Override Maintenance, which allows you to set the default processing and file type options for the import window.

Main Tab Fields and Buttons

Field or Button	Description
Processing Options	Select one of the following processing options: Import Valid Data (Skip Errors) - Verify the data in the selected file, and load any records that are valid into the database. Import if all Data is Valid - Verify the data in the selected file, and if all data is valid, load the data into the database. Validate Only - Verify the data in the selected file (without importing it).
Import File Name	Enter the path and file name containing the data to be imported, or click the Lookup button to navigate to and select the file.
Team Code	Enter a product lifecycle management team for which to import data, or click the Lookup button to select a product lifecycle management team.
Description	Enter a product lifecycle management team description for which to import data, or click the Lookup button to select a product lifecycle management team description.
Current Status	This field displays the current status of the import in progress.

Print Options Tab Fields and Buttons

Field or Button	Description
Output Option	Select one of the following output options: Screen - Output to a PDF so you can immediately view the report. File - Output to a PDF, Excel, Access, or delimited file to be stored for later use. If you select this option, specify the file type and either the output folder or file name. Printer - Output to a selected printer. If you select this option, specify a printer in the Printer field. Email - Output to your default email application. If you select this option, you are prompted to select recipients for the email, then an email is created with the report attached as a PDF file. Excel - Output directly to Excel. You can specify the location of the Excel application in the Spreadsheet File field in User Profile Maintenance. If you output to Excel, the report may include additional information.
Output File Type	Select whether to output to a PDF, Excel, Access, or delimited (CSV, DAT, or TXT) file. These radio buttons are only available if you select the File radio button.
Specify File Name	Select this check box to specify the file name of the output report. This check box is only available if you select the File radio button.
Output Directory	Enter the location for the output report, or click the Lookup button to navigate to and select a location. This field is only available if the Specify File Name check box is cleared.
Output File Name	Enter a location and file name for the output report, or click the Lookup button to navigate to and select a location and file name. The file extension of the file name should match the selected output file type. This field is only available if you select the Specify File Name check box.
Excel Format Name	Enter an Excel format name, or click the Lookup button to select an Excel format name. Excel formats can be set up to specify which fields are output to Excel, and the order and sort order of the fields. This field is only available if you select the Excel radio button.
Format Maintenance	Click this button to display Excel Format Maintenance, which allows you to set up Excel formats. This button is only available if you select the Excel radio button.
Save As Type	Click the Lookup button to select whether to save the delimited file as a CSV, DAT, or TXT file. This field is only available if you select the Delimited radio button, and only enabled if the Specify File Name check box is cleared.
Include header	Select this check box to include a row of header information in the exported delimited file, which labels the data. This check box is only available if you select the Delimited radio button.
Delimiter	Enter a comma (,), caret (^), or vertical bar (\|) as a delimiter for the exported delimited file. This field is only available if you select the Delimited radio button.
Enclosing Character	If you want to use single or double quotation marks around data exported to a delimited file, enter ' or " in this field. Even if this field is left blank, text fields that have commas or carriage returns are enclosed in quotes. This field is only available if you select the Delimited radio button.
Printer	Click the Lookup button to select a printer. This field is only available if you select the Printer radio button.
Process	These radio buttons are disabled in this window.
Task Occurs	These radio buttons are disabled in this window.
Time	These fields and radio buttons are disabled in this window.
Date	This field is disabled in this window.
Task Description	This field is disabled in this window.
Scheduling Assistant Queue	This field is disabled in this window.
External Email	This check box is disabled in this window.
Screen Alert	This check box is disabled in this window.
Internal Email	This check box is disabled in this window.