CREATE EDI FILES

Use this screen to create export files for your EDI billing transmissions. You can use EDI translation software selected by your company to map these files to a transaction set and transmit them electronically to your customers. You can create files for a range of customers and projects. Separate files, representing EDI envelopes, are created for each customer. Each file can contain multiple projects of the same invoice type for the same customer. You can designate whether the files are test transmissions or production invoices submitted for payment. You can also select the path to which the files are exported.

For more information, please see "EDI Billing."

Execute this process after you have calculated and, if necessary, edited your bills. The bills must be unposted and be designated with a "Selected" status. You also must have set up the Configure Billing EDI Settings screen and the Manage Project EDI Information screen for projects for which you want to create files.

Location

Identification

Use the fields in this block to create a new parameter ID or to retrieve a previously saved parameter ID. A parameter ID represents a set of screen selection parameters. After you have saved a parameter ID and its related parameters, you can retrieve them using Query.

You can use the retrieved parameters to produce reports and run processes more efficiently and with greater consistency. The saved parameters are also useful and necessary when you want to run the process as part of a batch job. Many users save a unique set of parameters for each different way they run a report or process. When you select a previously saved parameter ID or parameter description, the associated saved screen selection parameters automatically display as selection defaults. The page setup and print options are also included in the saved parameter ID if there are any. You can change any of the associated selection defaults as necessary.

Parameter ID

Enter, or click to select, a parameter ID of up to 15 alphanumeric characters. Choose characters for your parameter ID that help identify the type of selections you made in the screen, such as PERIOD or QUARTERLY.

When you save your record, all the selections made in the screen are stored with the parameter ID. Later, you can retrieve the parameter using Query.

You can use the parameter to run the process more efficiently because you can select the parameter ID with its previously defined screen selections. After the default selections display in the screen, you can override the defaults.

Description

Enter, or click to select, a parameter description of up to 30 alphanumeric characters.

Selection Ranges

Customers

Use these fields to select the customers for which you want to create files. A separate file, which represents a transmission envelope, is created for each customer for the projects and invoice type selected. Each envelope can contain multiple invoices for the same customer for a given invoice type.

Option

Use this drop-down list to select the range of customers you want to create. Valid options are:

The default for this field is All.

Start

The value entered in this field varies depending on the range that you have selected. If you have selected All or From Beginning in the Option field, this field is inactive. If you have selected One, enter the customer in this field. If you have selected Range, enter the starting customer in this field. If you have selected the To End option, enter that customer in this field.

Use to select values from the appropriate table.

End

The value entered in this field varies depending on the range that you have selected. If you have selected All, One, or To End in the Option field, this field is inactive. If you have selected Range, enter the ending customer in this field. If you have selected the From Beginning option, enter that customer in this field.

Use to select values from the appropriate table.

Projects

Use these fields to limit the number of projects that are included in the EDI file.

Option

Enter the project or range of projects for which you want to create files. Options available are:

Export files are created for the customers, projects, and invoice types you have selected.

Start

The value entered in this field varies depending on the range that you have selected. If you have selected All or From Beginning in the Option field, this field is inactive. If you have selected One, enter the project in this field. If you have selected Range, enter the starting project in this field. If you have selected the To End option, enter that project in this field.

Use to select values from the appropriate table.

End

The value entered in this field varies depending on the range that you have selected. If you have selected All, One, or To End in the Option field, this field is inactive. If you have selected Range, enter the ending project in this field. If you have selected the From Beginning option, enter that project in this field.

Use to select values from the appropriate table.

Transmission Alternatives

Select Invoices to Transmit

Select the invoice types for which you want to create files. Files are created only for the range of customers and projects that have been entered on the Manage Project EDI Information screen with the invoice type selected.

Commercial

Select this option to create files for commercial invoice types.

Form 1034

Select this option to create files for Form 1034 invoices.

Progress Payments

Select this option to create files for progress payment invoice types.

Indicate Data Type

Select the type of data contained in the export file, production or test. This designation appears in the file header to indicate to your customers whether the file is a test transmission or an actual invoice submitted for payment. In a typical EDI arrangement, your customer may want an initial period in which invoices are submitted parallel using both electronic transmissions and hard copies. Note that all files created for a given customer/project/invoice type range include the same data indicator.

Production Data

Select this option to include production data in the export file.

Test Data

Select this option to include test data in the export file.

Output Path

Enter the alternate file location where you would like your file to be stored.

Alt File Location

Enter, or click to select,  the alternate file location where you would like your file to be stored. Alternate file locations are set up on the Manage Alternate File Locations screen. Do not include the file name. Since Costpoint does not know how many files are created, you cannot designate the file name. As noted previously, a separate file is created for each customer in the selected range. Therefore, the file name consists of the first eight characters of the customer and carry an extension of *.EDI. For example, a customer of SUPERTECH is created as SUPERTEC.EDI. If a file with this same path and name is detected, a warning appears in the process. You then have the option of overwriting the file or canceling the process.