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All eContrack data
is held in a secure SQL Server 2000 database (including documents
and images). Standard import and export facilities use the
CSV file format, which is both universal and simple to use.
The following information can be imported/exported:
- Company
- Contact
- Project
- Package
- Performance Templates
- Performance Data
Each data file must be in the expected format (the first record
must contain field names and the fields must be in a given
sequence). Sample files and field layouts can be provided
on request.
Import/export facilities are only available to users with
'system administrator' authority.
Data can also be exported using the various datasheets available
from the system. Datasheets provide extensive filtering options
for data selection and are available to all users. Datasheets
are available for Companies, Contacts, Projects, Packages,
Influencers, Tenders, Activity and Performance
Bespoke import/export facilities can be developed and automated
to meet your specific requirements if required.
Company
All basic company data can be imported (e.g. name, address,
reference).
During import, eContrack will check whether the
company on each import record already exists. If it does,
the existing company record will be updated rather than a
new record created. Companies are matched first on reference,
and then on name and town. It is advised that all companies
are allocated unique reference numbers to ensure accurate
matching.
The following company capability/capacity information is not
part of the standard company import/export facility:
- Work undertaken
- Services
- Specialisations
- Office coverage
- Geographic coverage
- Registered Schemes
- Company Categories
The capability/capacity information is not output on the company
export file, as multiple records would be required for a single
company to correctly represent the information.
Contact
All basic contact data can be imported (e.g. name, address,
reference).
During import, eContrack will check whether the
contact on each import record already exists. If it does,
the existing contact record will be updated rather than a
new record created. Contacts are matched first on reference,
and then on first name and last name for the specified company
name and town. It is advised that all contacts are allocated
unique reference numbers to ensure accurate matching.
The following contact information is not part of the standard
contact import/export facility:
- Contact Categories
- Contact Owners
Project
All basic project data can be imported (e.g. name, address,
reference).
During import, eContrack will check whether the
project on each import record already exists. If it does,
the existing project record will be updated rather than a
new record created. Projects are matched first on reference,
and then on name and town. It is advised that all projects
are allocated unique reference numbers to ensure accurate
matching.
Package
All basic package data can be imported (e.g. type, category,
description, reference).
During import, eContrack will check whether the
package on each import record already exists. If it does,
the existing package record will be updated rather than a
new record created. Packages are matched first on reference,
and then on project name and town, plus package type and category.
It is advised that all packages are allocated unique reference
numbers to ensure accurate matching.
Performance Templates
Performance templates can be exported and imported between
eContrack databases. A template contains the
definitions for a set of measures and the rules that apply
to each (name, description, style of measure, target, weighting
etc). This allows you to use templates defined elsewhere without
having to formally 'join' the original database or club.
Performance Data
The eContrack performance data import facility enables you
to add or update data held in your installation of eContrack
from another eContrack database or from any other external
system.
A performance data export facility is also available. This
generates a file for direct import into another eContrack
database.
These facilities:
- Remove the need for double-entry of data into multiple systems.
- Enable the adding and updating data from any external system
into eContrack.
- Apply to both to industry standard measures and any bespoke
user defined performance measures.
The performance data being imported must be for measures that
are already defined in eContrack as part of a template.
Points to note:
- You do not have to import data for all measures in a template,
but importing a single measure in a template will cause the
whole template to be added for the nominated project/company/contact
(if not already present). eContrack can prompt you to complete
the outstanding measures manually.
- During import, eContrack will determine whether the projects/companies/contacts
on the imported records already exist on the database. If
they do not exist, they are added.
- eContrack will determine whether the measure for the associated
project/company/contact has already been created. If it has
then it will update it with the imported value. If the measure
has not yet been created, it will add the necessary set of
measures against the nominated project/company/contact for
the specified "date assessed".
Bespoke Developments
If your specific requirements cannot be met by the standard
import/export facilities, or you require an automated service,
then a bespoke data exchange service is available.
We can extract specified data from eContrack and deliver a
file for you to process. Similarly, we can accept data files
from other systems that will trigger imports and updates of
data on eContrack. Critical to the success of such an information
exchange is the identification of common reference numbers,
or keys, to blocks of information (e.g. a common reference
number for a project).
We will agree with you the information that is to be exchanged,
the format of the data, the frequency with which the exchange
occurs and the degree of automation you require.
Data exchange files will be stored in a private folder on
our web server where you can retrieve or submit data at your
convenience. If required, we can send an email notifying you
that a data file has been created or processed.
We do not advocate the direct updating of eContrack databases
by clients (or third parties), nor do we recommend that Building
Software directly update databases maintained by other systems.
Though technically feasible, the inevitable security, maintenance
and support issues usually make such a solution inadvisable.
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