Management Tools > Importing and Exporting Data > Key Fields and Import/Export Limitations

Import Key Fields

During an import, RetailEdge checks key fields in existing database information to determine whether a record is an existing record to be modified or a record that is being added to the database. For instance in the inventory the key field is the item's Stock Number (SKU). If on an import the SKU is not found, RetailEdge will assume that the data is new and will add a new item to your inventory.

The REDI import key fields are listed below:

1.Department – Department ID

2.Inventory – Stock Number

3.Customer – Customer ID, First Name, Last Name, Street1

4.Vendor – Vendor ID

5.Sales – Same as Customer and inventory

6.Purchase Orders – PO Number

7.Receiving – None (always an add)

Sales Export Limitations

The REDI Sales Export will export "standard" sales transactions. It will NOT export:

1.Layaway sales or payments.

2.Opening and closing information.

3.Payouts.

4.Voided sales.

5.Serial Numbers Sold.

6.Gift Card Sales.

7.Detailed credit card log information.

8.Any other "non-standard" sales.

If you are exporting sales that use or redeem credits, house charges, or serial numbers you will have to import these sales into the Saved Sales file and process the transactions manually.

Sales Import Limitations

The REDI Sales Import will not import transactions that contain the following types of items:

1.Layaways

2.Sales using or redeeming store credits.

3.Sales using house charges.

4.Sales using or redeeming gift certificates.

5.Sales using loyalty dollars.

6.Serial number information.

7.Sales using Packages will be simplified (package data will be removed).

Potential Data Changes During Sales Imports

REDI Sales Import function may change some data and may not import all of the exported transactions. The following types of data may be changed during the import process:

1.Ticket Numbers

2.New Workstation(s) might be added.

3.New Tax Jurisdictions will use flat tax rates with no category-based exceptions.

4.New Inventory Items will not contain Package information.

5.New Inventory Items will not contain Case information.

Customer Import Limitations

The key fields in a Customer Import are the First Name, Last Name, and Street1 fields. The general import criteria for a customer import is as follows:

RetailEdge will only Update/Modify existing customer information with imported customer information if the criterion in one of the following four scenarios is met. Otherwise RetailEdge will assume that the Customer is NEW and will ADD the imported customer to the RetailEdge data.

1.Scenario A (Outside Data Source/New Import): Import file does not contain a Customer IDs or the Customer ID is 0. RetailEdge will UPDATE the customer record if the key fields all are non-blank AND all match exactly.

2.Scenario B: Import file record contains a Customer ID that DOES NOT match any in the Target customer data then RetailEdge will search the target customer database. RetailEdge will UPDATE the customer record if the key fields match (record can include blanks in primary fields).

3.Scenario C: Import file record contains a matching CustomerID AND all three key fields match

4.Scenario D: If the import file record contains a CustomerID AND it matches a CustomerIDs in the Target data and one of the First Name, Last Name or Street1 fields NOT blank. If two of the three primary fields match.

With the customer imports you should keep the following rules in mind:

1.	If you are trying to import customers from an outside data source (with no customer Ids) and already have data in your customer list, you should first try the import with a small number of records. You can duplicate customers in the data very easily.

If you are going to be making modifications to an existing customer database, you should make a complete backup of the data prior to making changes to the data at an off site location. This will ensure that the Customer Ids match up as much as possible and ensure that modifications are recorded properly.

3.	You should always make a backup of the RetailEdge data prior to an import.

4.	You should try and have First Name, Last Name and the Street 1 fields all filled out. When there is any doubt of whether you are trying to modify an existing record or add a new record, RetailEdge will default to adding a new record.

5.	The same rules apply to customers added to a Sales Screen from an another RetailEdge source. So you should have the First Name, Last Name and the Street 1 fields all filled out when adding a customer to a sale. Otherwise, you may import a new customer (when you wanted to use an existing customer).