Define Import Specifications - the Fields (1) Tab

This is the first of two tabs for fields. Here you define the fields where data is saved or processed.

There are two types of fields, fixed and temporary. Fixed fields are used for saving the postings to the IBM® Cognos Controller database. Temporary fields are used for processing data.

Fields are the only compulsory definition in an import specification. There are two different types of field.

IBM Cognos Controller fields
Temporary fields

For both types of field you can define the source of the field's initial value and the required operation, if the initial value has to be processed before being stored.

IBM Cognos Controller fields are fixed and correspond to IBM Cognos Controller's database identities. These fields are used to store values in the IBM Cognos Controller database and the format is therefore predefined. The fields can be alphanumeric or numeric.

The table shows the fixed Cognos Controller fields:

Table 1. Fixed fields for saving postings to Cognos Controller database
Fields	Description
ACCOUNT	Account
ACTUALITY	Actuality
AMOUNT	Amount
COMPANY	Company
CURRENCY	Currency
C_COMPANY	Counter company
C_DIM	Counter dimension
EXTDIM1-4	Extended Dimensions 1-4
JOURNAL TYPE	Journal type
O_COMPANY	Original company
PERIOD	Period
REL_ACT	Relative actuality to describe the preceding period if the file does not contain cumulative values. This field must never be used when importing cumulative values.
REL_PERIOD	Relative period to describe the preceding period (YYMM) if the file does not contain cumulative values. Never use this field when importing cumulative values.
TRANAMOUNT	Transaction amount
TRANCURR	Transaction Currency

Temporary fields are used to carry out various calculations or operations in multiple steps. It is necessary to define the format and width of temporary fields manually. Otherwise the format and width of a temporary field is set automatically as Alpha format with a width of 1. For temporary fields you can define the field's format, length and number of decimal places. The identity of a temporary field must begin with the @ character and must be followed by the following character types only: _, 0-9, A-Z.

Procedure

On the Transfer menu, click External Data/Define Import Specification. The Define Import Specification window opens.
In the Specification list box, select the specification you want to change, or click the New button and enter a new name and press Enter.
On the Fields (1) tab, click the New Temporary field button to create a new temporary field. In the dialog box that opens, enter the name of the new field and click OK. The new field starting with "@" is displayed in the list box.
In the list box, select the field you want to define and enter a full name or description in the Description text box.
From the Format option group, select the field format.
Specify the field length and also the number of decimals if the field is numeric.
From the Origin option group, select an option from where the initial field information should be retrieved.
- None - no information
- Framework Manager - retrieves the fields that you want to use in the import from the specified report.
- File - retrieves the value from the file, either from a specific field (item) or from a specific position (substring). Enter the relative row number. If there is one row per transaction in the import file, the relative row is 0.
- Variable - retrieves the value from a variable. Enter the variable name in the text box.
- Temporary Field - retrieves the value from a temporary field. Enter the field name.
From the Operation option group, select the operation to use for refining the information.
Select Use last non-empty value if Cognos Controller should use the last value filled in according to specified criteria. Example: The date is shown in the first field on the first row in the file. The same field is empty on the remaining rows. The system will remember the value in the first field on the row and use it on all rows for which the same field is blank.
Click Save and open the Fields (2) tab.

Results

All temporary field names must begin with an at sign (@) and must be followed by the following character types only: _, 0-9, A-Z.
You cannot change the description or format of a fixed field.