File Utilities

Overview

The File Utilities menu provides options that access Advanced Accounting 7 files directly.

The File Utilities Menu options are listed below.

A - Maintain Database

B - Change/Delete Records

C - Quick Report

D - Make Your Own Report

E - Export File

F - Import File

G - Print File Info

H - Initialize Database

I - Reindex Database

J - Maintain Location File

Key Functions

The standard key functions available in Advanced Accounting 7 are active in the File Utility programs.

Advanced Accounting 7 Filters

In several of the utilities you can use filters to restrict the records you access, print, change, and so on. A filter is an expression involving data fields that constrains future operations (such as a print) to records that meet the expression's criteria (i.e., make the expression evaluate to .T. or "true"). For example, the expression BKAR.INV.CUSNME = "Larry Jones" would 'filter' the records in the BKARINV file, returning only those where the CUSNME field was set to Larry Jones.

An expression can contain field-names and constants or literals separated by Boolean operators:

> greater than

< less than

= equal to

<> not equal to

>= greater than or equal to

<= less than or equal to

$ is included in ("in-string" operator)

Expressions can be joined or chained using Boolean operators:

.and.

.or.

.not.

For example, the expression (BKAR.INV.NUM < 5000) .and. (BKAR.INV.CUSST = "CA") would return those invoice records for invoices numbered below 5000 where the customer state was California. As another example, the expression BKAR.START.DATE > CTOD("09/01/93") could be used to find customers whose start date was after September 1, 1993. (CTOD is a function that converts an alpha string to a date type field. A list of commonly used expressions is in Appendix A.)

In the filter expression you may only use fields which have been selected or chosen (marked with an asterisk).

Some Words of Caution

The Utilities described in this reference guide give you unrestricted access to the underlying data in your accounting system. You should take the necessary precautions (e.g., by using the password and security facilities) to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data such as payroll records.

Please note, too, that changes you make to the underlying data may affect the accuracy and performance of your accounting system. For example, changing one side of a journal entry may cause your accounts to go out of balance. Please use extreme caution!

The sections that follow describe in detail how to use the File Utility programs.

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