Exporting report data

If you want to export your payroll data to a spreadsheet or word processing program, or an accounting program other than Quicken, QuickBooks, MYOB or Simply Accounting, and you know the required file format, you can create a custom export file. This is done by creating a "report" that outputs to a data file, instead of to your printer.

Step 1 - Create a report

If you're exporting to a spreadsheet or word processing program, simply create the report with the details you want.

If you're exporting to an accounting program, create a report containing only the information specified by the program’s file format requirements.

Step 2 - Set the Report Properties

In the Report Properties window - General Properties tab, select the Output to Export option. This will enable the Export Properties tab.

File Name - Enter a name for the export file. By default, the file will be saved to the C:\Program Files\Elite Payroll\Reports folder. To save the file to a different location, type in the folder name as well as the file name.

For example, to save a file named Allowance to a floppy disk, type in A:\allowance.xls. (after you select the file Type)

Type - Select the type of file you want the report to print to from the drop-down list. File types (with file extension in brackets) include:

image\bullet.gif Basic (.bas) image\bullet.gif Tab Delimited (.tab)

image\bullet.gif Excel (.xls) image\bullet.gif QuickBooks (.iif)

image\bullet.gif Lotus (.xls) image\bullet.gif Text (.txt)

image\bullet.gif Other (.txt)

If the type of file does not exist, select Other. Selecting Other will allow you to specify what character should separate each item and what character should separate each record.

Separator and Terminator - Separator and Terminator are only enabled when you select Other from the Type drop-down list. You'll need to refer to the user guide of the program you're exporting to in order to determine the correct export settings.

The separator is the ASCII character code of the character between fields.

The terminator is the ASCII character at the end of a record.

Step 3 - Set the field lengths

Some programs may restrict the lengths of certain fields, for example an address field. To restrict the number of characters exported for a particular field, select number of characters on the Object Properties window - Advanced section.

To change field a field length, right-mouse click on the field, or click to select the object, and then choose Edit Item from the Edit menu. Click Advanced on the Object Properties window.

In the Number of Export Characters box, enter or click to select the maximum number of characters to be exported.

Step 4 - Create the file

To create the file, simply "print" the report by clicking on the Print toolbar icon, or by selecting Print from the File menu.

By default, the file will be saved to the C:\Program Files\Elite Payroll\Reports folder, or the folder you entered along with the file name in Step 2.