The Discount & Delivery Price Import form is accessed by way of Miscellaneous Options / Data Import Options. The purpose of this form is to enable the raw data file, created by the preferred third party data supplier application and containing the latest discount, bonus and delivery charge data for appropriate vehicle variants, to be imported into the Kestrel system.
Data Import Sequence
Prior to any data import routine being performed it is essential to consider the import sequence of data files, which should be as follows:
The Franchise Data file must be imported first as the vehicle variant record must exist prior to residual and maintenance value updates.
Data Preparation (DP) Company
The Data Preparation Company allows for data to be copied sideways from Live into DP and then updated by the import routine. If necessary, the updated data can then be manually edited and finally copied back to the Live company at a suitable time (this allows the normal working day to continue uninterrupted).
Warning: Before the Import routine commences it is important to first to copy data from Live to the Data Preparation company.
The constituent parts of the Discounts & Delivery Imports form are as follows:
In addition to displaying the form name the Title Bar provides a number of useful buttons.
A series of three checkboxes is displayed so that one or more of the data types may be imported at the same time:
A checkbox which, if selected, enables the import of dealer discount values from the preferred data supplier source.
A checkbox which, if selected, enables the import of Volume Related Bonus (VRB) values from the preferred data supplier source.
A checkbox which, if selected, enables the import of delivery charge values from the preferred data supplier source.
File to Import
Displays the default directory path and filename for the required file containing the discount, bonus and delivery charge values from the data supplier source.
e.g. /user1/std82m/henley/qmv64prc.001
The ellipsis box directly to the right of this field allows a search of the server directory structure for the purposes of locating the appropriate directory containing the file to be imported should this for some reason be located elsewhere.
This form is divided into a number of areas. To the left of the form is a List Box displaying the directory structure of the host machine. The mouse is used to select and open the required directory and sub-directories. The List Box directly to the right displays the full contents of the selected directory. Once located, the file is selected and the name of the file is displayed in the File Name field. The Open command button confirms a selection and returns to the Discount & Delivery Imports form. The Cancel command button cancels selection criteria and returns to the Discount & Delivery Imports form.
A number of command buttons are available. The full list of command buttons is as follows:
Exits the Discounts & Delivery Imports form and returns to the Data Import Options menu.
The data import file may be generated locally and situated on a local PC or network drive. However, in some cases the data import files may be generated by the data supplier and placed on a bulletin board to be accessed remotely. If the data import file needs to be remotely accessed then the Upload command button is configured to dial-out and upload the file from the remote site. The correct Server IP Address, Login and Password, etc are defined in the FTP Site Tab of the appropriate Data Sources form. The Execute command button is then used to import the data file in the normal way.
This command button runs the data file import routine. A Confirm Input pop-up box displays the following two alternative options:
- Stop-now
Prevents the data import routine from taking place and effects a return to Discount & Delivery Imports form.
- Continue
Selection of this option presents the Import Franchise Detail form (a series of blue boxes is displayed in the bottom-right corner of the form displaying progress of the file loading routine). This form displays two List Boxes side by side.
The List Box to the left of the form displays Franchise(s) found in import. All franchises that have been detected in the data import file are displayed in an alphabetical list; both the code and the description are displayed e.g. FO Ford. A scroll box is presented to enable the user to view the entire list of franchises. This can be operated in a number of ways using standard windows functionality (see Navigating the form).
The List Box to the right of the form displays Existing Franchise(s). All franchises that have been loaded in previous data import files are displayed in an alphabetical list; just the description is displayed e.g. Ford. A scroll box is presented to enable the user to view the entire list of franchises (see above).
Entries in the two List Boxes can be compared in order to assist in the identification of any discrepancies in the import file before it is imported into the Kestrel application.
The Cancel command button aborts the import routine and returns to the Discounts & Delivery Imports form.
Selection of the OK command button proceeds to final stage of import confirmation. The final Confirm form displays the following message:
You have elected to import Discount & Delivery
Values from the following data source:-
xxxxx(where xxxxx is the selected data import source)
Beneath this prompt is the final List Box with all franchises highlighted as selected for import. Within the List Box, selection/deselection of the required item(s) can be carried out in a number of ways using standard windows functionality (see Navigating the form). Franchises which are not required should be deselected at this point. When the final selection is complete, two command buttons are available:
- Cancel
Exits the import routine and returns to the Discount & Delivery Imports form.
- Import
This command button is used to confirm and generate the data import routine. This process reads the import file QMV64PRC.001, the key being the unique Variant Code.
A series of blue boxes is shown in the bottom-right corner of the form display progress of the file import routine
Provides online access to a context sensitive Help form.