The Tyres Values 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 tyre value data for appropriate vehicle variants, to be imported into the Kestrel system.
Note: This option is only available if the Use MBook Tyre Budgets? checkbox is ticked within the General Tab in System Parameters.
The tyre values data source is setup using the Tyre Data Sources option (within Miscellaneous Options / Tyre Value Management).
Once imported, additional tyre value options forms ( Tyre Manipulation DP and Tyre Value Copy) are available for the manipulation of this data.
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 tyre import updates a new DP (data prep) file in Quotes which is populated and interpolated for the original base values from the mileage only. For example the 30,000 miles total budget will be the same for one, two, three, four and five years. As the tyre file is imported by variant the original values are calculated based on the RPI (Retail Price Index) inflation calculation (the Tyres RPI% factor field in the General Tab of System Parameters) and the values compounded. If a tyre budget is imported for 30,000 total at £150.00 then the following loading must be catered for. Assuming an RPI Factor of 2% compounded per annum: Year2 £150.00 base is updated to £153.00; Year 3 £150.00 base is updated to £156.06; Year 4 £150.00 base is updated to £159.18 (For split years 18,30,42, months in total the program should interpolate between the annual budgets).
The constituent parts of the Tyre Value Imports form are as follows:
In addition to displaying the form name the Title Bar provides a number of useful buttons.
A List Box displaying the sources available for selection of maintenance values. Sources currently available are as follows:
- Maintbook
A single-left-mouse-click highlights the required tyre value source. As the required source is highlighted the corresponding directory path and filename location is displayed in the File to Importfield.
File to Import Path
Displays the default directory path and filename for the highlighted tyre value source.
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 Tyre Value Imports form. The Cancel command button cancels selection criteria and returns to the Tyre Value Importsform.
A number of command buttons are available. The full list of command buttons is as follows:
Exits the Tyre Value Imports form and returns to the Data Import Options menu.
This command button runs the data file import routine. A Confirm Input pop-up box displays the following two alternative options:
- 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.
The Scroll Bar can be operated in a number of ways:
- Holding down the up/down arrow to control movement up and down the List Box
- Positioning the mouse pointer over the Scroll Box, hold down the left mouse button, and move the mouse. The mouse pointer moves, dragging the Scroll Box. Move the Scroll Box to the desired location and release the left mouse button.
- Position the mouse pointer over the Scroll Bar. Single-click with the mouse, above or below the Scroll Box depending upon the intended direction, as many times as is required to move the Scroll Box up or down to the desired location.
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 Tyre Value Importsform.
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 Tyre
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 Tyre Value Imports form.
- Import
This command button is used to confirm and generate the data import routine. This process reads the import file and performs a comparison routine against the data already contained in the DP company (FQDP TYR). If the Variant Code exists then the relevant Table Number is retrieved and updated with amended values if necessary. If a Variant Code does not exist a new Table Number is created for the imported data.
FQDP TYR is a single Tyre Value file with three record types which are as follows:
- O Original Imported Values
- A Adjustment Values
- Q Quoted Values
The Import routine only updates record types with a value of O (Original imported values). A series of checks can then be performed within the DP company to ensure that the data is accurate and consistent. Data can be manually edited if required (edits are made to record types with a value of A (Adjustment Values). The original data values combined with the adjustment values go to make the record types with a value of Q Quoted Values. The Quotes Values within FQDP.TYR are ultimately moved to FQ.TYRE; which is the file accessed by the quotation module. For a more detailed explanation of the location and manipulation of Tyre Value files see the Tyre Manipulation DP and Tyre Value Copy menu options.
A series of blue boxes is shown in the bottom-right corner of the form display progress of the file import routine
- Stop-now
Prevents the data import routine from taking place and effects a return to Tyre Value Imports form.
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 Tyre Value Data Sources form. The Execute command button is then used to import the data file in the normal way.
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