PDXpert's Batch Importer initializes your PLM system by importing your (and your partners') existing part and document records. These are then linked into lists of bills of materials, qualified sources, references and design file attachments.

Importing the example data

This example shows how to structure your own data for importing using comma-separated value (CSV) files.

Download the example import files:Example-PDXpertImport.zip

1. To prevent possible conflicts between existing and imported records and to ensure you have administrator permissions, reset the database to provide a known valid starting point. On the PDXpert Server window, click the Reset Database button.

2. Create a new C:\PDXpertImport folder. Open the compressed Example-PDXpertImport.zipfile and copy all CSV files (and the folder Library) into the new C:\PDXpertImport folder.

   This folder path is only necessary to import the example file attachments. If you prefer to use a different path, edit each full path contained in the8-Example-ListRevisionFiles.csv and9-Example-ListItemFilesLinks.csv import files.

3. Open the PDXpert client application. On theSoftware License Key window, enter yourOrganization name. This is thehome organization.

4. On the Tools menu, select theBatch Importer...command.

5. Start by importing the example organizations. This file contains a list ofpartner organizations— manufacturers and distributors — that become sources of purchased parts.

   1. In the Import Type dropdown list, select the Collection: Organizationsoption (or, in older releases, Organizations collection).

   2. Click Import button.

   3. Navigate to and select the file1-Example-CollectionOrganizations.csv.

   All partner organization records are imported into theOrganizations collection.

6. Import some example users. This file creates both the Persons collection members as well as the related user log-in accounts.

   1. In the Import Type dropdown list, select the Collection: Personsoption (or, in older releases, Persons collection).

   2. Click Import button.

   3. Navigate to and select the file2-Example-CollectionPersons.csv.

7. Create some groups and assign persons to them.

   1. In the Import Type dropdown list, select the Collection: Groupsoption.

   2. Click Import button.

   3. Navigate to and select the file3-Example-CollectionGroups.csv.

8. Import the Item Master records (home and partner parts and documents). Item masters must be imported before other files, because later imports simply establish relationships between the item masters.

   1. In the Import Type dropdown list, select Item Masters. (You don't need to mark any checkboxes.)

   2. Click Import button.

   3. Navigate to and select the file4-Example-ItemMaster.csv.

   The imported items are assigned their basic attributes.

9. In these steps, we'll create item-to-item relationships such as BOMs and sources.

   Select each Import Type from the list, click theImport button, and navigate to the example data file:

   • Bills of Materials: 5-Example-ListBOM.csv

   • Sources: 6-Example-ListSources.csv

   • References: 7-Example-ListReferences.csv

   • Change-controlled design files: 8-Example-ListRevisionFiles.csv

   • Background files & web links: 9-Example-ListItemFilesLinks.csv

10. Set the part and document numbering to begin after the last imported item numbers. In the Collection Explorer, within the General section, select theSequences:Identifier group, and update Part numbers withNext assignment 100067, andDocument numbers with Next assignment10104.

    
11. After all data files are imported, close and re-start the client application to refresh all collections.

Search for and open the top-level assembly 100034, and browse each list and its items.

Importing your company's data

PDXpert provides additional capabilities for importing your own data. These include a large set of standard attributes, as well as user-defined custom attributes. The procedure for importing your own company's data is in the application help topics.

While preparing your own data for import, it's a good idea to have on-going access to the PDXpert Server to perform server-side tasks such as database reset, backup and restore.

If you're importing Unicode characters, be sure that your text file is encoded as UTF-8, rather than DOS/Windows ANSI. Use a CSV file editor or plain text editor (such as Notepad++) to enforce encoding; Microsoft Excel may not. Always check that your imported Unicode data has been correctly imported.

The PDXpert help file includes column definitions for each import file format used by the Batch Importer tool (within the PDXpert client, open the Help menu or press theF1 key). More detailed information about using theOrganizations, Persons,Sequences:Identifier, Document Types andPart Types collections can be found in the related application help topics. Also seePreparing to import PDXpert file attachments.

After you finish importing all of your starting data, you can then place it under change control. If you've imported a lot of data, you can efficiently organize the pending items into release sets. For more information about releasing your final imported data, seeCreating release sets for imported data.

Please contact us if you'd like expert assistance in cleaning, reconciling, formatting and importing your legacy data.