# General Business Category > Accounting Forum > [Question] Importing into Pastel

## mtpocket

I have a spreadsheet with columns and under each column is information that must be inserted into Pastel. Attached is a sample XL sheet.
This xl file will change from month to month with multiple rows. The application generating the xl sheet can also generate a CSV file should the xls not be possible. Surely one of these formats must suffice? 

1. Can my objective be achieved with the attached xl sheet?
2. How can I import the xl file?

Thanks

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## Neville Bailey

I've just seen your post, but I'm about to do a remote consultation with a client.

As soon as I am done, I will respond to your query.

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## Neville Bailey

OK, here is my response.

I have assumed the following:
The data on your Excel file represents sales data.There is no VAT involved, i.e. the amounts are not VAT inclusive, nor is any VAT added to them.You do not want Pastel to produce invoices, i.e. the data will import as a sales journal.You will have created customer accounts in Pastel with the codes that you have used in column D of your file.Your sales account in Pastel is 1000/000.
You need to capture your data into a CSV file, in a very specific layout, which can then be imported into a sales journal in Pastel.

I have attached an Excel file, using your example data, which shows what the layout should be. I wanted to attach a CSV file, but the forum does not allow me to use *.csv as a file extension, so I used *.xls instead - you will need to resave the file in CSV format.

I have also attached a PDF file which explains what each column heading is, and in what format it should be.

Once you have populated your CSV file, open a blank sales journal in Pastel, and then select Batch...Import and browse for your CSV file. After the journal has been populated, you can update the journal.

Let me know if you need any further help.

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Missnancyalex (09-Jan-12)

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## mtpocket

Hi Neville & thanx for the quick reply.

As per your questions: -
I have assumed the following:
- The data on your Excel file represents sales data.
Yes, the XL sheet represents sales data.
- There is no VAT involved, i.e. the amounts are not VAT inclusive, nor is any VAT added to them.
Correct, there is no VAT added to the XL Sheet. Can Pastel not add the VAT component or should it be added before importing?
- You do not want Pastel to produce invoices, i.e. the data will import as a sales journal.
No, I want to import the XL sheet and want to run the invoicing from Pastel. My third party software cannot do credit notes etc. Only providing sales on a daily basis, therefore the importing on a monthly basis to Pastel. 
- You will have created customer accounts in Pastel with the codes that you have used in column D of your file.
Correct, all debtors company details & account numbers will be replicated in third party software which will do all costings etc & at month end export into Pastel. Must it be imported into `Sales Journal` or `Debtors`?
- Your sales account in Pastel is 1000/000.
Not sure what your question is.


Attached find a sample of what the Pastel invoice looks like with its relevant columns.

How long will a XL sheet consisting of 1200 rows take to import into Pastel?

Thanks again Neville

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## Neville Bailey

> Correct, there is no VAT added to the XL Sheet. Can Pastel not add the VAT component or should it be added before importing?


Yes, Pastel can add the VAT component if you set up the CSV file appropriately. I asked the question to establish whether or not your company was registered as a VAT vendor.




> No, I want to import the XL sheet and want to run the invoicing from Pastel. My third party software cannot do credit notes etc. Only providing sales on a daily basis, therefore the importing on a monthly basis to Pastel.


So, do you want the data in your spreadsheet to produce Pastel invoices? If so, then the CSV layout will be completely different to what I attached in my earlier post. Your attachment, however, looks like a monthly statement layout, which implies that you don't want to create Pastel invoices from your spreadsheet, but only to create the accounting entries in Pastel and to produce a monthly debtors statement. If the second scenario is what you want, then how will your tax invoices be produced - outside of Pastel?




> Correct, all debtors company details & account numbers will be replicated in third party software which will do all costings etc & at month end export into Pastel. Must it be imported into `Sales Journal` or `Debtors`?


Not quite - you are now talking about importing Masterfile data, rather than Transaction data. I have attached a PDF file, outlining the CSV requirements for the importing of Customer details. In Pastel, you would go to File...Export/Import and then select Import Customer Accounts and browse to your CSV file.




> - Your sales account in Pastel is 1000/000.
> Not sure what your question is.


This is the default general ledger account reflecting your Sales value in the trial balance or income statement.




> Attached find a sample of what the Pastel invoice looks like with its relevant columns.


As I mentioned above, your attachment is actually a monthly statement layout, not an invoice layout.
 



> How long will a XL sheet consisting of 1200 rows take to import into Pastel?


A few seconds.

Perhaps you and I need to have a realtime discussion, outside of the forum, to establish your situation in more detail? I can log onto your system remotely with TeamViewer and we can talk VOIP on TeamViewer.

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## mtpocket

Hi Neville,

I do not have Pastel loaded on my side, that is installed at the client. I've created a software that is web based for the courier industry. It does track & trace, POD's saved into a document library, costs a waybill on the fly, etc. I have an export facility i.e. CSV or XL that can export costed waybills between dates etc. My problem is how to import this into Pastel.

I would like to take this discussion outside the forum & see what can be conjured up. How can we connect?

Thanks

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## Dave A

> I wanted to attach a CSV file, but the forum does not allow me to use *.csv as a file extension, so I used *.xls instead - you will need to resave the file in CSV format.


Thanks for pointing that out, Neville. Just to let you know I've added csv files to the list of allowed attachment types, just in case you have the need again some time in the future.

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Neville Bailey (09-Jan-12)

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## Neville Bailey

> I would like to take this discussion outside the forum & see what can be conjured up. How can we connect?


We can communicate via TeamViewer and its VOIP utility.

As a fellow TFSA member, your first hour's consultation with me is free of charge, but I would still like you to fill in your details on my online form here, so that I can open an account for you. Once I receive your details, I will contact you to arrange a mutually convenient time to connect.

If you can obtain a copy of your client's Pastel database, I can run it on my Pastel system and then run tests on it from the data exported from your system (I can reverse the TeamViewer view so that you can see what I am doing on my system).

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## Antoniov12

Copy of LJR Prices.xlsxHi,

I used pastel my business on line, but on the request of my accountant he asked me to revert back to pastel express again.
I requested from my main supplier for them to send me their price list so that I can import this into pastel, I assumed you can do it.
Now, the question is:
How do I import this into pastel, and under which heading do I import it into. The help files I have seen and tried to follow did not include a price cell.
I will attach the file so that you can see. Your help in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Regards :Wink:

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## mr.bilay

I can't download the attachments, why?

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## mr.bilay

I can download the attachments, are they meant to be downloaded by anyone?

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## Dave A

> I can't download the attachments, why?





> I can download the attachments, are they meant to be downloaded by anyone?


They are meant to be downloadable to anyone who has enough smarts to figure out how to download them.
Congratulations  :Thumbup:

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