Bibase POS Software

Advanced EPOS Solutions


Data Import and Export

Need to convert the data from your existing system? Our programs can import data in CSV format (comma separated text format).
Both Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel export CSV.
The structure of a typical CSV file is just that of a standard text document with each product on a seperate line:

1,product,1.20,1.40
2,another product,2.40,4.80

The import routine (Utilities, Import) asks for the CSV file then displays a screen to select which fields to match to those in 4-Shop.
Each available field in 4-Shop is displayed with a box alongside. Just put the position along each CSV line of the value to be used, counting from the left.
In the above example the retail price is the fourth position along in each, so 4 would be used for that field.
If a 4-Shop field is to be left empty use 0.

  Import procedure

To produce a CSV file from Microsoft Access or Excel use the following:

Microsoft Access:
In Microsoft Access open the table then select FILE | Export.
In the 'Save as type' box select 'Text files (*.txt *.csv)' and choose a file name.
The EXPORT TEXT WIZARD will then be displayed. Make sure 'Delimited' not 'Fixed length' is selected then click next.
Finally make sure the delimiter is set to 'comma' and the 'Text qualifier' is set to none and click FINISH.

Microsoft Excel:
In Microsoft Excel, open the sheet then select FILE | Save as
In the 'Save as type' box select 'CSV (comma delimited)' and choose a file name.

Terminology: TheA delimiter is the character used to seperate the fields, for our programs it is always a comma (other types of data files use the TAB character or require the fields be of a fixed width).
A text qualifier is the name given to quote characters that may be placed around text. 4-Shop does not require them and they should not be used.

  Typical scenario

In the following, the third and fourth fields are the cost price and retail price.

1,product,1.20,1.40
2,another product,2.40,4.80

The import routine will prompt for the fields to be used. The 'text column' box specifies the field position in the CSV file. Here the number is position 1, the description is 2, the cost price is 3 and the retai price is 4. All other 'text column' boxes should be set to 0.

  Troubleshooting
  • The data must be comma separated with a carriage return and line feed at the end of each item.
  • Ensure there are not quotes on the values (no text qualifier), so Product not "Product".
  • Prices should not use a currency symbol, so 2.40 not $2.40
  • Note that each item must have a unique number and a description or name of at least two characters.
  • All products must have the same number of fields. A common source of problems is when commas occur in item descriptions.
  • The line endings must be Windows CR LF (10,13). To convert a Unix CR file, open in Windows Wordpad then Save as which performs an automatic conversion.
  • Ensure there are not blank lines at the end of the file, just a single CR LF after the last item.
  • Ensure there is not a field description line at the top.
  • Our Website Change Detector app trial has a file viewer which may be used to look at the file characters and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
  • The 4-Shop trial version may be used for evaluation. Produce the CSV file then open it in a word processor and save the first 20 items.
Technical note:There are several formats of text file. Standard ANSI text files (MS DOS) are required not Unicode (except 4POSRENTAL).