Import & Export Blueprints

Introduction

One of the most impressive elements of BigChange’s JobWatch system is the power and speed with which it can import or export vast amounts of data. This makes it simple, for instance, to upload information from a third party system or to export data for further analysis/manipulation in other applications.

In order to import data, you must first match up the columns on an external spreadsheet to the headers required within JobWatch.  The Blueprints feature allows you to save time by ‘remembering’ these column matches, pre-configuring the position of the columns in your import spreadsheet with the required fields needed within JobWatch.

Export blueprints work in a similar way, by defining the information you wish to include at each column location, ensuring only the required data you require is included in the download.

Creating an Import Blueprint

Import blueprints can be used in the following areas:

• Jobs
• Job group templates
• Stock & equipment
• Contacts
• Contact job group & contact job group rates
• Contact predefined invoice item price list
• Contact stock item price list
• Contact persons & rates
• Resource & vehicles
• Fuel report
• Predefined invoicing items

Blueprints can be created in all areas which allow data import and export but to demonstrate how it would work in practice, it is simplest to use an example.

We are going to create a blueprint which allows us to import daily into JobWatch, all jobs that are created in a 3^rd party ERP system.  To do this, you need to have Administrative permission, either with full access or with permission to Administrate forms

Navigate: My account → Administration → [side menu] Forms → Import/Export Blueprints.

Click Add and a new window will open:

1. Name – name your blueprint
2. Group – select the group which this blueprint will apply to eg jobs, stock, equipment
3. Type – select Import, Export or Import/Export

Below is a completed form showing the import Jobs blueprint we are using as our example

As you will see, as soon as the upper part of the form has been completed, a new, ‘Column Mapping‘ section appears.

The top field allows you to select a Column letter, determining the order in which the fields will be displayed:

The field beneath it allows you to select the JobWatch field this column will correspond to

Columns can be added and deleted by using the plus/minus icons.

Clicking plus will open an additional popup, Insert column, which allows you to design exactly the blueprint you require:

Once the columns have been mapped, save.

Below is an example of how our completed Job Import blueprint might look, together with the spreadsheet it is designed to import.  You will notice that no equivalent has been added to the last column, ERP-REF.  This is because the information it contains isn’t required and can therefore simply be omitted from the blueprint mapping.

Using a Blueprint to Import Data

Once your blueprint has been created, you can now proceed to import your data. Navigate to the desired section of JobWatch, in our example, the Schedule and click on the Import button:

The Jobs import window will have opened and you will be prompted to select the blueprint you wish to use.

Make your selection and then select the Excel file you wish to import:

You will see that the use of the blueprint means that the columns are automatically matched, saving you the need to do so.

The import can now be completed as normal.

Tip:  To further speed up this daily task, you can create a bookmark for it by clicking on the Save current view as favourite icon and then using your Views icon to navigate straight there in future.

For more information on how to do this, please read the separate article.

Creating an Export Blueprint

Export Blueprints can be created in the following areas:

• Jobs & Job group templates
• Stock & equipment
• Contacts
• Contact job group & contact job group rates
• Contact predefined invoice item price list
• Contact stock item price list
• Contact persons, notes & rates
• Sales opportunities & financial documents
• Resources & vehicles
• Fuel report & predefined invoicing items
• Web users

As with imports, export blueprints can be created for anywhere exports are available within JobWatch.  Continuing our example, we will create a blueprint allowing the export of jobs from JobWatch.  For this example, we are going to restrict the fields for export to demonstrate the function’s capabilities.

Follow the steps to create a blueprint described in the earlier import section, create an export jobs blueprint, specifying a name, group and type and then add the required columns.  An example is shown below:

However, although we don’t need them for this example, please be aware that you can also choose to add columns containing either custom fields or worksheet answers if you wish:

For example, if we select a Worksheet with multiple questions we will also have the option to add individual questions

or all questions relating to this Worksheet.  Where this option is selected, all the questions on the selected worksheet are added to the dropdown list, allowing you to easily select which column they appear in on the export.

Finally, save.

Using a Blueprint to Export Data

Once your blueprint has been created, you can now proceed to export your data. Navigate to the desired section of JobWatch, in our example, the Schedule and click on the Export csv button:

A popup will open asking you to confirm the email address the export is to be sent to and to confirm which export blueprint you wish to use.

Once complete, click on the Export icon.

A message will appear confirming that the request is being processed:

An email will be received with a link to download the dataset:

Click on the link and a csv file will download in the bottom left hand of your screen

Click on it to open

As with the import example, only the columns required have been exported:

Group Job Export Blueprint

You also have the ability to create an export blueprint for Group Jobs.   

Navigate to My Account > Administration > Forms [side menu] > Import / export blueprints  

When creating your export blue print, choose ‘Group Jobs’ from the ‘Group‘ drop down list. 

You can now choose your newly created ‘Group Job Export Blueprint’ when selecting which export blueprint to use from the group jobs list view.  

Other Features of Blueprints

• It is possible to create multiple blueprints with the same type – making it even easier to import or export data of the same type but in different formats, to be used in different applications.

• Blueprints can easily be duplicated – perfect if you wish to create a copy and amend it rather than start from scratch. Simply click Duplicate and then click Edit to make any changes.

• For added security, blueprints can be locked. Once locked, only the user who has locked a blueprint can unlock it.

Blueprint Option ‘Add all Worksheet/Workflow Questions to Blueprint Columns’

Looking for an easier way of adding all of the Worksheet/Workflow questions to a blueprint?  Now it’s a single click:

My account > Administration > [side menu] Forms > Import/export blueprints

Job Import/Export SLA & Recurrence Patterns