Parts Inventory Import?

[integrity1]

I was surprised to hear from someone today that it is IMPOSSIBLE to import a list of parts I'd like in my Mitchell inventory. Is that true? Isn't it possible to migrate entire customer databases? I have a list of nearly 150 parts we're now keeping in inventory, and I just hope I don't have to enter them manually, one at a time. I couldn't find anything here or in the "knowledge" base about this.

[Silky7]

The only way to currently import a price list is through the ProPack (Report Pro) addon.

[integrity1]

Are you referring to the "Price List Import" feature? "Chris" at Bolton told me that feature would not, in fact, import inventory parts into my system, that it imported data into Propack (??) I first saw that feature in a graphic here in the forums, and as I tried wading through the process, it continues to give me an error. I called Bolt-On, and after 2 sales people tried helping me, they gave me Chris, who admitted he wasn't real certain how to use it, and remotely wanted to look through my Mitchell menus for the "Mitchell Database Importer" (??)

If this isn't what you're referring to, Silk, can you point me in the right direction? Mike is out of town, so there's no reaching him right now. (Lucky guy)

[Silky7]

Well, unfortunately the part import tool you've been referred to was an old tool with 5.9. There is no SE equivalent. It took a rudimentary access database understanding to format a list correctly, and resulted in a lot of user frustration. SQL is even more complicated, so we don't currently have plan to implement such a tool again.

[integrity1]

How difficult is it to migrate this type of data (with Mitchell support assistance) when we're talking about updating only one aspect of our data? I know it's possible to migrate entire datasets, but that it's more than a few simple clicks. How do I gain access to my own data? It seems as though the only way to accomplish this type of thing is to hire it out, at an additional expense, so how do I go about gaining access to my own data, then? Is it encrypted, pr locked/protected in some way, or can the data file be easily accessed? This is disheartening.

[Silky7]

The database is accessible by default. However, we don't support directly modifying the database.

[integrity1]

The database is accessible by default. However, we don't support directly modifying the database.

So...what do you support, then? I mean to say, what do you suggest?

[timbre4]

Pardon me for jumping in, I could comment on this from past experience. While the import process in MS Access (5.9) was reasonably simple, SQL (SE) is absolutely nightmarish with all kinds of linking tables in addition to the actual tables with data. Frankly if the data does not originate inside the program it's going to be a problem for MOST people. I believe your options are:

1) Hire some SQL data expertise and have them manage the process (we don't support any of this modification)

2) Input the part records manually in SE Inventory screen

If it was 10,000 records you might justify #1; with 150 records you simply would not. Pay a kid to do the data entry on a Saturday morning and be done with it.

My $.02

[integrity1]

That's exactly what we did, in fact - A local college student offered to be available for "shift work", so we called her, and she spent a few hours data entering at one of our less busy workstations. Aside from a few clerical errors, it all worked out. It was nice to be able to count on someone like her, especially when you don't know the person you're bringing in.

[timbre4]

Makes sense, glad to hear it!