⚠️ Warning: Back up your Dimensions database before running the Import Utility. If not already installed, the Import Utility can be installed from the Dimensions installation media. Install the same version as your Dimensions database. Once installed, open it from the Windows Start menu under Access Applications.
Initial setup
Before using the Import Utility, enable a few options to avoid potential issues:
Log in to the correct database by selecting the ODBC connection and database details, then entering the SA username and password.
Once logged in, click the database name in the menu bar (to the right of Edit).
Click Import. The main Importer window opens.
Click Options, then click Import File.
Confirm the File Type is set to Delimited (tabs).
Tick Validate Before Update if not already ticked.
Tick Ignore First Line if not already ticked.
Click OK to save.
Create the file format template
Follow these steps to create a text file template with the header row populated, ready for you to add nominal codes and budgets.
Click Select Module.
Click Nominal Ledger in the list.
Click Options.
Click Import File Templates.
Click Nominal Budgets.
Click OK.
A tab-delimited file called NLBUDGET.TXT is created in the Import Utility installation folder (typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Access Applications\Dimensions\Importer\[Version]).
Create the import file
Open NLBUDGET.TXT in Excel or another application. Add one row per nominal code.
When importing, two options are available: overwrite or update existing budgets, or add to and accumulate existing budgets.
Save the file as a tab-delimited text file. Keep the filename as NLBUDGET.TXT — the importer only imports files with this name.
Import the file
Back up your Dimensions database before importing. The import is a two-stage process: first validate the file for errors, then import.
Click Select Module.
Click Nominal Ledger in the list.
Untick Accounts and Categories.
Tick Nominal Budgets.
Tick Accumulate Budgets to add to existing values, or leave unticked to overwrite them.
Stage 1 — Validation
Click OK.
Click Yes when asked whether you have taken a backup.
Click Yes when warned the import may take a long time.
Click Yes when asked whether to validate Nominal Account Budgets.
Click Yes to confirm validation using the Delimited (tabs) file type.
If no errors are found, click OK on the 'Validation completed successfully' dialog. Stage 2 — Import
Click OK.
Click Yes when asked whether you have taken a backup.
Click Yes when warned the import may take a long time.
Click No when asked whether to validate Nominal Account Budgets.
Click Yes to confirm the live import using the Delimited (tabs) file type.
Click OK on the 'Live import completed successfully' dialog.
The import is complete. Close the Import Utility and open Dimensions to verify the budgets have been correctly imported.