The Global Features Guide will instruct you on how to setup and use the core application tools in eTime Xpress.





eTime Xpress
Global Features Guide
(For versions 7.008.000 and above)

Table of Contents

1. Overview

This document describes how to use the global features found in eTime Xpress. Global features share a common design and interface so once you learn how to use a global feature, you should be able to apply that tool wherever it appears in eTime Xpress.

2. Lookups

The lookup is the main search tool for finding information in eTime Xpress. The lookup contains configuration options which allow you to customize what information is presented.
Most lookups in eTime Xpress are configurable allowing multiple search layouts to be defined, saved and reloaded.
To configure a lookup, click on the lookup icon ( ) corresponding to a data object (i.e. Employee, Customer or Site lookups). For illustration, the Employee lookup window is shown in the figure below.
Lookup Window

3. Browsers

The browser is the main display tool for viewing information in eTime Xpress. The browser contains configuration options which allow you to customize how information is presented.
Most browsers in eTime Xpress are configurable allowing multiple layout views to be defined, saved and reloaded.
To configure a browser, right click on a browser (i.e. Employee, Customer or Site browsers) and select Configuration. The Configure Browser View window should appear similar to the figure below.

Configure Browser View

¹ Sort is available in certain browsers only.

4. Filters

The filter tool in eTime Xpress allows you to define customized searches. Filtering can be applied to create customized lookups, browser views, schedule views, business rules and more.
For example, a filter can be created to match a specific group or type of employees, customers, sites or shifts.

4.1. Creating Filters

Filters are created using the Filter Manager and can be run by clicking the filter icon ( ) found throughout the application. Separate filters are required to be created for data object type.
The Filter Manager will look similar to the screen below.

Filter Manager

To create a filter:

1. Click the Add Filter button.

2. Enter a Code and Description.

3. Click the Add Field button to define filter criteria. If multiple fields are defined, an 'AND' relationship is applied between each field.

4. Using the Operator pull-down, select the matching condition to be applied on the field. The selection of operators will vary by the field selected.

5. In the Value field, enter the field values(s) to be matched.

6. Click the Save button to save the filter.

Note: If you are creating multiple filters with similar properties, use the Copy filter option to clone a filter and then update as required.

4.2. Field Operators

The following operators can be used when entering filter conditions for search criteria:

4.3. Universal Filters

When a filter is created, by default it can be applied in the Company Branch it was created. Universal filters are filters that are published for use in all Companies and Branches.
To publish a filter as a universal filter:

1. From the Filter Manager, select the filter you want to define as a Universal Filter.

2. Click the About tab.

3. Check "All Company Branches".

4. Click the Save button.

To unpublish a filter as a universal filter:

1. From the Filter Manager, select the filter you want to unpublish as a Universal Filter.

2. Click the About tab.

3. Uncheck "All Company Branches".

4. Click the Save button. The unpublished Universal filter will only be available in the Company Branch where it was updated to the non-universal status.

Special care should be taken when updating a universal Filter to be non-universal. In Companies and Branches where the filter is no longer available, the filter rule will default to 'All Records'.

4.4. Filter Security

Filters are governed by the following security rules:

4.5. Filter Formulas (Advanced)

Filter Formulas is an advanced feature in eTime Xpress that allows more complex filter expressions to be defined.
Filter formulas require a basic knowledge of Progress functions and eTime Xpress table structures. It should only be used when necessary as incorrectly written formulas may have a significant negative impact on system performance.
It is recommended that you contact Celayix support before implementing any filter formulas. (Note: Formula reviews are not part of standard maintenance and may require additional fees)
To create a filter formula:

1. From the Filter Manager, select the filter you want to define a formula.

2. Click the About tab.

3. In the Formula text box, define your custom filter formula. Click the Select Field button for a list of allowable fields that can be defined in the filter formula.

If both a standard field filter and filter formula are defined, the search is processed as a compound statement joined by an 'AND' relationship. To apply an 'OR' expression to the compound statement, begin the filter formula definition with 'OR'.

1. Click the Check Syntax button to validate the formula defined.

2. Click the Save button to save the filter formula. When a filter formula is defined for a filter, the description "Custom formula defined" will appear in Filter Details under the General tab.

5. Attachments

The attachment feature allows you to import external files such as Word, Excel, PDF etc. documents directly into the eTime Xpress database.
When importing files into eTime Xpress, an attachment window should appear similar to the following:

Attachment Window

5.1. Organizing Attachments

By default, attachments are saved into the system folder designated for that eTime Xpress feature. For example, attachments relating to Employee 1, 2, 3, 4… for Employee Incidents are all saved under the Employee Incidents system folder.

Custom subfolders can be created under each system folder to organize attachments in a manner that is logical for your organization (i.e. Employee, Customer or Site Names or IDs).

5.2. Attachments - FAQs

The following are common questions about using attachments in eTime Xpress:

6. Data Exchange

eTime Xpress supports the ability to exchange data with 3^rd party applications such as accounting, payroll, HR or CRM applications. Using a delimited file, data can be imported or exported to/from eTime Xpress.
When data is imported or exported to/from eTime Xpress, the system will apply the security permissions belonging to the user running the process - records not matching a user's security permissions will not be imported/exported.

6.1. Supported Data Objects

The following data objects and exchange methods are supported:

6.2. File Formats

eTime Xpress supports the import/export of variable length delimited file formats. Delimited files can be created by many products including Microsoft® Excel, dBASE®, and FoxPro®, or prepared file using a basic text editor.
The following general guidelines should be followed when creating delimited files:

• Each record is one line. A record separator may consist of a line feed (ASCII/LF=0x0A), or a carriage return and line feed pair (ASCII/CRLF=0x0D 0x0A), however line-breaks can be embedded so a record may span more than one line;

• Fields are separated by a comma (,), semi-colon (, pipe (|), space or tab (only one delimiter can be specified per file);

• Leading and trailing space-characters adjacent to comma (,), semi-colon (, pipe (|) or tab field separators are ignored;

• Fields with embedded field separators must be delimited with double-quote characters (i.e. if a comma separator is selected, fields which contain the comma character must be surrounded with double-quote characters);

• Fields with embedded double-quote characters must be delimited with double-quote characters, and the embedded double-quote characters must be represented by a pair of double-quote characters;

• Fields with embedded line breaks must be delimited by double-quote characters;

• Fields with leading or trailing spaces must be delimited by double-quote characters;

• Fields may always be delimited by double-quote characters, whether necessary or not;

• The first record in the delimited file is not required to have the field names in each of the columns.

Example Delimited Files
For illustration, the examples below show records with comma separated fields (CSV).

6.3. Importing Data

eTime Xpress allows external information to be imported from a properly formatted delimited file. Import options can be run under File > Import from the main screen applicable to the data object.
When data is imported, it is subject to the same error checks like any other data that is entered directly into eTime Xpress.

6.3.1. Import Features

The import process requires the selection of data fields that are to be imported and their order. Depending on the data object, you will be presented with some or all of the features listed below.

Data Import Example
For illustration, the steps below show how to import Employee information. The process is similar for importing other data objects.
To import Employees:

1. From the menu bar in the Employee main screen, click File > Import. The Employee Import screen should appear as shown in the figure below. The browser called Available Employee Fields contains a list of all of the Employee fields that may be imported, including fields that are required and/or must be unique.

2. Create the delimited file containing your Employee information using an export tool found in your 3^rd party application or spreadsheet. Save the resulting delimited file to a directory that is accessible from eTime Xpress.

3. In eTime Xpress, click the Open button (

   Open

   

   ) in the Employee Import screen to bring up a file dialog box. Browse to where you saved the delimited file and select it for import.

4. In the Available Employee Fields browser, add the fields you are importing in the order they appear in the delimited file. You can modify the field order by using the Remove, Move Up, and Move Down buttons. Make sure that the last field is one that will always have a value. E.g. do not choose email address if some employees will not have an email address. Tip: a good rule of thumb is to put one one the mandatory fields as the last field in the file.

5. Specify the delimiter used to separate fields.

6. Check off the 'Enable Update' option if existing fields should be overwritten with the field information found in the import file.

7. Click the Import button to start the Import process.

8. Imported records are subject to the same error checks like any other data that is entered directly into eTime Xpress. Any import errors will be displayed in a report. Review the report and make the necessary modifications to the import record(s). Retry importing the corrected record(s), as required.

Employee Import Screen
Note: The most common cause of Import failure is a mismatch between the delimited file layout and the Import Field Order definition. Please ensure that all Req'd fields are defined in the delimited file and there are no duplicates of Unique fields.

6.3.2. Saving Import Definitions

Import definitions (delimiter type, enable update and import field order) can be saved to a XML formatted file. The import definitions XML file can be loaded when running future imports saving the work of manually recreating the import settings every time you import records. The import definitions XML file can also used in the batch import process.
To create an Import Definition XML File:

1. From import screen, click File > Create Import Definition XML File. A file dialog box should appear.

2. Browse to where you want to save the XML file and specify a file name and .XML file extension.

3. Click Save.

To load an Import Definition XML File:

1. From import screen, click File > Load Import Definition XML File. A file dialog box should appear.

2. Browse to where you saved the XML file and select it.

3. Click Open.

6.3.3. Batch Import Processing

The Batch Import Process automatically runs the import process.
Note: The Batch Import Process feature in eTime Xpress is licensed separately and requires additional network and script configuration. If you wish to purchase the Batch Processing Engine, please contact your Celayix Software Sales Representative.

6.4. Exporting Data

eTime Xpress allows information to be exported to a delimited file for use in other 3^rd party applications. Export options can be run under File > Export from the main screen applicable to the data object.

6.4.1. Export Features

Generally, the export process requires the selection of data records followed by data fields that are to be exported. Depending on the data object, you will be presented with some or all of the features listed below.

Data Export Example
For illustration, the steps below show how to export Employee information. The process is similar for exporting other data objects.
To export Employees:

1. From the menu bar in the Employee Main screen, click File > Export. Select the Standard Export Format and click OK. The Employee Export screen should appear as shown in the figure below.

Employee Export Screen

1. Specify Started From/To dates, if applicable. If no dates are specified, All dates will be found.

2. Check-off "Mark Records as Exported", if required.

3. Check-off "Include Exported Employees", if required.

4. Select a custom filter, if required. By default, no filter will be applied. To define a custom filter, click the filter icon (

   Open

   

   ).

5. Click the refresh button to search for Employees. A list of Employee matching your filter criteria will be displayed in the Available Employee browser.

6. From the Available Employees browser, select the Employees you want to export using the Add, Add All, Remove and Remove All buttons.

7. In the Available Fields browser, add the fields you are importing in the order they should appear in the delimited file. You can modify the field order by using the Remove, Remove All, Move Up, and Move Down buttons.

You can use the Add Text and Skip options to customize your export file to conform to specific format requirements of other 3^rd party applications. Add Text will insert a user-defined text column and Skip will insert a blank field in the specified location for each record.

1. Specify the Export File Name or click the Open button (

   ) to bring up a file dialog box. Browse to where you want to save the delimited file. Specify a file name and extension.

2. Specify the delimiter to be used to separate fields.

3. Click the Export button to export the selected data records and fields to the delimited file.

6.4.2. Saving Export Definitions

Export definitions (field filter, Mark Records as Exported, Include Exported Employees, Export Field Order, Export File Name, Delimiter) can be saved to a XML formatted file. The export definitions XML file can be loaded when running future exports saving the work of manually recreating the export settings every time you export records. The export definitions XML file can also used in the batch export process.
To create an Export Definition XML File:

1. From import screen, click File > Create Export Definition XML File. A file dialog box should appear.

2. Browse to where you want to save the XML file and specify a file name and .XML file extension.

3. Click Save.

To load an Export Definition XML File:

1. From import screen, click File > Load Export Definition XML File. A file dialog box should appear.

2. Browse to where you saved the XML file and select it.

3. Click Open.

6.4.3. Batch Export Processing

The Batch Export Process automatically runs the export process.
Note: The Batch Export Process feature in eTime Xpress is licensed separately and requires additional network and script configuration. If you wish to purchase the Batch Processing Engine, please contact your Celayix Software Sales Representative.