Excel import

Importing the product data from an Excel file

AVIX supports the importing of product data from an Excel file. Supported formats are Excel 97-2003 (.xls) and Excel 2007 (.xlsx).

The image below is an Excel example file, with a few basic columns containing information we would like to import into AVIX.

TheVideo Excelbelow fileshow how to import Wizard is started by (1) selecting “File”  “Import” and then “Other->Excel File Import”, and followmap the wizard,part like below:attributes

Import of parts

 

As we’ve seen in the previous section, the Item and Component objects have some attributes that we typically want to affect during an import. In the “Perform mapping” picture above, the Component.Level is not a real attribute, but rather informs the Import wizard that we’d like to import the hierarchic information in the Excel file (if existing).

All other mappings (apart from the Level one) should be quite straight-forward: by inspecting the Excel master file, we would like to use the “Product number” data for the Item.Number attribute, and the “Description” for the Item.Name attribute. The “Qty” goes into the Component.Quantity attribute, thus affecting the BOM build by telling AviX that a certain quantity of each Item is to be used.

Once we have imported the parts, the part and MBOM looks like below. Note that based on the “level” attribute in the Excel sheet we get the correct structure of the different (sub)-assemblys.

Done! You can now start working with the data and your DFA analysis

“Matching” when re-importing items and components

AviX tries to be as smart as possible regarding re-importing the same items. This means that if you’ll attempt to import the same item again, you can affect the “matching” item that already exists in AviX. The matching principle is by number (if found), and by name (if number is missing).

Matching limitations: If you have refined data in AviX, for instance updated the VO/FO-attribute for a specific item, a re-import that “matches” on this item will overwrite all attributes in AviX.

Creating/updating the product data manually

Of course, one can also create the Items and BOM Components manually, or update the data with e.g. new versions. Start by viewing the extended parts handling: