Import from Microsoft Excel

The following can be imported from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

In Designer:

• Drawings

• Hookup Drawings

• Hookup Item Catalog Data

In Engineer:

• Instruments

• Loops

• Process Data

• Instrument Catalog

In Process Engineer:

• Process Data

• Process Equipment

• Process Lines

In Wiring Manager:

• Cable Gland Catalog Data

• Cable Gland Adaptor Catalog Data

  Notes: Other data can be imported from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, but the procedures in these cases are different from that described in this topic. For details, refer to the appropriate module documentation.

  A grid cannot be imported into by more than one user at a time. The grid will be locked to other users during the import process. However, if an import process is interrupted unexpectedly (for example, by a server problem or a power cut), the grid may remain locked. A facility is therefore provided in Security Manager to unlock grids locked by Microsoft Excel import processes. For details, refer to the Security Manager documentation.

Excel Spreadsheet

The Excel spreadsheet must be in a simple tabular format (columns and rows) and the first row should contain unique column names (headings) so that AVEVA Instrumentation can identify the data of the column. The column names are user definable but must not be duplicated. AVEVA Instrumentation will only import column data that contains a heading.

Furthermore, the Excel file must contain an identity column, for example, the drawing number column for imports to the Drawing list. Advanced users can also map against a foreign key field, a field in each record that can be a primary key field of each record in the Excel file. If mapping using this identity column, the identity column is ignored and records in the database are searched and updated based on the foreign key field.

Once an Excel spreadsheet is selected for import, you must 'map' each Excel column name (heading) to an AVEVA Instrumentation database field using the AVEVA Instrumentation import utility. Data can then be imported into AVEVA Instrumentation. The import utility will check if the identity column field exists in mappings.

While processing records to be imported, if a record already exists in the database, AVEVA Instrumentation will show the differences between the imported data and the AVEVA Instrumentation data, allowing you to accept or reject the proposed changes on a record by record (and field by field) basis. If the record does not exist in AVEVA Instrumentation and you accept the importation of the record, AVEVA Instrumentation will create a new record for that drawing or catalog item.

The Import Procedure

1. Open the appropriate grid. For example, if importing Instrument data in Engineer, open the Instrument List grid.

2. On the Manage Tab in AVEVA Instrumentation, click From Excel in the Import section.

   The Select excel workbook to import window displays.

   

3. Browse for the spreadsheet that data is to be imported from and click Open.

   The Import Fields window displays.

   

   The window shows all the columns in the Excel spreadsheet to be imported.

4. Select an existing Field Mapping (if one for this Import type exists) from saved mappings drop-down, or use the automatic mappings created by AVEVA Instrumentation, and make changes to these mappings as required.

   Excel Column Name fields display the names of the columns in the spreadsheet. The AVEVA Instrumentation Field fields displays the Instrumentation fields they are mapped to.

5. To map an Excel Column to an AVEVA Instrumentation database field, click in the AVEVA Instrumentation Field field adjacent to the relevant Excel Column Name field, and select the required AVEVA Instrumentation field from a drop-down list.

6. To exclude a field from the import, click the Clear button in the grid against the field that needs to be excluded, or select the blank entry from the mapping drop-down list.

   Note: AVEVA Instrumentation automatically checks each Excel Column Name from the first row in the Excel worksheet against fields names in AVEVA Instrumentation DB (if not found then field Captions - as set in the Grid Manager). If a match is found then AVEVA Instrumentation automatically adds the Field Name to the mapping list. You can select a different field from the mapping list if required.

Defining a New Mapping Definition

7. Select the New button in the previous window to display the Mapping Name and Description fields and changes the New button to 'Save'.

   

8. Once the details for the mapping have been entered, click Save.

   The mappings will be saved and the Saved Mappings drop-down will have the newly added mapping name appended to it.

Note: It is not compulsory to save the mappings to import data. Data can also be imported by clicking on the Import button at any time. However, it is useful to save the mappings if an import with those mappings is to be performed multiple times.

Importing the Data

9. To proceed with the import of Excel data, click Import.

   The Import Options window displays. This is used to specify whether records are to be imported one by one (Process each Tag and Show Differences one by one) or in a batch (Batch Process all Tags and Show Differences at end).

   If the batch option is selected, all records are processed together and a differences report is displayed when this process is complete, enabling you to accept or reject each change. If the one by one option is selected, a differences report for each record is displayed before the next record is processed.

   

   Note: If import mappings are being tested, the Process each Tag and Show Differences one by one option is recommended.

   Once the required option has been selected, AVEVA Instrumentation will process the data. The Import Differences window is displayed either once for all differences or multiple times for each record, as explained above.

   

   The Import Differences window shows the differences between AVEVA Instrumentation data and proposed (imported Excel) data.

10. To accept the changes, select an individual field data by clicking the Accept checkbox for each. Alternatively, select the Accept All checkbox at the top of this window. All Accept checkboxes will then be checked (individual records may then be unchecked if required).

11. To save the checked (accepted) data, click Save.

    • If the Batch Process all Tags and Show Differences at end option was selected, the process is then complete.

    • If the Process each Tag and Show Differences one by one option was selected, AVEVA Instrumentation will then proceed to the next tag record to be imported and displays the differences in the Import Differences window.

12. To cancel any import for the current tag record, click Close. AVEVA Instrumentation will then proceed to the next record to be imported.

13. To cancel all further importing, click Stop Import.

14. Once the import procedure is complete, an Import Log window will be displayed, in which details of the import are displayed (records successfully imported, errors, warning, etc.).