You can load a number of Entries into a Cashbook from a CSV file, using the Load Entries button on the Cashbooks tab. This can be used if you have an existing spreadsheet, when you start to use Parish Council Accounts part way through the year.

The CSV file must conform to one of the 2 formats described below. As it is unlikely that an existing spreadsheet will be in this format, a degree of reformatting will need to take place.

• The CSV file can be in one of 2 formats, which differ only in how the analysis is represented:
  • One column per account, with the value in that column, being the value of the analysis.
  • One column called "Account" which names the Account, and another called "Account Amount", which holds the value of the analysis.
• Headers not case sensitive.
• Both represent extra/continuation analysis lines by cashbook columns being blank.
• Even long format may need more than one line. E.g., a cheque pays 2 invoices that have VAT.
• The Entries are validated as they are loaded, and if any are invalid then none of the Entries will be loaded.
• Before the Entries are loaded a backup will be performed if any changes have been made since the last backup. So, should a problem be found in the loaded entries, the Cashbook can be restored to the state it was before the load. Note: that in these circumstances the restore process itself will create a backup, so you want to restore the last-but-one backup.

The examples below show how the 2 different formats would represent the same data: First, as a text file; second, how it would appear in a spreadsheet.

Long Format

Short Format

The validation is as specified here for Adding Entries