Need help with deciphering error when importing iif

Totally not the way I would set up the IIF, but it works. The msg means just what it says, it thinks you're trying to change a name or add the same name  to a second list.

What is line 78 in your iif? If it's a VEND linem then the vendor you are trying to create is already in the file. Maybe as a Customer or Other Name, but it's in the file so you can't add it again.  If line 78 is an ENDTRNS line, the name you're using in the transaction is already in the file as something other than a vendor, assuming you're just importing bills.

Attached is my version of your iif. As you'll see, you need only enter the Vendor and Item one time. You also only need the transaction headers once. (As I said at the begining, yours works, just giving you a different way to look at it. Maybe it will help make it clearer as to the problem for you.) Without the actual lines that the error is refering to, that's about all I can offer.

If you want to upload the section in question, please include from line 78 up to the first header line in that section.


CLEAN-bill.txt

Thanks for the input, stlinae.

An additional question or two before I digest and try to fix my problem.

From the VEND perspective, "if the vendor already exists in the file", do you do mean the iif file and not in QB, in other words,  only 1 unique vendor/VEND per iif file?

Since my data comes from a sql query how do I determine if the vendor already exists in QB to avoid duplicate vendors since these are bills?

Also, does it make sense to have an INVITEM in a BILL? Does it matter, I need to be able to bill the same items that we inventory, does that make sense? The ACCNT for INVITEM is "Service" will using that try to create some type of recievable?

I see that your file makes more sense than mine without the repeating header records.

Thanks.

NG

"If the vendor alread exists in the file" I meant if the name already exists in the QB file. A name can only exist in the QB file one time. So, if you have a Customer Joe Black and and Vendor Joe Black, QB will not allow it. (It's smart enought to know Black, Joe is the same name too.) You would have to chang one of the names to enter it in the QB file. Joe Black - C or Joe Black - V is a common work around. This applies to all 4 names lists, Customer, Vendors, Employees and Other Names. A name can only be on one list, and once it's on one of the first three I listed, you cannot change what list its on.

As for determinig if the name already exists in the QB file, how good are you at writing code? You'd have to use a back end application to run a check of all the names to see if it's there or not. You can look into the Intuit SDK, or what I use, ODBC. QB Enterprise Solutions comes with a read only version ODBC driver. (Can also be purchased for Pro/Premier) You can use something as simple as MS Access to query the QB file for a name first.

Yes it makes sense to have an Inventory Item on a bill. Not sure what about the rest of that one. "will using that try to create some type of recievable?" ???

Yeah, sorry about the last part I'm having a problem describing what I am trying to say.

Take for instance the following:

!INVITEM      NAME      INVITEMTYPE      DESC      PURCHASEDESC      ACCNT
INVITEM      Additional Photographs - $2.50      PART                  Service Invoice:Photographs
INVITEM      Service Fee - $0 - $2,499      PART                  Service Invoice:975
!TRNS      TRNSID      TRNSTYPE      DATE      ACCNT      NAME
!SPL      SPLID      TRNSTYPE      DATE      ACCNT      NAME
!ENDTRNS                              
TRNS            BILL      7/16/2009      Accounts Payable      Cal Utilities
SPL            BILL      7/16/2009      Service Invoice:975      
SPL            BILL      7/16/2009      Service Invoice:Photographs      

I'm entering a BILL as can be seen by the TRNS/SPL lines but I'm using an INVITEM that has ACCNT "Service", would that create some type of receivable or is "Service" only a category and it will have no impact on the data that is entered?

I think I understand about the VEND, if the Vendor already exists in QB I can not use the VEND line in my iff with that Vendor, I can only identify the Vendor on the TRNS line in the NAME column. I can only use the VEND for new Vendors, correct?

Thanks,

Sorry I meant to also ask if VEND is used for the creation of Vendors only?

NG,