Setting up Auto Export

The Automatic Export/Purge tool automatically saves the accounting log whenever the log reaches eighty percent of its file capacity; regardless of the number of accounting log entries chosen. For example, you can choose between 400 and 1000 log entries and the export will still occur at 80%. Use the following procedure to set up Auto Export.

Manually exporting the accounting log

Note: It may not be necessary to perform this procedure if the Automatic Export/Purge tool has been enabled. The Automatic Export/Purge tool will automatically save the accounting log whenever the log reaches eighty percent of its file capacity. Automatic Export/Purge tool options are available by clicking the Options... button on the Accounting window, accessed from the Accounting selection of the system's Administration menu. If you use the Automatic Export/Purge tool, make sure that you know where the log file has been placed.

1. Log on to the system by selecting [Logon…] from the Logon menu.
2. Select Operator (or System Administrator) as the user from the User drop-down list box.
3. Enter the Operator (or System Administrator) password and click <OK>.
4. From the system's Administration menu, select [Accounting].
5. When the Accounting window opens, wait for the accounting log to be retrieved, then click the Export... button.
6. When the Export Accounting Log window opens, select the directory in which you want to save the accounting log file. Make sure it is a directory from which you will easily be able to retrieve the file.

Note: It is recommended that you create a directory specifically for the accounting files. This will make them easier to locate and manage. For example: /opt/accounting.

7. Select the desired file properties such as Type, Encoding, and File Format. You may have to experiment with the correct format to allow direct import into a spreadsheet or database. Standard formats such as Tab or Comma Separated Value files are the easiest.
8. Specify the records to export by choosing a single Job ID, a range of Job IDs, or All.
9. Click <OK>.
10. The accounting records will be saved in the desired format with a file name prefix of AccExport and a date and time stamp. When multiple files are stored, it is recommended that they be placed in a tar file to preserve the full file names.
11. After this operation has been performed, you may purge the accounting log if desired. Be certain that the data was exported correctly before purging.
12. Once you have checked the data, click the Purge... button.
13. When prompted to confirm that you wish to purge the log, click <OK>.

Copying the accounting log file to an FTP server

Note: After this operation has been performed, you may purge the local system's accounting log, if not already done. To prevent data loss, be certain that the server files are complete and that the transferred data is correct, prior to performing a local system data purge.

1. Log on to the system by selecting [Logon…] from the Logon menu.
2. Select Operator (or System Administrator) as the user from the User drop-down list box.
3. Enter the Operator (or System Administrator) password and click <OK>.
4. From the System menu, select [UNIX Terminal Window].
5. Start a client FTP session with the command ftp and press <Enter>.
6. Connect to the desired FTP server and change (cd) to the directory in which the accounting files will be stored. If necessary, see the FTP commands primer at the end of this document.
7. Use the lcd command to change to the local directory where the exported accounting files are stored.
8. You may want to enter a prompt command in order to transfer multiple files without having to confirm each transfer. If you do this, the screen will display Interactive mode off. A hash command will also let you see the transfer activity if desired.
9. Transfer the files with the put or mput commands.
10. Verify that the files were transferred with the ls – l command.
11. When finished, end the FTP session with the bye command.

Manipulating the data for import into Equitrac

This process enables the person responsible for entering the data into Equitrac to eliminate extraneous data and place the data in the correct order to allow it to be imported.

1. Copy the accounting file(s) from the FTP server to the local computer with another FTP client session or graphical FTP tool. If it is necessary to use a text-based ftp, see the FTP commands primer at the end of this document.
2. Open or import the accounting log export file. It is recommended that this be done first with a spreadsheet program as it allows data to be excluded and manipulated easier.
3. Delete any columns in the spreadsheet that contain data that is not needed. These things may include Elapsed RIP time, Complexity Induced Skips, etc.
4. Once all deletions have been made, arrange columns in the order in which Equitrac would like to import them.
5. Remove the header row if desired.
6. Save the file or export the file as a CSV (comma separated value) file or TAB delimited file.
7. The file can then be imported to a database program such as Microsoft Access and appended to an existing database table.
8. Save the file for use in Equitrac.

FTP commands primer