The Inventory Import SQL Scripts are where you define the SQL to import inventory items into DMS from an external database.  Before you add the SQL scripts, one or more connection strings must be defined.  Any number of SQL scripts can be defined.  For help writing SQL scripts in DMS, please see Hints and Tips Writing SQL Scripts.  For details on the SQL columns required for the import, please see SQL Inventory Columns Required.

To define Inventory Import SQL Scripts, select Interface | Import settings | Inventory Import SQL Scripts.

A window will appear with the current list of defined inventory import SQL scripts.  The example below shows the list of current inventory scripts:

The following tabs and commands are:

File

1. New  Select File | New to add a new inventory import SQL script.
2. Edit  Select File | Edit to edit the currently highlighted SQL script in the tree, or double click on the SQL script name in the tree to edit the script.
3. Delete  Select File | Delete to delete the currently highlighted SQL script in the tree.  DMS will verify the SQL Script you want to delete.  Click Yes to delete the SQL script or No to ignore the delete.

Note that the SQL script has an SQL Order By ItemNo clause to ensure the data is imported in an orderly fashion.

The tab requires three entries:

1. Script Name The script name is a unique name used to identify the inventory script.  The name must be unique and can be up to 45 alphanumeric characters long.
2. Connection Name The connection string name is entered for the database you wish to connect to.  Valid connection strings are displayed in the drop down menu.
3. Inventory SQL Script Enter the SQL script to extract the necessary inventory information from the external database to add information to DMS. 
4. Click Save to save the new script.  Click Cancel to cancel the addition of the new script.

In order to help you build the SQL script DMS provides a button that adds the necessary information for you to add your custom information to.  Click on the button, DMS will ask you to verify that you want to add the required SQL fields to the script.  If you select yes, DMS adds the SQL script as in the example below:

To the above script you would add the parameters required to complete the SQL.  For example, for each value after the “as” enter the name of the column or calculated field from the source database.  You also need to add the table(s) to the “From” statement, any joins, and any required information to the “where” clause.  Note that the yellow line after the lines numbers indicates lines that have been edited.  Once the save button has been selected, the yellow line will disappear.

Once a script has been entered, you can test the script by using the button. This button will run the script and access the external database.

Depending on the number of rows selected, the test may take a few minutes to execute.  After the test, press the close button to close the test window.