Click the links to the topics outlined below to learn more information:
Managing Products
If you are importing your Products via CSV load, please consult the Importing Products Guide. If you are adding them manually, please follow the guidelines below:
HotH has an integrated Configuration Management Database (CMDB) which allows you to log tickets against CMDB entries. There are separate folders for Products, Assets (Inventory Items), Customers, Contacts and Services.
You can access the Products database by navigating to Your Company > Products. Here, you will see a link to Add Products are the names given to pieces of kit i.e. ‘Printer’. It is the Assets or Inventory that define the specific item, with reference number etc. So, to enter a product, input the product name and any other required details, and then click OK to save.
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Importing Products
HotH has the ability to load external Product and Product Version data files directly into the databases. You can therefore download data from any existing databases and populate the HotH databases.
In addition, HotH also has the ability to export your Product and Product Version data from the HotH database to a CSV file, which you can learn more about on the Exporting Products Guide.
The files to be imported must be flat files of comma-separated values. Each line in the text file represents a HotH record of a particular type. The first characters in each line indicate the type of record to be loaded. You should also note that special rules apply to some fields, please take advice from support@houseonthehill.com before loading new data type. You can use Import to execute a SQL string, but again please take advice from Support before doing this.
Note: Tickets and Notes are loaded into the current Ticket Folder. Any Products and Product Versions referenced in the Tickets should belong to the current Folder. Similarly, if you are importing Tickets to an archive Folder, the Tickets should have status ‘Closed’. HotH does not make these checks.
How to Import Files
In the WebServer, go to Import CSV from Settings.Select the file to import records and click Import. If there are errors they will be listed. You need to review the errors. The error log is listed to the file suppdesk.err. If there are no errors you can navigate away.
In the Windows interface the Import CSV option is on the Database ribbon tab/menu. You need to navigate to where the import file is located.
Import Formats
Excel column headings are supplied below to assist with importing Products and Product Version Records. You do not need to supply data for every field, just enter those you need. (Though there are some validation rules, these are not documented here.)
Dates should be entered as DD/MM/YYYY for UK format and MM/DD/YYYY if US format is in use.
Product Record – Type P
A | Code | “P” |
B | Reference | Up to 40 characters, mandatory and unique. (The Product must not currently exist.) |
C | Name | Up to 120 characters, mandatory and unique |
D | Description | Up to 250 characters |
E | Creation Date | 10 characters. Default, today’s date |
F | Status | Up to 16 characters |
G | Analysis Date | 10 characters |
H | Price | 10 numeric characters, 2 decimal places |
I | Supplier | Up to 40 characters |
J | Manufacturer | Up to 40 characters |
K | Maintenance Contract | Up to 40 characters |
L | Folders | A series of numbers delimited by | to note the Folders in which the product can be used. The number is displayed on the Folder details form (for example, “3|5|”). |
M | Archive & Web Flag | Numeric |
N | Service Level | Up to 32 characters |
O | Type | Up to 40 characters |
P-T | Extra Fields (pre 2002) | 5 fields of up to 25 characters each |
U | Licenses | Numeric |
V | Rate per Hour | 10 numeric characters, 2 decimal places |
W | Rate per Day | 10 numeric characters, 2 decimal places |
X | No. in Stock | Numeric |
Y | No. Sold | Numeric |
Z | Reorder Limit | Numeric |
AA | Reorder Amount | Numeric |
AB | System ID | Numeric – leave blank for new records |
AC | Leave blank | |
AD | Up to 120 characters | |
AE | Assignee ID | Numeric |
AF | Archive | 0 for live, 1 for archive |
AG | File Name | Up to 120 characters |
AH | Currency | Up to 16 characters |
AI | URL | Up to 200 characters |
AJ | Copyright | Up to 120 characters |
AK | Language | Up to 40 characters |
AL | Extra Date | 10 characters |
AM | Call Limit | Numeric |
AN | Remote Id | Numeric |
AO | Use Count | Numeric |
AP | Not Used | 0 for used, 1 for not used |
Product Version Record – Type PV
A | Code | “PV” |
B | Product Ref | Up to 40 characters (Product must exist.) |
C | Version Ref | Up to 16 characters, mandatory and unique for this Product |
D | Environment | Up to 16 characters |
E | Creation Date | 10 characters If omitted, today’s date is used |
F | Description | Up to 250 characters |
G | Status | Up to 16 characters |
H | Analysis Date | 10 characters |
I | Price | 10 numeric characters, 2 decimal places |
J | Modification | Up to 250 characters |
K | Archive Flag | Numeric |
L | Web Flag | Numeric |
M | System ID | Numeric – leave blank for new records |
N | Currency | Up to 16 characters |
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Exporting Products
You can export the current Product databases into a named file. The output records have the same layout as the corresponding Import records. This is useful if you want to create an import file; create a ‘dummy’ record, populating the required fields with discernible text, such as REF in a reference field. The exported data can then be used as a template for the import layout.
How to Export Products
To export data, show the Product records in the summary and filter the list as required.
In the WebServer, navigate to Your Company > Products, then use the Export option in the Summary Options navigation bar; this will then offer the option to View the output. Now, you can open or save the file.In the Windows interface, you can export the Product records in the summary list using Export CSV on the File ribbon tab/Menu. Additionally, in the Windows version you can use the Export CSV option on the Database menu to export more Product records.
Tick the Product box, click the OK button and then choose a location and file name for the export file. The default is export.txt on the HotH directory. If this file already exists, you must confirm to replace the existing file. On completion, you can view the export file before being returned to the main window.