Converting Budget Data from Escape Classic to Escape Online

This document describes the procedures for converting budget data from Escape Classic to Escape Online during implementation. Current customers will use this method. Customers on other programs will need to export their existing data into the format described below.

To make conversion easy, we have created an export program to convert position control budget data from Escape Classic into the standard import format for Escape Online. Prior to running the program, the district will need to complete the normal steps for position control budgeting setup in Escape Classic (e.g., creating calendars, salary schedules, position accounts, etc.).

The export program can convert both budget and position tracking records. Before the export, users need to create budget tracking records for the budget fiscal year or roll forward position tracking records to the new fiscal year.

Note: Benefits in Escape Online are always computed from the salary, so the benefits could change from classic.

Export the Data from Escape Classic

Escape provides a program, MDLEXPRT.EXE, that creates a budget model and a comma delimited file that can be import into Escape Online 5. The program requires the following parameters based on key words:

MdlExprt FiscalYear=2008 FileName=0_Prelim OrgId=718
MdlExprt FiscalYear=2007 FileName=1st_Inte ModelId="1st Interim" OrgId=718

The exported file will be named ModelFileName.CSV. The user should always check the MdlExprt.AUD file for errors. The program will add to the audit file, so if you don't want it to be additive, then you can delete the MdlExprt.AUD file before running the program.

Once you have the CSV file, you can import to a budget model in Escape Online via the Mass Change task - Import from an external file. Mass changes are made through the Finance-Fiscal-Budget Management activity.

Once it is in the model, you can run the snapshot and any other budget reports in Escape Classic and Escape Online to make sure it is accurate. The benefits are recomputed in Escape Online during the import of the file, so the benefits could be different.

Budget Import Rules

Importing budget data is accomplished from within a budget model in the Budget Management activity in Escape Online. To import, you must perform a change using the Import File from External Source choice. All you do is specify the file name and proceed with the import.

Any subset of accounts can be imported. The file must be formatted as comma delimited. Here are the rules:

TIP: If you are not importing data directly from Escape Classic, call us for assistance in matching your data to our format.

To download a sample standard format import data file containing 2 records (one for a non-salary account and one for a salary account), right click on the link and choose Save as. Online5Budget.CSV (Notepad) or Online5Budget.XLS (Excel)

Import File Layout

The fields available for the import are listed below. You can create this using the program described in this FYI or in Microsoft Excel, saving it as a comma delimited file.

Only those accounts listed in the import file will be updated in the budget model. If the account exists in the budget model, the existing information for that account, including line items, will be deleted before the new information is imported.

Name Type Length Description
OrgId smallint 2 Required

Organization Id value

Account Number char 60 Required

Budget account number (including component delimiters)

Acct Amt money 8 Required

Total amount this account is paying. If the amount is negative, remember to include a negative sign.

EXAMPLES: 1000 or -2500

Desc varchar 50 Description associated with this account's model item record
Type char 1 This account model item’s record type (O - Other or S - Salary)
Comment varchar 1200 Comment regarding this budget item.

If you are importing more than one line item for an account, the first line that references the account must contain the note.

Emp Id int 4 Employee Id if this is a budget line item for an existing employee.
Pos Num int 4 Position Id if this is a budget line item for a salary account.
Assign # smallint 2 Assignment Id if this is a budget line item for a salary account.
Seg # tinyint 1 Segment Id if this is a budget line item for a late-start assignment.
Job Cat char 8 Job category if this is a budget line item for a salary account.
Job Class char 12 Job class if this is a budget line item for a salary account.
FTE real 4 FTE for the assignment, up to three decimals.

EXAMPLES: 1 or 0.333 or 5.25

Medi Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
OASDI Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
SUI Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
WC Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
STRS Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
PERS Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
FUTA Gross money 8 Used for calculating the employer contribution for this accounts corresponding benefit account.
Retire Opt char 1 Retirement Plan Option (Controls whether or not the employer pays a portion of the employee's retirement contribution)
Contrib 1 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 1 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId1 value
Contrib 2 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 2 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId2 value
Contrib 3 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 3 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId3 value
Contrib 4 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 4 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId value
Contrib 5 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 5 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId value
Contrib 6 char 8 Miscellaneous contribution Id value
Cont 6 Amt smallmoney 4 Contribution amount calculated for the ModelContribId value
Medi Amt money 8 Contribution amount for Medicare
OASDI Amt money 8 Contribution amount for OASDI
SUI Amt money 8 Contribution amount for SUI
WC Amt money 8 Contribution amount for Worker’s Comp
STRS Amt money 8 Contribution amount for STRS
PERS Amt money 8 Contribution amount for PERS
STRSEE Amt money 8 Contribution amount for STRS Employee
PERSEE Amt money 8 Contribution amount for PERS Employee
FUTA Amt money 8 Contribution amount for FUTA
PERSRed Amt money 8 Contribution amount for PERS Reduction

How to Run the Import Process

To import budget amounts, you must perform a “change” to the budget model in Escape Online.

Remember that you need to access the activity as a org-user (not org-all).

  1. Click on the Fiscal group activity.
  2. Click on the Budget Management activity. This will open the Budget Management in the work space
  3. Open the budget model.
  4. Select Perform Change from the Task button.
  5. Enter a comment. This is a required field. It will be displayed in the list of changes performed for easy reference.
  6. Choose Import Data from External File (#5).
  7. Browse to the file.
  8. Click Go to start the import.
  9. Click Save/Close for the model.

This will import all accounts listed in the file.