From CSV into Billing

[adamtang79]

I am new to ADempiere ERP.

Only done testing on Purchasing Part in 340 book.

I have a friend doing calling business.
He will have .csv files from his provider on calling details.
We plan to somehow store this .csv calling rows into ADempiere.
The steps are as below

1. define new agent
2. define new customer
3. import .csv
4. generate bills for customers
5. generate payments for agents

I can use c#.net to program this, but I wish to do it in ERP way because my friend has another division to do normal trading business.

My issue is lack of experience on customizing ERP.

My current plan on part 3 is using import file loader to load .csv and then go to some kind of form to import into a table to keep the calling details. There is time where someone will go to a form and push a button to generate bulk of bills or payments based on the table data filtered by start timestamp to end timestamp.

I kind of stuck at this part "There is time where someone will go to a form and push a button to generate bulk of bills or payments based on the table data filtered by start timestamp to end timestamp."

In addition, the normal way that i did is specify a folder in the server, and on each interval, the software will go into the folder, importing those files into database then delete it. What user (our calling service provider) need is to ftp those files to that folder.

Please provide me with some advices or experiences. I don't have ERP experience in customization.

[red1]

Hi Adam,
Firstly welcome to ADempiere and the bazaar way of doing things yourself. It is both fun, and serious business as what you intend to do but it involve alot of study and frustration along the way if you do things entirely yourself.

1. You have to do things systematically and in synch with the application toolset you are using. In this case it is using ADempiere Importer Loader, (please see my early tutorial http://www.adempiere.com/Red1.org (under ImportPriceSetup.pdf)).
This is important under the GIGO principle - if you do not ensure your data is cleanly in, any further processing is redundant.

2. The other needs you stated above are further down the line and there are preset tools for that such as for Scheduled Tasks or Recurring Invoices (depending on how you are breaking what you termed as 'button to generate bulk payments..'

Hope this gives an idea that ERP software is not a magic wand, as i often write about elsewhere. It is a tool but 92% depends on human deliberation on how best to apply the software.

[adamtang79]

Thanks for your advices, explanation and tutorial, Mr. Red1.

I have already swallowed 40% of the 340 erp book. Know the basic how-tos.

But my project for my friend is quite urgent. Introduce to me if there is an experienced ADempiere implementer to partner with me for this project. I am indeed in need of an experienced ADempiere implementer / developer.

Added -------

By the way, ADempiere is a very nice and convenience ERP. The more I learn to use it, I got addicted on it. XD

[adamtang79]

Dear All,

Are there a way to implement as below?

1. specify a folder CDR/Time
2. specify a folder CDR/Time/History
3. ADempiere import .csv files from CDR/Time, upon imported, move the imported .csv file into CDR/Time/History folder

The importing mechanism has interval such as each every hour or fixed at 8 pm every day.

[red1]

Adam,
My preference in this forum is for users like you to learn this difficult art of ERP implementation on your own, step by step. In order to do that, you have to define your needs systematically and in detail. So far it is as you put it 'urgent' which is not the way at all to do any ERP, as mistakes will add to the non-stop 'urgent' evil.

So do try to define your needs in full or step by step, with diagrams etc, and maybe i or someone here can help.

Otherwise as you requested but If you have basic developer skills, and If you wish, and if you are around where i am located, i can offer hands-on face-to-face coaching of the development model at a standard hourly fee. What you need is a crash course for about a week on how the whole model is laid out and to debunk it under the hood. Via Skype is also possible but nothing beats face to face where concepts are delivered faster. You can email me red1@red1.org.

[adamtang79]

Thanks for the advices again.

Agreed. My bad

I am sorry. ^^

I am still thinking like c# programmer.

I am still in the stage of swallowing 340 book at 40% and 0% on 360 cookbook. I might need your powerful teaching after I get the basic understanding on ADempiere. Do you mind to pm me the standard hourly fee to me? In addition, do you offer helps with charge rate? We can discuss about it either through red1 pm system or email. I am willing to pay. As mentioned above, the project is urgent, but not that critical. I can learn great things too if we can make my friend project a success.

By the way, said i clone adempiere 361 into myfrienderp and i might write some classes, I wonder whether it is correct if i can just pulling the changeset from adempiere361 to keep adempiere 361 latest and not over writing my custom classes. Do I need some kind of Mercurial Server in this scenarios?

Hey, I am in Miri currently and moving to Kuching in december. Been to Miri the oil city?

[red1]

As long as you keep to 361 or Carlos Ruiz migration to iDempiere you are fine. Do not ever go into 370 path as the changes are a fork to the one here and not previewed by him here.

For a start you do not need mercurial server, just like in my case, i just keep my versions in my own SVN branches in a personal SF repo - http://sf.net/p/red1 . The core rule is to always synch with Carlos Ruiz or iDempiere (or least with 361).

I am only available for lets say a power dev/user workshop about a week's length to give you an in-depth insight and up to speed on things. At least you come out of the workshop with more light bulbs around your head.

My fee is negotiable. If you can bring me to the Mulu Caves all expense paid, i can give you one week of half days coaching in return. Accomodation to me i prefer in the Long House. There at least none of us can run away from the pain and screams of learning this software

Email me and i can tell u when to ring me up to make an appointment for the workshop.