Import from Client - ProAdmin 320

Import from Client allows any type of library entry from another client to be imported into the current client. In addition, all references for the item are automatically imported. For example, if you import a Plan Definition, ProAdmin will import the Plan Definition plus any referenced Benefit Definitions, Benefit Formula Components, Payment Forms, etc. If ProAdmin encounters any naming conflicts, "#2" will be appended to the name of the imported item. If the identical item already exists (i.e., from previously using Import from Client), it will not be duplicated.

The possible uses for Import from Client are broad. Some examples include:

Tables. Import tables from another client or a master client that you create.
Fields. Import field names from a similar client or a template client that you create.
Plan Definitions. Import a Plan Definition from a client with a similar design or from a template client that you create that contains sample plan definitions (e.g., a final average plan, a cash balance plan, etc.). A drawback of this approach is that Benefit Formula Components cannot easily be renamed.
Concurrent multi-user access. Suppose John and Mary are both working on client X. John is setting up an early retirement window project; Mary is revising the Plan Definitions. John and Mary can work on separate copies of client X and then use Client Merge to put their work together.

Import from Client is located on the File menu. It’s easiest, though, to access it from within a library by pressing the Import… button which shows the dialog box:

Client from which to import objects into the current client: Here you can provide the path or select a previously opened client:

Client Directory: provide the path where the source client files are kept. Clicking the Browse… button allows you to select the path directly.

Previously opened clients lists the clients that have recently been opened. The order of the list defaults to Last Opened radio button which lists the clients chronologically by date, most recent on top. You can select Name to have the list arranged in alphabetical order.

Objects to import (plus any referenced objects): lists of the objects from the source client that have been queued for copying. To select objects for this list click:

The Add/Omit… button to add or omit an item to the list of objects to import. This opens another dialog box, in which you can select objects from a given Library.

Library provides a multi-choice list of the libraries from the source client files. After selecting the library the list of objects defined in that library are listed in the Select items to include: section. The date and time last modified is listed next to each item. To add objects to the list of objects to import, check the box. To omit objects from being imported un-check the box. You can import as a many items you wish from as many libraries as you wish. You can arrange the list in various orders: by date last modified, oldest on top; by items selected, selected items on top or alphabetically by clicking the sort $image\ebx_773079035.gif$ buttons. Clicking the OK button will place the selected items on the list.

The Import button will complete the procedure and import those objects that are on the list. Clicking the Cancel button will stop the Import from Client command.

Also see Client Merge, which is a quick way of importing everything from one client into another. When the source client is a (revised) copy of the target client, Import from Client is often the better choice, since Client Merge will make extra copies of items with revised references in the source client (e.g., extraneous benefit formula components might be created).