Channel

Channel is the name of the data acquisition module in Cubix which enables you to acquire data from files produced by other systems, in almost any text format, match the input fields and values to Cubix variables and manipulate the data into a format ready for importing. This matching process is called “mapping”. A common use for Channel is to convert data from a General Ledger system output files, and import it into Cubix.

Understanding Channel

Channel is a utility that allows the manipulation of text files between different formats. It goes beyond simple manipulation to “mapping”. Mapping is the process of assigning variables and values from an input (or source) file to equivalents in an output (or destination) file, even though the files may be in quite different formats.
This is beneficial for retrieving data from a general ledger for spreadsheet manipulation in a preferred format. More importantly, it facilitates the retrieval of data from various sources into a CSV file format that Cubix can easily import.

The greatest advantages are the savings in time and the reassurance of greater accuracy as compared to keying the data manually or copying and pasting data.

The Steps Involved in Channelling

The process of “Channelling” data files involves five distinct steps. These are:

• Nominating the Input file/s.
• Defining the Input file formats
• Mapping the Variables
• Defining the Output file formats
• Nominating the Output file
  

Most of the steps, including nominating files’ formats and mapping, can be saved for repetitive usage.