Need recommendation

[Chris]

I have an Access database that I built since I wasn't happy with the
limitations on information input/massage with my Peachtree Accounting
package. I have been duplicating those entries necessary for financial
accounting and payroll in Peachtree for many years. That has gotten very
burdensome now that activity is much, much greater.

Can anyone suggest a remedy or alternative, or a company/person that can
allow us to export selected data from the Access database into Peachtree?
And in a fashion virtually transparent to the user?

As usual, any help is appreciated.

 

[strive4peace]

Hi Chris,

you can get ODBC (open database connectivity) drivers for PeachTree and
this will allow Access to connect to its tables... then you can just use
Update and Append queries

Talk to your PeachTree rep and ask about purchasing the ODBC option.
There are also 3rd party products. Look on Google for
--> Peachtree ODBC

Warm Regards,
Crystal
*
have an awesome day
*
MVP Access
Remote Programming and Training
strive4peace2006 at yahoo.com
*

 

[Chris]

Thanks, Crystal.

You said "this will allow Access to connect to its tables..." implying
pulling Peacthree into Access (I think). What I need is pulling from Access
into Peachtree. Same either way?

 

[Larry Linson]

Thanks, Crystal.

You said "this will allow Access to connect
to its tables..." implying pulling Peacthree into
Access (I think). What I need is pulling from
Access into Peachtree. Same either way?

The implication is yours. The ODBC standard includes both read and write.

Some implementations may have "one-way" connectivity (one that I know about
is a free ODBC driver made available as "advertising" for a different
application that allows reading only one of the several kinds of tables in
that application, but the same vendor sells ODBC drivers that both read and
write).

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[strive4peace]

Thanks, Larry

Chris, as Larry said, the standard ODBC driver goes both ways.

First thing you will want to do after getting the ODBC option is
document the Peachtree structure so you know how it expects the data.
You can use Tools, Analyze, Documentor...

Also, use the relationship diagram -- put all the linked tables up,
stretch all the fieldlists so you can see everything, rearrange them so
the data flows from left to right (there may or may not be defined
relationships to help you).

Warm Regards,
Crystal
*
have an awesome day
*
MVP Access
Remote Programming and Training
strive4peace2006 at yahoo.com
*

 

[Chris]

Thanks to both of you. I follow what you say, but its really over my head.
I do have a starting point now though.

 

[Larry Linson]

First thing you will want to do after
getting the ODBC option is document
the Peachtree structure so you know
how it expects the data.
You can use Tools, Analyze, Documentor...

If you are lucky, the third-party ODBC vendor will have done as thorough a
job as the vendors of QODBC for QuickBooks did -- they provide very good
documentation of the table structure. But, still, it's not always obvious
just what information in just what tables is required for a particular
"transaction" to be complete.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[strive4peace]

Hi Chris,

I would be happy to run my analyzer on your database -- does more than
the built-in analyzer with Access -- it also analyzes the values. As
Larry pointed out, you will need to know which values are required and
this will help.

In order for me to analyze it, though, you will need to do Make-table
queries with your data once you connect to it so the data is resident
and you can email it to me. If the file is too big, I can give you a
server to load it onto temporarily.

The Analyzer is a program I wrote in Access and the reports it generates
are invaluable. The 4 analyzer reports are:

1. List of tables with number of records and last modification date.
Also includes table description.

2. List of fields (excellent cross-reference for identifying keys,
duplication, and normalizing)

3. Data Dictionary (a "standard" that Microsoft overlooked") -- includes
Fieldname, Data Type, Size, Description ... and maximum length used for
text fields

4. Data Dictionary with Value Analysis -- includes all of Data
Dictionary report as well as doing a value analysis: Max, Min, # Filled,
# Unique values, etc for EVERY field in EVERY table. For field with
just 2 values (yes/no; or any other field with only 2 values: the number
of each response is reported). For text fields, the length of the
longest value is also calculated so that the database can be optimized.

When I receive your database, I will run the analyzer on it and you will
have a better look at what you has been set up.

If you email me a databse to analyze, put "analyze database" in the
subject so I don't miss your message...after I run the analyzer, I will
send you the 4 reports and delete your database, I have no interest in
your data... just trying to help.

Warm Regards,
Crystal
*
have an awesome day
*
MVP Access
Remote Programming and Training
strive4peace2006 at yahoo.com
*

 

[Bill Mosca, MS Access MVP]

Chris

My take on what you want is to get the data from Access into Peachtree,
right? Most accounting software have a way to import data from other
sources. Maybe you should look into that instead of trying to push the data.

I would think that once you get everything in PT, you can use ODBC to link
PT "tables" for the added functionality your Access db affords you. but that
would mean continuing to use PT for data input.