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FAQ About Importing Files

What is summary file (*.SUM) ?

A summary file provides a list of all data fields that are contained in the file selected to be downloaded.  It describes in detail what and where each field is within the file, and the fields associated definition.  Other fields included within the summary file are:

Expression - An expression can be built from one or more database columns to create a virtual column (field).  The expression is defined in SQL syntax.  If the expression is a single database column, the expression will match the column name.  Otherwise, for each column in an expression, you will see each individual column on separate lines that show the expression from which it came.

Column Name - The actual name of the database column (field).  This is the column, or one of the columns, defined in the expression.

Column Alias - A name specified in the query definition that is used as a heading on reports.

Column - The starting position of the column (field).  It is applicable to fixed dumps only.

Length - The length of a column (field).

Type - The data type of a column (field), such as character, integer, date, and float.

Sensitivity - The security classification of the column (field) defined.

Definition - A brief description of the column (field).

A domain file provides a list of all columns (fields) that have an associated domain.  A domain defines the valid list of values or a range associated with the column.  Descriptions are provided for domain items such as codes and abbreviations.

Can this date be queried?

Once you have downloaded the data and have decompressed the file using PKZIP or WinZip, the data can then be imported into a variety of database or spreadsheet packages to facilitate queries or reports.

How do I get my file into Microsoft Access?

To load these files into Access, simply use the import option, selecting the data file.  Specify the import options as delimited, with quotes separated by commas.  Use the summary file to rename the fields after the import is complete.  After this you can use the Wizards to create your reports.