How can I export VCS data into a spreadsheet program?
If I change the spreadsheet data - how can I import the file back into VCS?
Can I create or use my own spreadsheet data and import that into VCS?

Well this page hopes to make all this possible and produce a good result in a very tricky area!

Why is it tricky - well, VCS does not have control over data imported from spreadsheets.
Columns of data could be missing, in the wrong sequence, or with spurious characters.
There are many different spreadsheet programs
Even versions of the same spreadsheet are incompatible with each other.
VCS can manage these issues with a little help and common sense.
So we press on with hope in out hearts!

VCS Exporting - not too difficult

From the main menu, select (F)ile, (E)xport.
Select Normal Spreadsheet and choose class (sorts data by class)
Select (E)xport, (E)xport
Choose a folder, filename and filetype to store your data and press [OK]
Note that the exported VCS data is simple tab-delimited text, even if a .xls or other extension is selected
Your spreadsheet program will detect that the file is tab-delimited text and try to open it.

Tab-delimited text files, have lines of simple data separated into columns by tab characters, and terminated with a carriage return character /cr
In these simple files, there are no formatting escape sequences for text color, bolding, fonts, shading etc etc
This makes them universally accepted by spreadsheet programs - like yours.

VCS Importing - bit more difficult as your data must be good!

If you change the data - and then try to save and re-import into VCS - the simple formatting must be preserved.
Ignore warnings from Excel such as "The file... may contain features that are not compatible with tab-delimited ...Do you wish to keep the workbook in this format?"
Just click [OK] or [YES].

1. This is a good process to try - dont make any changes - This creates a demo.xls text file. At least you will know that this works!
Use the demo.xls file as a template, and paste your rows under the headings
Now to make some simple changes - don'ts first.

DONTS - Only because you want things to work here - and not get frustrated!

Don't remove the 6 lines of header data above the spreadsheet data.
VCS counts 6 /CRs and if they are not here - no worky!
Don't change the column names or the column sequence - no worky either.
Don't delete columns you don't need - VCS import will not work!

Don't save the file in excel format - it must be Tab-delimited.
(If you saved it in excel format by mistake - just re-save it as text - no worries)
Don't use tab characters in your data! -
VCS will think this is an extra column - oops too many, no worky.

Number columns need zeros, not spaces -
Clients sometimes miss the columns out to the right - cost and quantity columns must be zero
Time columns need 14:30 format - in excel this appears as 2:30:00 PM
Finish time must not be < start time
Day columns need 1-7, Monday is 1

Duration is numeric - but is not checked against start and finish time
Roll book can be blank, and Room Teacher, class and subject - but blank names are not nice on screen - better ? or ?? or ???
Start and end calendar weeks need numerics - sensibly 1 - 52

Be sure to Save(A)s Type: Text (Tab-delimited) (*.txt)

ERRORS or problems importing all the rows?

OK so we have not imported all the rows.
You have 120 and VCS says 20 rejected - why?
Probably one of the above reasons - but VCS does not say which ones. Sorry.
Go back to step 1. above and export a demo.vss file from VCS.
Open it up in your spreadsheet program and then paste your new data under the column headings.
Looks for differences from yours to the demo - are all columns there?
Did you have 6 header rows?
Is the data formatted correctly - zeros where they should be.
Are the start and finish time formats the same as the demo formats.
No day = 8 or 17 or 0 - must be 1 - 7 (it happens).

OK good effort - if you still have issues - send an email to VCS and attach your new data file - we'll gladly have a look for you!

Please send your questions or comments and details to VCS Customer Service