Imports and Exports

You can import documents from Microsoft™ Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe™ PDF into CDM. You can also export content from Excel objects, Word objects, PowerPoint objects, and PDF objects into external files.

Import External Content

You can import documents from Microsoft™ Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe™ PDF into CDM. There is no direct link to an external file; the imported file is associated with the report, compressed, and stored in the database.

You must first check out the report object that you want to import content into.

When a report is opened by filtering one or more custom groups, report objects that are created from imported files are automatically assigned to the custom group or groups.

You can perform the following import tasks:

• Import a document into an existing report object.

  Important: When you import content into an existing report object, the imported content overwrites the content in the report object.

• Import multiple documents as siblings of a report object

When you import Excel content, every worksheet that exists in the file being imported is saved as a new worksheet in the Excel object. Any changes made to imported data in CDM are reflected only in the report and are not updated in the original source.

By design, the source file is not updated dynamically. If changes are made to the source file after it is loaded into CDM, you need to import it again.

Documents imported as siblings appear as new report objects in the report and are ordered alphabetically.

You cannot import a document into an existing reference report object. You cannot import a document as a child of a report object.

To import a document:

1. Open the report that you want to work with.
2. In the report tree on the left, open and check out the report object that you want to edit.
3. Click the Section View Mode icon in the status bar.
4. Unless the report object is the report itself, check out the report object.
5. To import documents as siblings of the report object, complete the following steps:
   1. In the report tree, right-click the report object and click Import, then As Sibling.
   2. Navigate to the location of the files that you want to import. Select the files and click Open.
6. To import a document into the report object, complete the following steps:
   1. In the Report Object tab on the ribbon, click Import Object. A warning appears that this action will overwrite the content of the report object.
   2. Click Yes to continue.
   3. Navigate to the location of the file that you want to import. Select the file and click Open. The contents of the file are imported into the report object. For example, when you are importing an Excel file into an Excel object, all worksheets that exist in the file are imported into the Excel object.
7. Click the Default View Mode icon in the status bar.
8. Check in the report object and save your changes to the report.

Export Report Objects

You can export content from Excel objects, Word objects, PowerPoint objects, and PDF objects from CDM into external files.

With this export process, there is no direct link to the database. The information contained in CDM is uncompressed and extracted from the database.

If the name of a report object contains invalid characters, is too long, is duplicated, or if the report object does not have a name, a warning window opens. If the name of the report object contains invalid characters, is too long, or is duplicated, CDM adapts the original name to create an acceptable name. If the original report object does not have a name, CDM creates a new name.

Any changes that are made to the data in CDM are reflected in the report only; they are not updated in the exported file.

By design, information extracted from CDM is not updated dynamically. If there are changes to the data in CDM, after export, you must export the data again.

You do not have to open a report object to export it. In addition, you can export report objects that are currently checked out by other users. When you export a report object that is checked out, the exported report object reflects the last saved changes to the report object at the time of the export.

To export report objects:

1. Open the report that you want to work with.
2. Open and check out the report object that you want to edit.
3. Click the Section View Mode icon in the status bar.
4. In the report tree, select the report object that you want to export. To export multiple report objects, press either SHIFT or CTRL and click the report objects.
5. In the Report Object tab on the ribbon, click Export Object. You can also right-click the report object and click Export.
6. Navigate to the location where you want the export file to be saved.
7. Click the Default View Mode icon in the status bar.
8. Click OK.

The report object is exported to an external file. The file has the same name as the report object.