If there is a feature which is common to all productivity applications, it is the ability to read Excel spreadsheets.
Many of Otimize Nesting customers manage their daily activities using this great application. Even if they have an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, it is supposed to import from and export to Excel.
We understand no nesting program should be isolated. So we support any initiative to promote data exchange to save work and make smarter systems.
READ: What is nesting program?
The most time-consuming task while creating cutting diagrams and programming automated cutters, is the manual data input for all the parts to produce. Width, length, quantity, dxf geometry, etc are the very time consuming and error prone.
When the part information does not exist at any electronic document or system, there is no alternative but manually input data. In any other case, you can automatically import your preexisting list to Otimize Nesting.
You can import your own spreadsheets with the following steps:
Step 1 - Prepare your Excel spreadsheet
Prepare a spreadsheet containing the correct columns. This way Otimize Nesting can properly understand the part information. The following image shows a sample part list:
When the spreadsheet is ready, you must save it in CSV (Comma Separated Values), which is nothing more than a text file containing the values separated by a a special character, like a comma for instance.
In order to do that, click on File->Save As and Excel will present a dialog so you can specify the file name and location. At this time, you must select the file type as CSV.
TIP: Download this sample CSV to use as a template in the future:
Step 2: Import file on Otimize Nesting
Start Otimize Nesting and create a new production order (or open an existing one). Go to the part list page and select the Import->CSV option, like the following image:
Select the file you saved on step 1. Otimize Nesting will load the file and show you the import page with the file contents, like the following image:
Click Import. When the operation is complete, navigate back to the previous page. Now your data was automatically imported to Otimize Nesting!
Comma separated values may use different separators
Although CSV stand for Comma Separated Values, depending on the regional settings of you computer, Excel may use other separator characters like semicolon, tabs, pipes, etc.
If this is the case, your data will not look properly organized on the import page. All you have to do is change the character separator from the drop down list and click refresh to make data be reloaded.
Header line should be ignored
Sometimes the first line of spreadsheets contain column header text and not part data properly. If this is the case, this line must be ignored prior to click Import button.
In order to do that, simply deselect the checkbox located on the left side of each row. The unselected items will not be imported.
If you need more information on the spreadsheet of use a different column format, please let us know!