123util


Screen Num 1

This series of screens illustrates, with electronic photographs of actual
Lotus Screens, how to get the PAYLOTUS.DIF file output by PAYROLL USA into
a 123 Spread Sheet. The first step is to run the Lotus Access System to get
this main menu.  Either use the arrow keys to move the cursor to Translate
or press T . The Lotus Utility Disk must be in the drive when Translating.

Screen Num 2

Lotus will transfer to the Translate Menu.   Select DIF to WKS.





Screen Num 3

Tell Lotus where the PAYLOTUS.DIF file is located.





Screen Num 4

Lotus will display all .DIF files on that drive for you to choose from.
Note that because we are using Directories and the Lotus Translate options are
not as sophisticated at Directory Handling as their main program is, then use
the DOS CD command to set the correct directory on the source drive before
running the Lotus Access system.  Select PAYLOTUS.DIF by pressing Space Enter

Screen Num 5

Now tell Lotus where you want the Spread Sheet file.  It will have a different
file extension so it can go on the same drive as the input, if that is what
you wish.



Screen Num 6

Tell Lotus how you want the file to look.  We think the RowWise translation
looks better, it closely resembles our Payroll Register.  Try ColumnWise if
you like, but it strings all the figures for each employee right across a
very wide Spread Sheet.   Both are usable, it is a matter of personal choice.


Screen Num 7

Lotus asks you to confirm it is OK to proceed.   Tell Lotus YES.





Screen Num 8

Lotus has read the PAYLOTUS.DIF file and successfully translated it.





Screen Num 9

Now we can get out of the Translate Utility





Screen Num 10

Lotus double checks - YES lets get back to the main menu.





Screen Num 1 of 123 Main

We have returned to the main Lotus menu, and run 123.  Then pressed / in the
usual way and selected File to get to this menu.  We are going to set the
Directory to Use. (To wherever you asked Lotus Translate Utility to put it's
output Spread Sheet file).


Screen Num 2

This is where our sample file happened to be, yours might be somewhere else.





Screen Num 3

Now we can retrieve it just as with any other Spread Sheet.





Screen Num 4

Lotus displays a choice of files, there is only one and it is the one we want
so we take it.




Screen Num 5

And this is what it looks like when it is first loaded.  Awfull isn't it.
Don't despair, that is because Lotus is not properly set yet.  We have to
fix the column width, and if you wish, the numeric display format.  So press /
and select Worksheet.


Screen Num 6

We want our changes to apply to the whole Worksheet so select Global.





Screen Num 7

And from the next Menu select Column Width.





Screen Num 8

Tell Lotus you want columns 15 characters wide.





Screen Num 9

Lotus will do as you ask, returning to the display with the new width.
You could have set numeric format to fixed, 2 decimals in a similar fashion.
We did'nt so we have the default general format numbers which only displays
pennies if there are any.  Personal choice.  Do whatever you usually do with
your Spread Sheets.   Re-Save when done to avoid having to reset this again.

Screen Num 10

We will just page down through the Spread Sheet to show what it looks like.  It
is now a regular Spread Sheet just the same as if you had keyed it in the hard
way.  All the regular Lotus functions will work with it.  Particularly with
large Spread Sheets you may wish to lock the side titles and/or the first
few rows (employee ID) so they are always visible as you page through.

Screen Num 11

Another Page of the Spread Sheet.





Screen Num 12

And Another





Screen Num 13

This is all on Lotus 123.  Translation to Symphony is very similar. Also if you
have access to BOTH Lotus 123 and Symphony you should know that Symphony can
read a Lotus 123 Spread Sheet (you only have to specify the full file name
when Retrieving because they use different extensions).  However, Lotus 123
cannot read a Symphony Spread Sheet.
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