How to join columns together when importing

Axis

Overview

It is possible when using Zed Axis to merge two or more columns in your import file together and map to one field in QuickBooks by using a concatenate (join) function. For example you may have separate columns for the First Name (Tom) and Last Name (Jones) and you wanted to join those together to make a full name (ie Tom Jones).
 
 

Demonstration of how to create a Concatenate function





Steps to create a Concatenate (Join) function

Follow these steps below in Zed Axis to create a concatenate or join type function.
 
  1. Whilst creating or editing a map, opposite the field that you join, in the Function column select the option to <Add new function>
 

  1. In the function editing screen enter the join expression for the fields that you would like to join together.  Details about how to create the expression are included below.
  2. Finally click OK and the Function will be saved and included in the map that you can use for this and subsequent imports.
 

Guide to creating an expression

Possible Syntax to use to create a join expression
 
SyntaxDescriptionExample
&Ampersand is used to identify a join{First Name}&{Last Name}
{ ....  }Curly brackets are used to enclose the name of the column to be joined{Last Name}
" ..."Parenthesis used to enclose text that is used to be inserted into the function, ie a space or a colon":"
 
Example: To join the two columns together for First Name and Last Name and insert a space between the two.
 
{First Name}&" "&{Last Name}
or
{First Name}&" "&{Middle Name}&" "&{Last Name}
 
 
 
Article ID: 303, , Modified: 12/13/2021 at 10:09 PM

Feedback

As far as I can tell this doesn't actually work. The only thing that doesn't give, "Invalid Expression" in preview is using a single column name in {}
Keith (9/27/2018 at 4:22 PM)
Hello Keith, I just upgraded to 13, so I don't know if this was addressed and fixed, but it works now, with a twist.

Make sure you set the Import data column to <none>, THEN apply your function. This worked for me, EVEN though the preview under Data Preview on the Column mappings window was totally incorrect. Once I saved it, and went back to the main Zed Axis window, the data showed up correctly joined in the column of the Zed Axis spreadsheet view that I had mapped. The imported data into QuickBooks Enterprise 18 worked fine, over 300 lines of invoices, and this function merged 3 columns from the spreadsheet to give the full address in one line.
Jalam Plunkett (3/21/2019 at 8:34 PM)
This is working great except for one issue, I have three sets of brackets with typed data in between, and if the field in the middle bracket is blank, it skips the next typed command &", Job#"& and jumps to the final item in a bracket. Does anyone have any suggestions for this?
Jenny (5/20/2019 at 6:19 PM)

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