# Import-/Export-Facility

## Creating a Format Description for Item Data

| As an example for a simple format description an export of item data is carried out here. It is assumed that the item mask in the list format contains all fields which are to be exported whereas some could be invisible.
| First of all the format definition is created: Data required: Format identification This is a unique name for the format. Format version With this different versions of the format can be defined. Format type There are different types of formats. For the item, the simple entity type "ENT" is needed. Format name In this field a short description can be entered. It is not interpreted by IEF. Entity 1 Here the name of the entity is entered, in this case "EDB-ARTICLE". This is all data needed for the import or export of format descriptions. In case of several item masks or the automatic generation of the field definition, the name "list mask" has to be entered into the field mask name. Mask name Name of list mask for the entity. In this case "EDB-ART-SLI".
| Now the field definition of this format definition can be created. In order to do so, select the line and open the field definition mask. Here all field allocations can then be entered. The easier way would: Select the created format definition and select the menu point create field-def.. Here two possibilities are available: with positions or without positions. With positions creates a definition with all entries to created an ASCII file. But most of the time it is necessary to created the IEF output file on the basis of a predetermined format (e.g. of the MRP system). For this select the menu point without positions.
| A field definition is created now where the field positions in the output file are empty. These can then be filled in according to the corresponding preset defaults In this example the following mask occurs: The columns have the following meaning: A (Active flag) This column determines if the line should be active during the conversion or not . With this it is possible to deactivate or activate lines in a simple way and it is therefore possible to test different configurations. Order This column determines the processing order during the conversion. Field name This column contains the EDB field name. K (Key field) This column determines if this field is selected as a key field during the import. It is then searched in the mask for all fields marked like this if the data record does exist and the data record is therefore modified are newly inserted. For the export this column has no meaning. EPosA, EPosE Start and end position in the EDB field. With this a part of the data can be determined, e.g. if in case of a floating-decimal point field, the comma should not be transferred to the output file. Li (File line) This column is intended for creating a multiple line output in the transfer file. As the field name is determined in EDB, a line number can be determined here. (The current version of IEF does though not yet support multiple line output). ZPosA, ZPosE Start and end position in the file line. The end position is calculated automatically when leaving the field ZPosA and then the field ZPosE does not contain any value yet. With this, it is possible to update any line by entering the start position in the field ZPosA, leaving the field downwards, entering the calculated value plus one into the start position of the next line and so on. So you will quickly gain the output format desired. When generating the field definition all mask fields are transferred to the field definition. But usually not all EDB fields are interesting in an external system.
| In the next step all lines not needed are deleted from the field definition. It is also possible to set the active flag to inactive if after all some fields are to be used later.
| After having defined the key fields and entered all line positions, the mask will have the following structure: This format can then already be used for exporting items.