The default cost and rate information is stored in the categories module, and although much of the enhanced flexibility regarding rates and rate structures is managed using rate cards, updating the default data occurs in the categories module.
1. Navigate to Categories and find the list of categories you would like to update.
2. Select "Update Costs, Rates, Commissions for Categories in List" from the Actions menu. Note that not all of these values need to be included in the update, i.e. if you only want to update costs only include cost information; the rates and commissions will not be overwritten.
3. You will be presented with a dialog that is similar to the standard Import / Export routine in aACE. If you do not already have a spreadsheet including category code and the data you need to update, select "Export". This will give you a spreadsheet with category code and the costs, rates, and commissions currently stored in the database. If you already have a spreadsheet with the necessary information, select "Import" and skip to Step 5.
4. In Excel, make whatever updates are required. If, for example, you need to update all costs by adding 5%, create a new column called "Rate Value Update" and assign it a calculation of Round(Rate Value*1.05,2). Note that Excel will not round by default, so if you don't include it in your calculation you may get several more decimals than you require upon updating the data in aACE.
5. Once you have the necessary information for updating the data, select "Update Costs, Rates, Commissions for Categories in List" and select "Import". You will be presented with the Import Field Mapping Dialog below. The left-hand column will include the column headers from your spreadsheet; the right-hand column will include various category fields. Map the data as follows: Category Code to Category Code (with the --> icon); each updated data field needs to map to it's corresponding field (with the --> icon), ex. Unit Cost Update to Unit Cost; Rate Type Update to Rate Type; etc.
6. Press "Import". This will import the updated data into a temporary location where it will process the data in aACE with the various updates.
An additional tool:
Although it isn't included in the initial export because a category may have multiple vendors, if you include a Vendor Code in the re-import, the corresponding Vendor Unit Cost will also be updated.
Note: Because it's an update, vendors will not be added to the category. In other words, the vendor has to already be associated with the category for the update to work.