eTASK ERP Connector Inventory

This article describes Plug-In 5023 "eTASK ERP Connector Inventory," an automated solution for regularly importing asset data from ERP systems into eTASK.

Overview

What is the ERP Inventory Connector?

The eTASK ERP Inventory Connector is a plug-in that automatically imports asset data from your financial accounting system into eTASK on a scheduled basis.

How it works:

Your ERP system regularly exports a CSV or Excel file to a directory
The connector monitors this directory
New files are automatically imported on a scheduled basis
The asset list is updated (new assets, changes, deletions)

Positioning of the solution

The ERP connector offers a balance between manual Excel import and direct technical integration:

Manual Excel import
Regular manual work - Very high effort (any formats) - No automation - No additional costs

ERP Connector (Plug-In 5023)
One-time setup - High flexibility (CSV/Excel) - Fully automated - Plug-in license

Direct ERP interface
High development effort – ERP-specific – Real-time automation – Custom development

Advantages

ERP-independent: Works with any system that can
export CSV/Excel Automatic: No more manual work after one-time setup
Time-controlled: Regular synchronization (daily, weekly, monthly)
Standardized: Uses proven eTASK import mechanism
Low maintenance: No custom program code required

When is the ERP Connector the right solution?

Suitable for:

Regular synchronization (daily to monthly)
Medium to large asset portfolios (100+ assets)
ERP systems with export functionality
Organizations looking to reduce manual processes

Not suitable for:

One-time imports → Use 📄 Anlagenliste importieren IC8304
Real-time synchronization → Develop a direct interface

Prerequisites

Technical requirements

eTASK Plug-In: Plug-In 5023 "eTASK ERP Connector Inventory" must be licensed and installed
File exchange: Access to a directory for import files (local, network drive, or FTPS server)
ERP Export: Your ERP system must be able to export CSV or Excel files
Scheduling: Optional Windows Task Scheduler or ERP job for export

Organizational requirements

File format defined: ERP export with correct column structure available
Responsibilities clarified: Who is responsible for ERP export and monitoring?
Test phase scheduled: At least 2–4 weeks with daily log monitoring

Structure of the import file

General requirements

File format:

CSV (with semicolon ; or comma , as a separator)
Excel (.xlsx or .xls)

Encoding:

UTF-8 (recommended)

File name:

Any, but consistent (e.g., Anlagenliste_YYYYMMDD.csv)
No spaces in the filename recommended

Required columns

The import file must contain all of the following columns in the specified order. Empty columns are allowed.

Important: The order of the columns is fixed and must NOT be changed

All columns must be present (even if they remain empty)

The fields [Object Type] and [Matchcode] are NOT expected in the import file—these are maintained directly in eTASK

Complete list of columns (in this order)

Asset Number - Unique number of the asset (required field)
Company Code
Capitalization Date - Date of commissioning (Format: dd.mm.yyyy)
Description - Description of the asset (required field)
Acquisition value - Original purchase price
Asset class - Classification of the asset
Inventory Number (Old) - Old inventory number (if available)
Plant - Plant number/operating site
Building - Building number
Barcode - Barcode number
Quantity - Number/Quantity
Active since - Activation date (format: dd.mm.yyyy)
Deactivation - Deactivation flag
Year of origin - Year of acquisition
Cost Center - Assigned Cost Center
Person in Charge - Person in Charge
Acquisition value (old) - Alternative acquisition value column
Book value - Current book value
Currency - Currency code (e.g., "EUR")
Order Number - Order Number from Procurement
Order item - Item in the order
Order Quantity - Ordered quantity
Supplier - Name of the supplier
Manufacturer - Name of the manufacturer
Company Code (Old) - Alternative company code column
Standard Hierarchy I - Hierarchy Level 1
Standard Hierarchy II - Hierarchy Level 2
Standard Hierarchy - Full Hierarchy
Short Name - Short Name
Description - Detailed description
Plant (SAP) - SAP-specific plant
Location - Location name
Assignment - Assignment information
User ID - ID of the assigned user
Comment - Comment field
Unit of Measure - Unit of measurement
Asset Class (No.) - Numeric asset class
Profit Center - Assigned profit center
Asset Class (Text) - Text-based asset class
Original value - Original value
Plant (old) - Old plant number
Location (old) - Old location
Commission (old) - Old commission
Subnumber - SAP subnumber (for sub-assets)
Inventory number - Current inventory number
Serial Number - Serial number of the device
Asset Class Code - Asset class code
AIBN1 - SAP-specific field
AIBN2 - SAP-specific field
Description text - Additional description text
Decommissioning Indicator - Indicator for decommissioned assets
Room Number - Room number
Type designation - Type/model designation
Business Unit - Assigned business unit
ID - Internal ID (if available)
NC - SAP-specific field
Company - Name of the company (Required field - must match eTASK)
Year of Entry - Year of entry (Format: dd.mm.yyyy)
Deactivation Date - Date of deactivation (Format: dd.mm.yyyy)

Installation and Configuration

Step 1: Download and install the plug-in from the Customer Center

Download from the Customer Center

Log in to the eTASK Customer Center
Navigate to the Plug-In Store
Search for "5023"
Click Download Licenses if available, or contact projektteam@etask.de if not
The file will be saved to your local Downloads folder

Installation

Open the eTASK Portal (browser)
Log in as an administrator
Navigate to Control Panel → Plug-Ins
Click Install Plug-In (upload icon)
Select the downloaded file
Click Install
Confirm the installation
Wait until the installation is complete

Note: After installation, the plug-in will appear in the list of installed plug-ins.

Step 2: Set up the import directory (optional)

If using a file system or network drive:

Create a directory for import files:

Beispiel: C:\eTASK\Import\Anlagenliste\
Oder: \\fileserver\etask\import\anlagenliste\

Check permissions:
- The eTASK service requires read access
- The ERP system requires write access
- Sufficient storage space available (at least 1 GB recommended)

For FTPS servers: - Ensure that the FTPS connection is configured in eTASK - FTPS is the recommended option, especially for hosted eTASK instances

Note: After processing, the import file is either deleted or overwritten by the ERP system. The log saves the file in the database.

Step 3: Open the import task in the portal

Open the portal:
- Log in to the eTASK Portal as an administrator
- Navigate to Control Panel → Portal Options → Interfaces → Automated Import Tasks
Open import task:
- An import task with default settings was already created during the installation of the plug-in
- Open the task "ERP Connector Inventory" (or similar name)
Configuration screen:
- You will now see the configuration screen (see screenshot)
- The task already contains the basic configuration

Step 4: Configure the data source

Info area: Data source

File available via:

Select File System (for local/network drives)
Or FTP connection (if ERP exports via FTP)

FTP connection: (only if FTP is selected) - Select a preconfigured FTP connection, or create a new one (button to the right of the dropdown)

Path: Full path to the monitoring directory

File system example: C:\eTASK\Import\Anlagenliste\
Example network drive: \\fileserver\etask\import\anlagenliste\
Example FTP: /export/anlagenliste/

File name pattern (regular expression): Regular expression for files to be imported

Example CSV: ^ATEST Exportdatei aus rs2 [\\=\\w\\-\\.]+\\.xlsx$
Example Excel with date: ^Anlagenliste_\d{8}\.xlsx$ (for Anlagenliste_20260315.xlsx)
Example of all CSV files: ^.*\.csv$
Example of all Excel files: ^.*\.xlsx$

Login: (FTP only) Select FTP login credentials

Format: Select xlsx for Excel files, or csv for CSV files

Data starting from row no.:

For Excel/CSV with header row: 2 (Data starts at row 2)
Default: 2 (Row 1 is the header row; data starts on row 2)
Without header row: 1

Step 5: Configure timing

Info area: Timing

Interval:

Time interval between import runs

Examples: - 24 Hour(s) → Daily - 168 Hour(s) → Weekly - 1 Hour(s) → Hourly

Unit: - Select hour(s) or day(s) (default)

Next execution:

Date and time of the next or first scheduled execution
Format: TT.MM.JJJJ and HH:MM - Example: 27.07.2017 at 12:44

Important: Coordinate the execution time with your ERP export!

Sample configuration:

Intervall: 24
Einheit: Stunde(n)
Nächste Ausführung: 30.03.2026  22:00

→ Import takes place daily at 10:00 PM

Step 6: Configure action after import

Info area: Action after import

Delete file:

☑ Enabled: Import file is deleted after a successful import

☐ Disabled: Import file remains in the directory

Recommendation: Enable (automatic cleanup) in combination with "Save import file?" enabled

Step 7: Configure logging

Info area: Logging

Save import file?

☑ Enabled: A copy of the import file is saved in the database

☐ Disabled: File is not saved in the database

Recommendation: - Always: Enable

Keep log [days]:

Number of days import logs are retained

Example: 1 (only 1 day, then deleted)

Example: 30 (30 days retention)

Example: 365 (1-year retention)

Recommendation:

Test phase: full duration of the test phase

Production: 30 days (for audits and troubleshooting)

Important: Old logs are automatically deleted to save storage space.

Step 8: Save and activate configuration

Check configuration:
- Check all entered values
- In particular: Path, filename pattern, time control
Save:
- Click Save (at the top of the screen)
Perform a test run:
- Place a test import file in the configured directory
- Click Run Now (next to "Next Run")
- Check the log (see Step 9)
Set the schedule:
- Set "Next Run" to the desired time
- Save
Activate:
- If the test run is successful: Set Active? to ☑
- Save again

The import task is now configured and runs automatically!

Step 9: Set up ERP export

Set up an automatic export in your ERP system that writes the file to the configured directory.

Note: Setting up the ERP export depends on the ERP system you are using. Ensure that the export occurs before the eTASK import.

How the import works

Identification of data records

The plug-in uses the following key fields to uniquely identify the assets:

Primary key: Asset number
Optional: Subnumber, if used in the ERP system

Update logic

During each import, the system checks for each record whether the asset number already exists in the Financial Accounting asset list. If the asset number already exists, all fields of the existing record are updated with the new values from the import file. If the asset number does not yet exist, a new record is created.

Deletion logic

After each import, the plug-in checks whether there are assets in the Financial Accounting asset list that are no longer included in the import file. Such assets are deleted only if they are not assigned to any object. If an asset is already assigned to an inventory object, the record is retained and a warning is issued in the import log. This ensures the traceability of the inventory.

Important notes on date formats

Import: Date fields must be in the format dd.mm.yyyy (e.g., 15.01.2023)
Encoding: UTF-8 is recommended to ensure umlauts are transferred correctly

Error handling

Common errors:

Missing required fields
→ Check ERP export
Invalid date format
→ Adjust the date format in the ERP export
Invalid company
→ Create company in eTASK or correct name (note exact spelling)
Encoding issue / missing umlauts
→ Export from ERP using UTF-8 encoding

Integration with eTASK Inventory

After importing the asset data, further processing takes place in eTASK. Detailed steps for assigning object types, linking to inventories, and reconciling discrepancies can be found in the article [Connecting Asset Accounting].

Note: The ERP connector can be easily combined with the manual Excel import, as both methods use the same target table (Asset List in Financial Accounting).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trigger the import manually?

Yes. In addition to the scheduled import, you can perform a manual import at any time: 1. System Settings → Plug-Ins → ERP Connector Inventory 2. "Perform Import Now" button

What happens when asset numbers are changed in the ERP?

If an asset number is changed in the ERP, a problem arises: - Old data record remains in eTASK (no longer assigned) - New asset number is imported as a new asset

Solution: - DO NOT change asset numbers in the ERP - If unavoidable: Manual correction in eTASK is required

Can multiple companies/clients be imported?

Yes. The connector can process multiple companies: - The import file must contain a [Company] column - The name must match the company in eTASK (exact spelling)

What happens to assigned objects upon deletion?

Asset items assigned to at least one inventory are NOT deleted, even if they are no longer included in the import file.

Reason: Historical assignment is retained (traceability of inventory)

Behavior: - Record remains in the financial accounting asset list - Warning in the import log - Manual review required

Can I update only certain fields?

No. The import always updates all fields.

If you only want to change individual fields: - Use the manual Excel import [LINK: Import Asset List] - Or: Excel Data Update

Summary

The eTASK ERP Inventory Connector (Plug-In 5023) offers:

Automation: No more manual imports required
ERP independence: Works with any system (CSV/Excel export)
Time savings: One-time setup, then low maintenance
Reliability: Proven eTASK import mechanism
Clarity: Detailed import logs

Next Steps:

License the plug-in (projektteam@etask.de)
Plan a trial period (2–4 weeks)
Set up ERP export
Configure import directory
Configure connector
Perform a test run
Start regular operation