Site-US Tax Batch lets you process data in either fixed-length format or character-delimited format. Whichever format you use for the Input File will also be used for the corresponding Output File.
A fixed-length format reserves a fixed number of characters for a field, regardless of how many characters are actually used. Site-US Tax Batch lets you specify the length of each field, as well as the start position for each field. For example, the first field might start at character 1, the second field at 10, the third at 35, and so on. (The first character in a line is always 1.)
Following is a sample of fixed-length data:
0001 121 Acoma St Denver CO 0002 3339 Clark Chicago IL 0003 1475 Jefferson, #3 Clinton MS
A delimited format separates each field with a specific Delimiter Character, such as a comma or a tab character. Using a drop-down list, you can specify which Delimiter Character to use. Site-US Tax Batch also lets you specify a Quote Character. For example, a typical Comma Separated Values (CSV) format separates fields using a comma as the delimiter, and surrounds the field contents with double quotes — allowing the use of commas within the field. With its drop-down lists, Site-US Tax Batch enhances this capability. You specify not just the Delimiter Character, but also the Quote Character that surrounds the field contents.
Following is a sample of character-delimited data, using the same addresses as before. This sample uses a comma as the delimiter, and double quotes surrounding each field:
"0001","121 Acoma St","Denver","CO" "0002","3339 Clark","Chicago","IL" "0003","1475 Jefferson, #3","Clinton","MS"