If you need to import data into OPTIMAL from a source other than the SPARC Parenting Time Tracker spreadsheet, this information will help you do that. In general, it's best to copy your data into a spreadsheet format to make it easy to import.

1. General Data Format: Data imported into OPTIMAL must be 'tab delimited'. This means that there must be an actual tab character in between each of the data fields (detailed below).
   
   
2. Number of Data Fields: The OPTIMAL import engine expects a total of 11 fields to be present in each row or 'day' of data. Fields may be empty, but they must all be present.
   
   
3. Required Fields: The required fields are (in order): Scheduled Start, Scheduled Stop, Scheduled Hours, Visit Type, NP Time, Actual Start, Actual Stop, Actual Hours, Expenses, Mileage, and Remarks.
   
   
4. Detailed Data Field List

   Field	Position	Data Type	Format	Example
   Scheduled Start	1	Hours & minutes	H:MM am/pm	5:25 pm
   Scheduled Stop	2	Hours & minutes	H:MM am/pm	6:30 am
   Scheduled Hours	3	Decimal hours & minutes	H.MM	4.6
   Visit Type	4	Text (up to 10 chars)	Any	Any text
   NP Time	5	Decimal hours & minutes	H.MM	5.8
   Actual Start	6	Hours & minutes	H:MM am/pm	11:25 am
   Actual Stop	7	Hours & minutes	H:MM am/pm	3:15 pm
   Actual Hours	8	Decimal hours & minutes	H.MM	6.5
   Expenses	9	Decimal number	xxxx.xx	28.50
   Mileage	10	Decimal number (up to 9 digits)	xxxxxxx.xx	125.8
   Remarks	11	Text (up to 2000 chars)	Any	Any text