Workbooks
The TIC Systems Inspection Management System offers a seamless integration solution for incorporating Excel Workbooks into your data management processes using this Workbook Integration Guide. By seamlessly populating your data from an existing workbook that your team may already be utilising, the system enables efficient extraction of data input. This feature proves particularly advantageous in scenarios where internet connectivity is limited or nonexistent, presenting diverse use cases across various operational environments.
The integration is bi-directional – there is a pre-population of data when downloading a workbook from the software to provide to the inspector. Then there is a set of required fields needed by the system in order to re-upload the completed file back into the software.
Pre-population
Workbooks are pre-populated when downloading a workbook ready to provide to an inspector.
Named cells in the Workbook Template are populated as follows:
Fill in each of the following cells with data from the Job Order.
Field Name | Value |
---|---|
FOF_File_No | Reference number |
FOF_Office | Office name |
FOF_Type_Of_Operation | Job order type name |
FOF_Voyage_No | Voyage number |
FOF_Port | Port |
FOF_Terminal_1 | Terminal |
FOF_Coordinator_Name | Coordinator display name |
FOF_Date | Date Format: m-d-Y |
If there are inspection subjects (vessels, barges, tanks etc), populate the following named fields as described:
Field Name | Value |
---|---|
FOF_Object_Type | Inspection subject type code |
FOF_Object_Name | Display name of the inspection subject |
FOF_Object_Name_Orig | Display name of the inspection subject |
If the inspection subjects contain a barge or vessel loop through them all, populating the below named cells with the display name(s):
Field Name | Value | Notes |
---|---|---|
FOF_Barge_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Display Name | Field names increment to represent number of cargoes. Begin counting from 1.
Example field names: |
FOF_Barge_(infixed with an index starting at 1)_Orig | Display Name | Field names increment to represent number of cargoes. Begin counting from 1.
Example field names: |
Otherwise, if the inspection subject is a shore tank populate the following named fields with the display name:
Field Name | Value |
---|---|
FOF_Object_Name | Display Name |
FOF_Object_Name_Orig | Display Name |
Populate the destination (or load) port from the set of ports. If there are destination or load ports, set the following named cell:
Field Name | Value |
---|---|
FOF_Destination_Port | Display name |
Populate the products table. For each cargo, set a named field suffixed with the index of the cargo started from 0 with the cargo name:
Field Name | Value | Notes |
---|---|---|
FOF_Product_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Cargo name | Field names increment to represent index number of cargo. Begin counting from 1.
Example field names: |
FOF_Product_(infixed with an index starting at 1)_Orig | Cargo name | Field names increment to represent index number of cargo. Begin counting from 1.
Example field names: FOF_Product_1_Orig |
FOF_VCF_Table_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Contains the VCF table name | Example field name: FOF_VCF_TABLE_1 |
Populate the customers table. The contact for each customer is the primary contact – if one exists – or the first contact listed. For every client, list the contact in the following named cells:
Field Name | Value | Notes |
---|---|---|
FOF_Client_Company_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Legal entity name | Example field name: FOF_Client_Company_1 |
FOF_Client_Contact_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Primary contact display name | Example field name: FOF_Client_Contact_1 |
FOF_Client_Ref_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Client reference number | Example field name: FOF_Client_Ref_1 |
Populate the hidden list of offices. For each office, populate the following named cells:
Field Name | Value | Notes |
---|---|---|
FOF_OfficeName_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Office name | Example field names: FOF_OfficeName_1 FOF_OfficeName_2 |
FOF_OfficeAddress_(suffixed with an index starting at 1) | Office contact | Example field names: FOF_OfficeAddress_1 FOF_OfficeAddress_2 |
For the remaining offices fields, set the named cells to null
To ensure pre-populated data is carried through the workbook, ensure “ForceFullCalculation” is set to true for the workbook in the VisualBasic editor window.

Uploading
In order to be able to upload a completed workbook back into the software, the following set of minimum requirements must be met:
- Field Workbook Templates can only be uploaded with the following mime-types:
- application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12
- application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet
- Field Workbook Templates can only be uploaded with the following file suffixes:
- .xlsm
- .xlsx
- Maximum file size allowed for upload is 30MB
- To ensure that the Field Workbook Template is parseable, the minimum requirements are:
- A sheet is present in uploaded completed Workbooks named “Data” (the Data Sheet). This recommended to be a hidden sheet.
- The first row (Row 1) of the data sheet contains the following:
- Column A contains the text “Fill out First”
- Column B contains the text “Job”
- Column C contains the text “FileNo”
- Column D contains the Data Type date | number | numeric | varchar
- Column E contains the Data Field Size
- Column F contains the Data Field Type Calc | Input
- Column G contains a valid (existent) Job Order Number generated by TIC Systems Inspection Management System
- Column I contains the instance number e.g. 1, 2, 3 this is used if you have multiple versions of the sheet
- Column J contains the sheet where the data is extracted from
Additional integration is possible to allow the system to parse quantity data. These details can be provided upon request.