---
title: "Set up document - Fixed text"
slug: "set-up-document-fixed-text"
description: "Learn to create and manage Fixed text documents for data import/export, defining fields, encoding, and filename settings for efficient integration."
tags: ["Task topic"]
updated: 2026-03-20T07:47:01Z
published: 2026-03-20T17:44:19Z
canonical: "docs.staedean.com/set-up-document-fixed-text"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.staedean.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set up document - Fixed text

Use a **Fixed text** document to read data from or write data to a file with defined start positions and lengths for fields.

### Steps

1. Click **Connectivity studio - Integration Design**.
2. Click the **Documents** tab.
3. Click **New**.
4. Define a meaningful name for the document. **Example:** If the document is used for a sales integration, you can use names like 'Sales - Order' or 'Sales - Invoice'. In the **Document** field, type a value.

> [!NOTE]
> **Best practice**
> 
> In the document name, do not use the:
> 
> - Application name: Use the **Application** field to define the applicable application.
> - Document type: Use the **Document type** field to define the applicable document type.
5. In the **Project** field, enter or select a value.
6. Define the applicable application for the document. For a **Fixed text** document, for example, select a 'Windows folder' or 'Files' application.

In the **Application** field, enter or select a value.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> You can only select an application that is defined for the applicable project. You can define project applications on the **Projects** page.
7. In the **Document types** field, select '**Fixed text**'.
8. Sub-task: Set properties.
  1. Expand the **Properties** section.
  2. Define the file encoding to be used when reading or writing the related fixed text files.

The default file encoding is Unicode (UTF-8).

In the **Encoding** field, enter or select a value.
  3. By default, if the encoding is 'Unicode (UTF-8)', on write, the encoding type is written to the file header.

Select **Yes** to not write the encoding type to the file header.

Select **Yes** in the **Without BOM** field.
  4. You can process an external document in these ways:

    - **Direct**: You can use this to import or export (big sets of) simple data. For simple data, the document lines only have a root record. When a message is run, the data is directly mapped. More technically: It only loads the data in the memory of the record table (usually the **BisBufferTable**). As a result, the import or export of data is faster.
    - **Query**: You can use this to import or export complex data. For complex data, the document lines have several records and parent-child relations. When a message is run, the records are stored in the record table (usually the **BisBufferTable**) before the data is mapped. When the message run is finished, the records are deleted from the record table.

In the **Process type** field, select an option.
  5. It can be that you receive fixed text files with varying encoding. You can receive these files, based on one document. To do so, use dynamic encoding. As a consequence, on read, the defined file encoding is not used. The used encoding is searched for in the fixed text file and the applicable encoding is used to read the fixed text file.

Select **Yes** in the **Use dynamic encoding** field.
9. Sub-task: Set custom handler.
  1. Expand the **Custom** section.
  2. For a **Fixed text** document, several standard handler classes are available.

You can use a customized handler class. To do so, extend a standard handler class.

In the **Handler** field, enter or select a value.
10. Sub-task: Set read options.
  1. Define the filename settings based on which files are searched for when importing data from files.

Expand the **Read** section.
  2. Define the filename filter to define which files must be imported for the document.

You can use these variables:

You can also use other common search symbols.

**Example:** %1*.%2. As a result, files are only imported if the name starts with the current company ID and has the extension '**TXT**'.

In the **Read filename** field, type a value.
    - **%1**: filters files based on the current active company ID.
    - **%2**: filters file based on the file extension. The applicable file extension is defined by the current document type. In this case, it is '**TXT**'.
  3. You can block files with the same filename from being imported several times. Each processed file is stored in the file history. If **Read only once** is **Yes**, on import, the filenames are compared with the file history. If a file is found that is processed earlier, it is not processed but moved to the **Error folder**. Select **Yes** in the **Read only once** field.
  4. On running an applicable message, you can have a dialog shown with the data to be imported. You can review the data before it is actually imported. This can, for example, be useful when importing work breakdown structures, because you cannot easily undo the import. The dialog is only shown if you manually run the message. So, the dialog is not shown if you run the message in batch. Select **Yes** in the **Validate input** field.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> If you use input validation, make sure the **Process type** is set to '**Query**'.
11. Sub-task: Set write options.

  1. Define the filename settings based on which filenames are created when exporting data to files.

Expand the **Write** section.
  2. Using a variable, you can add the value of two table fields to the filename. If you want to do so, define the applicable table.

On write, this document is the target document. However, the file name is defined based on the root record values of the source document. So, make sure you select a table and table fields from the root record of the applicable source document.

In the **Table name** field, enter or select a value.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> You cannot use the table name itself as variable in the filename.
  3. Define the first table field which value you want to add to the file name. The related variable is '**%5**'.

In the **First field** field, enter or select a value.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> You can only select a field from the defined table.
  4. Define the second table field which value you want to add to the file name. The related variable is '**%6**'.

In the **Second field** field, enter or select a value.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> You can only select a field from the defined table.
  5. To make the filename unique, you can add a unique number to the filename, provided by a number sequence. The related variable is '**%4**'.

In the **Number sequence** field, enter or select a value.
  6. Define the filename for the files that are created based on the document.

You can use fixed values and variables. The available variables are:

In the **Write filename** field, type a value.
    - **%1**: The name of the current document.
    - **%2**: The current date.
    - **%3**: The current time.
    - **%4**: The unique number as provided by the defined number sequence.
    - **%5**: The value of the defined **First field**
    - **%6**: The value of the defined **Second field**
    - **%7**: The ID of the current company.
    - **%8**: The ID of the current user.
    - **%9**: The file extension as defined by the applicable document type. For example: 'xml' or ‘json’.
    - **%10**: The UTC internet date/time (RFC3339 with underscores). Example: 2021-01-05T14_38_51Z
  7. If you use a fixed file name, on write, the file can already exist. Indicate the required action:

In the **Open mode** field, select an option.
    - **Write**: The full content of the text file is replaced by the new exported data.
    - **Append**: The new exported data is added below the last line in the existing text file.
12. Sub-task: Set record layout options.
  1. Expand the **Record layout** section.
  2. You can have a header line in the text file with the document record field names. The field name position in the line is defined by the start position and length as defined for the field.

Select **Yes** in the **Use header** field.
  3. You can have the document record name, as identification of the record, added as first value to each record line.

Select **Yes** in the **Record identification** field.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> If you use record identification, also define the **Start position** for the record identification and the **Length**.
  4. If the **Record identification** is set to **Yes**, define at which position in the line the record identification starts. The default start position for the record identification is 0.

In the **Start position for the record identification** field, enter a number.
  5. If the **Record identification** is set to **Yes**, define the number of characters to be used for the record identification. Make the length at least as long as the longest record name of the document.

In the **Length** field, enter a number.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note**
> 
> Make sure you don't overlap the record identification in the fields.
  6. Define the separator to indicate the end of one record and the beginning of the next record. You can use any character to separate records. The most common record separators are new line (\n), return (\r), and space (\s) or a combination. The default record separator is ‘/r/n’.

In the **Record separator** field, type a value.
13. Close the page.

## Related

- [Customize document handler class](/customize-document-handler-class.md)
- [Create separate files](/create-separate-files.md)