# Batch create and update, maybe use account names instead of account GUIDs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [October 28, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390 "2020-10-28T20:33:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indinfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Indinfer](https://forum.manager.io/u/Indinfer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/1 "2020-10-28T20:33:18Z")
Case in point, go to Receipts & Payments tab. At the bottom click Max if you want all the records. Again at the bottom, click Batch Update, then click Copy to clipboard. Then paste into an Excel (or Google) spreadsheet. You get something like this: ![Screenshot 2020-10-28 160000](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/manager1/original/3X/9/f/9f8ccca060f7d6365fd4ee00bdebde284bbcbd25.png) The red arrows call attention to the account GUIDs. Would be more user-friendly if the actual account name showed instead of the account GUID. The only difference between Batch Create and Batch Update is that only Batch Update has a key column. I suspect that Batch Update can be used for both Creating and Updating. For example, you could identify a transaction in Batch Update that you want to duplicate. Erase the key for that transaction. Then finish the update procedure as explained in the Guide ([HERE](https://www.manager.io/guides/9572)). So, you could actually combine the Batch Create and Batch Update buttons. You could have one button that does both, a Batch Create and Update button (although Manager currently does not work this way). More important to me is that I would be able to see and use the account name instead of the account GUID. Is there a way now that I can find out the GUIDs of all the accounts that I have set up? ---
**Author:** ![Ealfardan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/ealfardan/32/63166_2.png) [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/2 "2020-10-28T20:58:39Z")
> [@Indinfer](#): > > The red arrows call attention to the account GUIDs. Would be more user-friendly if the actual account name showed instead of the account GUID. The GUID cannot be replaced by either name or code of objects simply because they are not unique, and cannot be made unique simply because many users have adapted workflows to utilize this. For example I use code to group together same customer accounts under different control accounts (receivable, unearned revenues … etc.). Maybe if the code and name be combined as an alternate key that appears alongside the GUID, that might be a good compromise. > [@Indinfer](#): > > The only difference between Batch Create and Batch Update is that only Batch Update has a key column. I suspect that Batch Update can be used for both Creating and Updating. For example, you could identify a transaction in Batch Update that you want to duplicate. Erase the key for that transaction. Then finish the update procedure as explained in the Guide That’s not possible for a good reason and that’s so you don’t accidentally overwrite the transactions you want duplicated, or duplicate the transactions you want updated. Any errors in batch operations are costly to fix, and separating different actions is a good approach to ensure no unintended action takes place by mistake. > [@Indinfer](#): > > Is there a way now that I can find out the GUIDs of all the accounts that I have set up? Yes, multiple ways: 1. When you edit any object, top-right corner of the panel right under the navigation breadcrumbs. ![Screenshot_20201028-235108~2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/manager1/original/3X/3/5/356d2ff59f010de7002327443938a90718ebdba5.png) 1. Using batch update (for objects that have batch update) 2. Using API: https://{your name}.manager.io/api ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/3 "2020-10-28T21:20:10Z")
> [@Indinfer](#): > > I suspect that Batch Update can be used for both Creating and Updating. No, it cannot. If you erase a key, that line is neither updated nor created as a duplicate. The program has no idea where to apply the repasted data, so nothing happens. GUIDs/UUIDs are assigned only as part of the Batch Create process (or other Create processes when objects are created individually). ---
**Author:** ![Indinfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Indinfer](https://forum.manager.io/u/Indinfer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/4 "2020-10-29T01:35:53Z")
Thank you for posting a very thoughtful and helpful response. > [@Ealfardan](#): > > Maybe if the code and name be combined as an alternate key that appears alongside the GUID, that might be a good compromise. …or maybe does not even need to be an alternate key. It would be convenient for the adjacent column to show the account name. When pasting back to Manager, Manager could ignore the account name and use just the account GUID. > [@Ealfardan](#): > > That’s not possible for a good reason and that’s so you don’t accidentally overwrite the transactions you want duplicated, or duplicate the transactions you want updated. Any errors in batch operations are costly to fix, and separating different actions is a good approach to ensure no unintended action takes place by mistake. Well, to prevent errors, it would help to show the account names in the first place. [quote=“Ealfardan, post:2, topic:31390”] > [@Indinfer](#): > > Is there a way now that I can find out the GUIDs of all the accounts that I have set up? Yes, multiple ways: [/quote]… This is the best part. You gave such good information. Thank you. Thank you. I did not notice the faint GUID until you pointed it out. But using the batch update of the list of bank accounts gives me all the GUIDs at once. Very useful. It looks to me like I have to go one by one for the chart of accounts. This is good. At least I have a way to get all the GUIDs for every object. The API is very interesting. I am not familiar with REST. I did find [https://restfulapi.net/rest-put-vs-post/](https://restfulapi.net/rest-put-vs-post/) It looks like I need to follow with curly braces { } and something inside the braces. If I want to enter a transaction to the ReceiptOrPayment object, don’t I need to know what to put in the curly braces { }? Is there someplace in the Guide that will tell me how to PUT, POST, and DELETE? ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://forum.manager.io/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/6 "2020-10-29T01:42:00Z")
> [@Indinfer](#): > > or maybe does not even need to be an alternate key. It would be convenient for the adjacent column to show the account name. When pasting back to Manager, Manager could ignore the account name and use just the account GUID In my opinion that is the easiest solution. - When “exporting” a batch update Manager should include the free text name in brackets after the GUID - When importing a batch update, Manager should ignore everything after the GUID ---
**Author:** ![Indinfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Indinfer](https://forum.manager.io/u/Indinfer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/7 "2020-10-29T01:50:48Z")
Patch, I like your idea, too. I hope Lubos Hasko will implement something here. He really has done such a fantastic job creating this accounting program. He is obviously a super expert programmer. He probably will come up with some implementation that is better than both our ideas to show the account names while giving the program the GUIDs it needs. ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:44pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/8 "2020-10-29T12:44:30Z")
> [@Indinfer](#): > > Tut, > > Apparently, you did not bother to read my post. Your eye caught the words “Batch Update” and “both,” then you stopped reading. No, @Indinfer, I did not stop reading. I read your entire post several times. Perhaps you did not read or did not understand my response. You expressed your hypothesis that new transactions could be created with the Batch Update function by leaving out the key. I explained why that is not possible. ---
**Author:** ![Ealfardan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/ealfardan/32/63166_2.png) [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/9 "2020-10-29T12:49:00Z")
> [@Indinfer](#): > > Is there someplace in the Guide that will tell me how to PUT, POST, and DELETE? There isn’t at the moment, but you can visit the API page in your browser and it should have sufficient information to get you started. ---
**Author:** ![Indinfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Indinfer](https://forum.manager.io/u/Indinfer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/11 "2020-10-29T15:57:30Z")
@Ealfardan, Regarding: > > Is there someplace in the Guide that will tell me how to PUT, POST, and DELETE? > There isn’t at the moment, but you can visit the API page in your browser and it should have sufficient information to get you started. Do you mean typing “[https://indinfer.manager.io/api](https://indinfer.manager.io/api)” in the browser URL? What I get is: ![Screenshot 1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/manager1/original/3X/b/6/b62d8b6153e83aadca259ea77330063148e8e33c.png) If I go down a couple of levels in the hierarchy, I get this: ![Screenshot 2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/manager1/original/3X/e/a/ea6bb8826401e81affce8682b0520bc164e18801.png) I see this identifies the top of the hierarchy of objects, I am not yet knowledgeable enough to write a POST, PUT, or DELETE statement. Anyway, I don’t have an immediate use for this. I spent a minute or two searching the Manager Forum. It looks to me like POST, PUT, and DELETE might not be implemented yet. But GET is implemented. Anyone can do a GET with no further documentation by clicking on an object in the body of the browser. And a programmer can probably figure out how to send a GET without a browser. All a GET does is tell the server to return the contents of a URL specified file. I am impressed that you knew that there was an API. I had no idea. I totally understand @lubos would focus on implementing higher priority features. Out of curiosity, it would be nice to know if POST, PUT, and DELETE have been implemented. If so, where would I find out how to do it. It is only curiosity. I don’t have any current use for the API. ---
**Author:** ![Ealfardan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/ealfardan/32/63166_2.png) [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/batch-create-and-update-maybe-use-account-names-instead-of-account-guids/31390/12 "2023-01-18T14:41:03Z")
Closed on January 18, 2023, 2:41pm UTC