Is there a programmatic interface to MYOB data files?

Question

All I want to do is figure out what the date range of the data is. At present I have to open the file in MYOB, convert it to the v18.5 format, check it for consistency, and then run a report so that I can visually check the date range. I'd prefer something a little less labour intensive. Any ideas?

Answer 1

There doesn't appear to be any API to AccountEdge or other software from acclivity (the new name for MYOB).

Also I don't believe that the "MYOB" file formats (emphasis on 's' - plural) are anything but proprietary and undocumented.

This leaves mainly two options...

• hack your way into the format and write a custom parser; this could be viable, but do expect bumps on the road, when the format is changed (and/or when some of the format's idiosyncrasies, not apparent during the discovery/hacking phase, eventually appear)
• automate the manual procedure you describe in the question.

Answer 2

You might be interested in the answers to this question, as MYOB offers an ODBC driver.