A method for programming a paste dispensing machine to paste a set of pads disposed on a printed circuit board for attachment of a ball-grid array component includes generating a set of input data for the paste dispensing machine. The set of input data represents a set of positions on the printed circuit board at which the pads are located and is generated using a neutral file having data that describes the layout of the printed circuit board. A set of data extracted from the neutral file that describe a set of positions on the printed circuit board relative to a first coordinate system are converted to be relative to a second coordinate system that is used by the paste dispensing machine. The converted data is then arranged in a desired pattern such that when the input data is supplied to the paste dispensing machine, the data causes the paste dispensing machine to dispense paste to the pads of the printed circuit board in the desired pattern.