Batch Timecard Import

General Purpose

Ohio customers requested an automated process to update the selected State Required fields. These fields are stored on the State Required page. The standard Batch Timecard Import program was modified to import custom fields and update selected fields on the State Required screen.

Interface Features

• Eliminate manual entry of data on State Required screen.

• Eliminate manual key-entry errors.

• Add custom fields to the batch timecard import file layout.

• Add custom fields to the processing used to create stored import column-mapping templates.

• Add custom processing to validate data in the State Required fields in the import file.

• Add custom fields to the Batch Employee Timecard detail screen.

• Add processing to validate changes to values in the custom fields on Batch Employee Timecard screen.

• Add custom fields to Edit List report.

• Add error and warning messages for the custom fields to the Import, View, and Edit List processing.
  The Import Batch Timecards page's Import item enables you to load batch timecards from files stored either on your personal computer or network server.
  The Import item launches a wizard that will take you step by step through:

• Loading the file.

• Mapping the columns on the file to the fields in the database table.

• Mapping static columns that are required by the Import Batch Timecards option, but not defined in the file.

• Saving the mapping that was created to be used for the future file imports.

• Generating a list of warnings and/or errror messages found during the data validation. These are the same messages a user will receive if manually adding a timecard record in the Edit Employee Time page.

File Requirements

Your ability to import a file depends on the following:

• The data in the file's fields must comply with the field requirements in timecard records. For example, if a field requires numeric data and the field in the external file contains characters, the system cannot import the file.

• The file must be formatted as XML Spreadsheet 2003, Comma Seperated (CSV), Tab-Delimited (TDF/TXT), or Pipe-Delimited (|).

• The extension on the file to be imported must be *.xml, *.exml, *.csv, *.txt, or *.unl.

• You have the appropriate security resource to access the Import item.

• The file should include the fields required fields as described in the Import File Fields table below.

Import File Fields

* NOTE: Fields marked with an asterisk are required, but may be defined as “static values” during the import if the value is the same for all records.

Sample Import Records

The following are samples of valid import header and detail records for a Comma-Delimited File:

empl_no,pay_run,classify,pay_code,hours,payrate,amount,pay_cycle,remarks,ftext2,ftext4,tcode1,tcode5,flsa_cycle

2213450,8,230,635,5,300,1,8,12,14,11,15,1

Cautions and Restrictions

• This interface requires that the import file has separate timecards for substitutes.  If the imported records include substitute information as part of the absentee timecard, changes may be required to the custom programming.

• The program assumes that the import file will contain only one record per employee and pay-run with values <> 0 in the State Required fields.  For example, multiple records for employees paid hourly could be in the import file if units in the State Required fields are not weeks.  Employees paid "per period" can have multiple records as long as only one record has values in the State Required field.

• The program requires that all values for the State Required fields in the import file be (1) blank or (2) greater than or equal to zero.

• The import requires that the employee have a State Required record.  If the program finds that the State Required record does not exist, the user will need to manually add the State Required record and re-load the record.

• Every attempt has been made to provide a process to accurately update the State Required fields.  If additional requirements are discovered, additional changes may be needed.