Import Courses from Professional Development

The Continuing Education page's Import item enables you to load course records from files stored either on your personal computer or network server. Clicking 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 option, but not defined in the file.

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

• Generating a list of warnings and error messages found during the data validation. These are the same messages a user will receive if manually adding a course.

Menu Path:  Human Resources > Entry & Processing > Employee > Continuing Education > search for and list the desired courses > click Import on the Action Bar

File Requirements

Your ability to import depends on the following:

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

• The file must be formatted as XML spreadsheet 2003, Comma Separated (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 must have the appropriate security resource to access the Import option.

Creating a File for Import

Users can create the file to be imported into Continuing Education in any manner they choose. The easiest way is to use a spreadsheet program. The file can contain one or more Continuing Education entries. The file created can contain any of the following fields in any order. Once the file is created, it needs to be saved with the extension of *.xml, *.exml, *.csv, *.txt, or *.unl.

• emp_course_dtl.empl_no (Employee Number)- Required
  Required, must be included in the file or entered in the Static Column Value Mapping page of the wizard.

• emp_course_dtl.cert_code (Endorsement)

• emp_course_dtl.completion_date (Completion Date)- Required

• emp_course_dtl.course_no (Course Number)

• emp_course_dtl.course_title (Title)- Required

• emp_course_dtl.course_type_cd (Class Type)- Required

• emp_course_dtl.expiration_date (Expiration Date)

• emp_course_dtl.fiscal_year (Fiscal Year)

• emp_course_dtl.grade (Grade)

• emp_course_dtl.instructor_name (Instructor Name)

• emp_course_dtl.internal (Internal Course)

• emp_course_dtl.notes (Notes)

• emp_course_dtl.provider (Provider)

• emp_course_dtl.reimbursement_amt (Reimbursement Amount)

• emp_course_dtl.reimbursement_date (Reimbursement Date)

• emp_course_dtl.seat_hrs (Hours)

• emp_course_dtl.start_date (Course Start Date)

• emp_course_dtl.status (Course Status)- Required

• emp_course_dtl.cost_amt (Cost Amount)

• emp_course_dtl.cost_type_cd (Cost Type Code)

• emp_course_dtl.credit_cd (Credit Code)

• emp_course_dtl.credit_dt (Credit Date)

• emp_course_dtl.credit_inst (Credit Institution)

• emp_course_dtl.credits (Number of Credits)

• emp_course_dtl.goal_cd (Goal Code)

• emp_course_dtl.goal_comm (Goal Comment)

• emp_course_dtl.area_cd (Subject Area Code)

Following is the procedure for importing a file into Continuing Education. At any time, you can navigate the Import wizard's pages using the following buttons:

For details on the individual fields used by Import wizard, refer below to the Fields section.

Importing a course file into Continuing Education

1. Select Human Resources > Entry & Processing > Employee > Continuing Education to display the Continuing Education page.

2. Click Import on the Action Bar to display the File to Import Data and Selection page.

3. Click Browse... in the File to Import field to locate the file to import from your computer or network server.

4. Once the file is located, select it, and then click Open to display the file's name in the File to Import field.

5. Click Load to load the data from the file into the Import Data and Selection page.

6. In the Import Data and Selection page's Import File Data section, select the line that will be used for the Column Titles, and then click Set Column Titles. The data selected will display in the section's column headings.
   If the incorrect line was selected, click the Reset Column Titles to put the line back into the List section. Select the correct line and then click Set Column Titles again.

7. Once the column titles are set, select the lines to be imported from the file. Following are three methods for selecting lines:

   • To select a consecutive range of lines, click the first line, hold down the <Shift> key, and click the last line.

   • To select lines individually, hold down the <Ctrl> key, and click each line.

   • To select all lines, click Select All.
     Selecting blank lines will prevent the import process from completing. Remove any blank lines from your selections by holding down <Ctrl> and clicking each line to remove.

8. After selecting the lines, click Next to display the Define Column Mapping page.

9. In the Define Column Mapping page's Saved Import Mapping field, select a mapping from the field's list, or <Tab> into the Table Field column to map the first file column to the appropriate field in the database table. The Field Description column will default to a user-friendly name and cannot be changed. Repeat this for each file column.

10. Once the columns for the files have been mapped to the fields in the database table, click Next.
    If the data in the file does not meet the requirements of the database table, the Import Errors page will display. You will not be able to proceed until the file or mapping is corrected.
    If there are no errors, the Static Column Value Mapping page will display.

11. In the Static Column Value Mapping page:

    • Required fields from the database table that are not mapped in the Define Column Mapping page will display.

    • Non-required fields that are in the database table and not in the field can be selected using Append Row.
      For more information, refer above to the Creating a File for Import section. Values entered in the Static Column Mapping page will be used for every line number in the file being imported.
      Once the static mapping is complete, click Next to display the Save Import Mapping page.

12. In the Save Import Mapping page, you can assign a unique name to the mapping that was just defined.

    • If you elect to make the mapping Public, anyone who can import a file can use the mapping.

    • If you elect to make the mapping Restricted, only the owner of the mapping will be able to update the saved mapping.
      Your ability to add and update an import mapping on the Save Import Mapping page is also dependent on security.
      Once the selections on the Save Import Mapping have been completed, click Finish to exit the Import wizard.

13. If any errors are encountered during the data validation of the file being imported, the Import Status page will display.

    • The page displays all errors and warning messages. The Line # column represents the line number in the actual file to make it easier to find the data that needs to be corrected before it can be imported.

    • The Summary Information section will display the number of Errors, Warnings, and Successes. If there are no Successes, the Import item will not display on the page.

    • You can choose to display Warnings Only, Errors Only, Warnings/Errors Only, or Show All information by making the appropriate selection in the Display Results field. You can also print the listing of errors by clicking Print.

    • You can choose to import any successes by clicking the Import item or choose to correct the file and run through the import process again. To exit without importing any records, click Back.

14. If no errors are found with the data validations or if the Import item is selected in the Import Status page, a Confirmation dialog displays.
    Click Yes to import the file.

15. In the final Confirmation dialog, click OK. The imported entries will now display in the Continuing Education page.

Fields

Following are descriptions of the fields for each page of the Import wizard.

File Import and Data Selection Page

This page allows users to select the file and records to import into Continuing Education. Also initiates the Import wizard.

Define Column Mapping Page

This page allows users to map the columns in the file to be imported with the fields in database table.

Import Errors Page

This page generates a list of errors where the data in the file does not match the requirements of the fields in the database table.

Static Column Value Mapping Page

This page allows users to statically map required fields in the database table to a value. This value is used for all lines of the file to be imported.

Save Import Mapping Page

This page allows users to save the mapping created in the Define Column Mapping and Static Column Value Mapping pages.

Import Status Page

This page allows users to view error and warning messages generated during the data validation.