Importing and exporting of data is available throughout the relevant administration areas to provide a simple regular update facility for potentially large amounts of data. The following data types can be imported:
XML Import / Export
These are typically system-to-system transfers, initiated by the user for immediate processing. For imported files, any errors or warnings are presented on screen to the user. Confirmation actions may be required.
- Service
- Service Catalog
- Request Type
- Bundle
It should be noted that the Approval Matrix and associated Bundles (for Item Requests) are not included in Request Type Import / Export. The Approval Matrix must be imported separately and assumes that the appropriate roles have been created in the Request Type. All relevant Adapter definitions must already exist and will be matched by name; this is particularly important as request types are imported with no validation checks.
A request type or bundle is imported as ‘deactivated’; an individual service as draft. A service within a full-service catalog import retains its original status.
CSV or TXT Import / Export
This is typically a system-to-system transfer. Import can either be initiated by the user, for a selected supplier, for immediate processing or configured for import via a standard scheduled import task, allowing a specified time / frequency to be specified; this can be set up for one or more suppliers. For user-initiated imports, any errors or warnings are presented on screen to the user. Confirmation actions may be required. For scheduled import errors, details can be found in the Support > Other Logs area.
- Catalog
Processing of this file is by column name, which allows greater flexibility for backward compatibility when new optional columns are added. Supplier, Part Number and Part Name are the only mandatory fields and must be present in every import; all other fields are optional, and columns can be removed if external update of current (possibly locally maintained) data is not required. Data is processed by column name so these must be accurate.
The file includes all the commonly used catalog fields but is not a full representation of fields available in the Supplier Gateway (now deprecated) or the Front Office Catalog Maintenance screen.
Files can be exported to CSV or Unicode text (tab-delimited) format. A system setting ‘CSV Import and Export encoding’ controls which character encoding the CSV uses; the setting defaults to Windows 1252. Unicode text will always be in UTF8.
If the file will be edited in Microsoft® ExcelTM, it should be noted that Microsoft® ExcelTM does not handle Unicode CSV files. If your install has data that will not fit within a single non-Unicode encoding, the Unicode Text format must be used.
Tip 1: ExcelTM strips leading zeroes so if they should be preserved, e.g., for a part number, prefix the numbers with ‘
Tip 2: when updating existing information, always consider exporting the currently held information prior to the new import. This can be a useful starting point before edits or also a useful backup if the newly imported data is incorrect.
CSV or TXT Import / Export - Base Data for Task Queue or File Drop
- Division & Cost Center
- Address
- User
- User Group & User Group Members
- Request Field – List Box options (legacy forms only)
- User Field Defaults (legacy forms only)
- Position Code
- Approval Matrix
- Cost Center Approver
- User Integration Settings
A standard template for Base Data Imports is available, via a link at each of the individual Import screens, which can be used to import data as it specifies the correct formatting required for each data type, as well as the row-level actions supported, i.e., update or delete, meaning that partial files just including any changed rows can be applied. This template also provides column/ level instructions/validation rules which must be adhered to.
Processing of these files uses fixed column positioning so the file will only be processed when the expected number of columns are present; the columns must also appear in the same sequence as the template. When functionality changes in a release version, the updated template must be used.
Files can be exported to CSV or Unicode text (tab-delimited) format. A system setting ‘CSV Import and Export encoding’ controls which character encoding the CSV uses; the setting defaults to Windows 1252 (Western European). Unicode text will always be in UTF8.
If the file will be edited in Microsoft® ExcelTM, it should be noted that Microsoft® ExcelTM does not handle Unicode CSV files. If your install has data that will not fit within a single non-Unicode encoding, the Unicode Text format must be used. Please contact the support team via the Community at http://community.biomni.com/home for assistance.
Where an import/export is available, it is shown against the specific category options within the Administration area. The Import facility is controlled by an access right. When multiple file types are to be imported, care should be given to the sequence of the queued tasks, to prevent new/amended data being processed out of sequence. Only one instance of a file can be queued at a time.
Tip 1: when updating existing information, always consider exporting the currently held information prior to the new import. This can be a useful starting point before edits and is also a useful backup if the newly imported data is incorrect.
Tip 2: additional rows added to the Approval Matrix should always be added with a blank Row ID. Editing an existing matrix record must always be carried out on the exported file.
Tip 3: if assigning a time zone exception to a user’s record, find the Time Zone identifier by looking in Organization > User Maintenance > Add / Edit User, selecting the appropriate time zone from the droplist and using the value in the associated help text question mark.
Tip 4: If importing multiple file types, they should be processed in the following sequence to ensure dependencies across files do not cause errors:
Division, Cost Center, Address, User, User Group, User Group Member, Request Field Picklists, User Field Default, Position Codes, Approval Matrix, Cost Center Approvers & User Integration Settings.
This article covers the following topics:
Automated File Uploads
Automated pickup of Base Data Import CSV or TXT files from a physical directory can be scheduled.
Access the Scheduled Task configuration page, under the More... link within the Settings Category. A
daily schedule for automated file pickup and a directory location must be specified. The time specified will relate to the Default System Time Zone.
The Biomni Front Office Service must have permissions for the folder within which the files are to be
dropped. Any errors will be emailed to the Support Team email address and audit records will be written, depending on the system setting of full or summary level auditing. Summary level is always recommended for performance and usability reasons.
Multiple files of the same type are processed in date order and multiple file types will be processed in the following sequence:
Division, Cost Center, Address, User, User Group, User Group Member, Request Field Picklists, User Field Default, Position Codes, Approval Matrix, Cost Center Approvers & User Integration Settings.
File names must be in the appropriate format, where data pre asterisk is fixed, i.e.:
- DivisionImport*.csv or DivisionImport*.txt
- CostCentreImport*.csv or CostCentreImport*.txt
- AddressImport*.csv or AddressImport*.txt
- UserImport*.csv or UserImport*.txt
- UserGroupImport*.csv or UserGroupImport*.txt
- UserGroupMemberImport*.csv or UserGroupMemberImport*.txt
- RequestFieldPickListImport*.csv or RequestFieldPickListImport*.txt
- UserFieldDefaultImport*.csv or UserFieldDefaultImport*.txt
- PostionCodeImport*.csv or PostionCodeImport*.txt
- ApprovalMatrixImport*.csv or ApprovalMatrixImport*.txt
- CostCentreApproverImport*.csv or CostCentreApproverImport*.txt
- UserIntegrationSettingsImport*.csv|UserIntegrationSettingsImport*.tx
Exceptionally, if required, the expected file naming format can be changed, however this requires additional server configuration. Please contact the support team via the Community at https://frontofficehelp.biomni.com/hc/en-us/requests/new for further information.
Scheduled Catalog Import
One or more catalogs may be scheduled for import via a standard scheduled import task, allowing a specified time or a frequency to be specified. A web service is specified in an Adapter definition.
Active Directory
Users can be imported from Active Directory via a scheduled task, allowing multiple sources to be listed. An import profile requires a target access profile, cost center and status to be identified, as well as zero or more user groups to which users may be associated; the user group must exist in Front Office. Multiple import profiles can be specified. Group or organizational unit can specify an import profile, with or without ‘children’ included.
System Configuration settings:
- CSV Import and Export encoding
- Enable full Auditing for Base Data Import
- Email Address of Support Team
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