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17 Common CRM Configuration: Define File-Based Data Import

This chapter contains the following:

File-Based Import Objects: Explained

Import objects represent the application and attribute information for business objects that can be imported using external source files.

This topic describes the following:

Import object management options
Custom objects

Import Object Management Options

A single import object can have multiple associated components that are considered objects by themselves. An object and associated objects that can be imported within the same source file are grouped together within the application module class.

Note

Each object includes the Import Activity object (MktImpJobs1). The Import Activity object is a required component of the application module but is not mapped to a source file. All values for this object are derived from the Import Activity definition. Consequently, do not update the Map, Required, and Default Value settings for the Import Activity object.

The following table includes information about the import object:

Option	Description
Attributes	A view-only listing of object attributes that represent each column in the interface table for the object.
Length	A view-only listing of widths for the columns in the interface tables. If the source file values for the attribute have more characters than the attribute length, the source file row will not be imported.
Default Value	Optionally, specify an attribute value to use if a value is not available from the source file or Import Activity constant value.
Map	Enable the list of attributes that can be mapped to a source file or constant value in the Import Mapping and Import Activity Map Fields step.
Required	Specify the list of attributes that must be mapped to source file columns. Consequently, if you have selected an attribute as required, you must also enable the Map option for that attribute. When mapping the external source file, the required target attribute defined for the object are displayed with an asterisk.

Custom Objects

To use the file-based import feature for custom objects, you must first generate the artifacts required for import. You generate these required artifacts within Oracle Fusion CRM Application Composer, after making your object model extensions.

File-Based Import Mapping: Explained

Import mapping enables you to predefine a mapping between the columns provided in a source file and the attributes pertaining to the objects being imported. Once you create a mapping, it can be reused in the Import Activity definition.

This topic contains the following sections:

Import options
Source file options
Target options

Import Options

The following attributes pertain to the import mapping.

Attribute	Description
Object	The business object to be imported.
Name	The name that identifies the mapping in the Import Mapping and Import Activity UIs. If the mapping was initially created while mapping fields directly in the Import Activity user interface and automatically saved without providing a user-defined mapping name, the mapping name is derived from the Import Activity name and date.
Decimal Separator	The format of the fractional portion of numerical values in columns mapped to attributes with a decimal attribute type.
Date Format	The format of values in columns mapped to attributes with a date attribute type.
Timestamp Format	The format of values in columns mapped to attributes with a time stamp attribute type.
Lock	If selected, prevents any user, other than the creator of the mapping, from editing the mapping.

Source File Options

Map each column that the source file is expected to contain with a specific attribute.

The following table describes the details pertaining to columns provided in the source file:

Source Column	Description
Sequence	The sequence number in which the columns are expected to be provided in the source file. Two rows cannot have the same sequence number.
Column Name	The column name expected in the source file if a header row is included, or more generic values such as Column A, Column B, and so on, if the header row is not included for Text file types. The tagging structure is represented for XML file types.
Column Width	Use when the delimiter value is fixed width for Text file types only.
Ignore	Ignore the source file column to exclude the data from being imported.
Required	If selected, a value must exist in the source file or the row will not be imported.

Target Options

The following table describes the details pertaining to corresponding attributes in the target application table:

Target Attributes	Description
Object	The group of import objects that represent the components of the business object being imported.
Attribute	The attribute name that represents the corresponding interface table column for the object.
Duplicate Validation	If selected, the attribute, along with other selected attributes, determines what constitutes a duplicate object when comparing objects in the interface tables and existing objects in the target application tables. For example, to validate the uniqueness of an object in the target application tables by the combination of an object's name and date, select Duplicate Validation for both attributes in the mapping.

Files, Import Objects, Mapping, and Import Activity Components: How They Work Together

File-based import supports the import of data from an external text or xml file to interface tables and then from interface tables to target application tables.

Overview of File-Based Data Import

File-based import includes the following:

Source files with import data
Import objects with available import attributes
Mappings between source files and interface table columns
Import Activities to define import options, a processing schedule, and monitor progress

Source Files

External data can be obtained in various ways and formatted in a text or xml file. The source file data is mapped to interface table columns using a Mapping. The source file is identified on an Import Activity, along with other import processing details. The file processing component of the file-based data import consists of reading the source file, parsing the data, and inserting the data into the appropriate interface tables.

Objects

Import Objects are defined where interface tables exist and external files can be used to import data into the interface tables. Import Object for Oracle objects that support file-based import are predefined. The list of objects is displayed based on the data security privileges for your role. Individual object attributes represent the interface table columns and are used to map source file data or constant values in Mappings and Import Activity definitions. Use the Import Object definition to manage the display of attributes that can be mapped, to indicate required mapping, and to set site level default values as needed.

Mappings

Manage Import Activities

An Import Activity definition provides the instructions for the import processing. It includes the source file or file location and mapping, plus import processing options and schedule. You can monitor the progress of the Import Activity processing and view completion reports for both successful records and errors.

File-Based Import Processing: How it Works

The file-based data import process includes processing the source file data and inserting it into the interface tables, moving the interface table data into the destination application tables, and then processing the attachments for the imported objects. Processing factors are subject to the settings defined for the Import Activity, Mapping, and Import Object. You can monitor the processing steps and view process reports for each Import Activity.

This topic describes the following:

Inserting Data in the Interface Tables
Interface Table Data Validation and Error Counts
Interface Table to Destination Application Table Processing
Importing Attachments
Viewing Import Results

Inserting Data in the Interface Tables

Data exists in various sources and in various formats. The file import processing starts with reading the source data, parsing the data, and inserting into the appropriate interface tables. The source of the data comes from the following:

Source file values mapped to target object attributes in the Import Activity.
Constant values defined for target object attributes in the Import Activity.
Default values defined for target object attributes in the Import Object.

Interface Table Data Validation and Error Counts

The data is initially validated against the predefined Import Mapping and the Import Object settings as the interface tables are being populated by the initial file import process. The interface table data is validated again before importing into the destination application tables.

Validation includes:
- Missing required values
- Values that exceed the attribute length
- Invalid values
- Duplicates to existing records in the destination application tables based on the combination of attributes selected for duplicate validation in the predefined Import Mapping.
  
  Note
  
  For the Lead import object, the duplicate checking is only done for existing leads created within the look back days setting of the Import Activity.
- Duplicates to existing records in the destination application tables for Customer Data Management objects based on Matching Configurations.
Errors
Most validation issues are recorded as errors, with the exception of Customer Data Management duplicates found during the Matching Configuration process. In this case, matched records are only considered as errors if:
- Customer Management Duplicates option is set to Do Not Import for the Import Activity and
- The main object of the Import Activity is a consumer, customer, or legal entity object
Allowable Error Count Threshold
The validation of the interface table occurs before any records are imported into the destination application tables. Once the validation process has completed, the count of records with errors is compared to the Allowable Error Count Threshold value specified for the Import Activity. A count above the threshold will stop the import process for all records. If the count is below the threshold, records without errors will import. In either case, records with errors will be reported in the Error and Exception files.

Interface Table to Destination Application Table Processing

The import process orchestrates the import for each of the component objects that make up the overall main objects of the Import Activity.

Importing Attachments

Once the objects have imported successfully, the attachments are processed. The import process matches the source file attachment name to the file name included in the compressed file entered on the Import Activity. The attachment file is imported into Universal Content Manager and then associated as an attachment to the imported object.

Viewing Import Results

You can monitor all file-based Import Activities that are currently scheduled to run, have completed successfully, or failed with errors. For each Import Activity, you can view the details pertaining to each underlying process. Once an Import Activity process has completed, the following processing reports are added as attachments to the process:

Log file. Includes the records that were successfully imported plus the unique destination application table identifiers for the objects.
Exception file. Includes the records that were not imported plus a reference to an error for each record that failed validation.
Error file. Includes all the errors for each record that failed validation.