Overview of HCM Data Loader
HCM Data Loader is a powerful tool for bulk-loading and maintaining data. It supports file-based upload of business objects, components, and component attributes using a flexible, delimited file.
You can use HCM Data Loader for data migration, ongoing maintenance of HCM data, and coexistence scenarios, where core HR data is uploaded regularly.
This topic introduces the main features and advantages of HCM Data Loader.
Business-Object Support
You can load business objects for most Oracle Fusion Human Capital Management (HCM) products. These products include Oracle Fusion Absence Management, Compensation, Global Human Resources, Global Payroll, Performance Management, Profile Management, Talent Review and Succession Management, and Workforce Management. You can also update business objects using HCM Data Loader, regardless of how they were created.
You can review the complete list of supported business objects using the View Business Objects task, available in the Data Exchange work area.
Ease of Use
HCM Data Loader has a comprehensive user interface for loading data, monitoring progress, and reviewing any errors. It provides real-time information for all stages of its processing. HCM Data Loader's user interface also includes detailed information about the component hierarchies and attributes of supported business objects.
You can load data from either delimited data (.dat) files or spreadsheets. You can load most supported business objects using either method. You can generate business-object templates to use as the basis of your own .dat files. For a selected business-object component, the template includes every attribute, including those for configured flexfields. When using spreadsheets, you define spreadsheet templates to suit business needs and generate spreadsheets from those templates.
Performance
HCM Data Loader supports multithreaded processing, which enables you to upload complete data extracts without severe performance impacts. References among objects that are processed on separate threads are managed automatically. You can set HCM Data Loader configuration parameters to optimize processing for your environment.
You can also perform partial or incremental loads to update existing objects, thereby minimizing the related processing.
Supported Key Types
HCM Data Loader supports all of the following key types for most business objects:
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Oracle Fusion GUID
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Oracle Fusion surrogate ID
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Source key
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User key
As user keys and source keys are supported, knowledge of Oracle Fusion internal IDs isn't required.
Business-Object Features
HCM Data Loader supports most business-object features and requirements. For example, you can upload:
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Current and historical records for date-effective objects. You determine the amount of history to load.
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End-dated, terminated, or inactive records.
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Translated attributes in multiple languages. You specify the character set of the data file on the File Character Set configuration parameter for HCM Data Loader.
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Descriptive flexfields and extensible flexfields.
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Hierarchical tree data, such as organization and department trees.
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Attachments and pictures.
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Data from multiple sources. You can include source-system references in uploaded data.
Automation
You can initiate HCM Data Loader using a web-service call, which enables you to automate data upload.