HCM Data Loader Data and .zip Files

You use .zip files to load data with HCM Data Loader. Each .zip file can contain one or more data (.dat) file. Each file includes data for a single business object, such as Location, Grade, Worker, or Salary.

Your data file has the name of a business object that's specified by HCM Data Loader, such as Job.dat or Worker.dat. In any .zip file, you supply data files only for the business objects that you're loading.

This figure shows an example .zip file structure. The .zip file contains no folders for data (.dat) files.

This figure shows the structure of a typical HCM Data Loader .zip file. The file is named HCMDataLoader.zip. It contains four .dat files. These files are Grade.dat, GradeRate.dat, Job.dat, and JobFamily.dat. These files aren't in a folder in the .zip file.

You define the name of the .zip file, which must be in alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, and 0-9). The .zip file can be encrypted as a whole, but HCM Data Loader doesn't support the encryption of individual data files.

BlobFiles and ClobFiles Folders in the .zip File

The only two folders that can appear in the .zip file are:

BlobFiles, which is for binary large objects
ClobFiles, which is for character large objects

You use these folders for files you want to load as attachments or into large objects. The file names of these attachments or images must be in alphanumeric characters (a-z, A-Z, and 0-9). The data type of the attribute that's used to load your attachment or large-object data determines which folder to use. For example, the File attribute in the Document Record object is used for loading attachment files and has a data type of BLOB. Therefore, you place files to be loaded as attachments to document records in the BlobFiles folder.

This figure shows a .zip file structure when attachments are included.

This figure shows an example HCM Data Loader .zip file named HCMDataLoader.zip. It contains a BlobFiles folder in addition to a DocumentsOfRecord.dat file.

This figure shows the contents of the BlobFiles folder.

This figure shows that the BlobFiles folder contains two files. These files are GChanAppraisal.txt and JDixonAppraisal.txt.

Data Files

Each HCM Data Loader data file is specific to a business object. You provide all components that you want to load for a business-object hierarchy in the same data file. For example, you provide Job, Job Valid Grade, Job Evaluation, Job Extra Information, and Job Legislative Extra Information components in Job.dat. This approach lets you to see all data for a business object and supports the validation of parent references on all child components. It also simplifies the construction of the .zip file, as separate directories aren't required and fewer data files have to be generated.

Tip: You can generate data-file templates for all supported objects on the View Business Objects page. Each template defines the complete structure of the selected object.

Third Party Data Files

You can use third party .zip files to load data with HCM Data Loader, such as pay slips that were generated by a payroll application. The data file must conform to the requirements for the business object you want to load, and the .zip file must have been compressed with java.util.zip. If not, then you must extract the files and compress again using java.util.zip for the load to work properly.

Here's a tutorial on creating and maintaining data with HCM Data Loader Create and Maintain Data with HDL

To create and upload a HDL worker.dat file for new hires, see:Create and Load New Hires with HCM Data Loader (HDL)