How Data Is Uploaded Using HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader

When you click Upload in a spreadsheet, your data is uploaded to Oracle HCM Cloud. Behind the scenes, upload is a two-stage process.

In the first stage, HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader imports the data to the HCM Data Loader stage tables. In the second stage, HCM Data Loader loads valid business objects to the application tables.

The figure starts with the Run Spreadsheet Data Loader task, which you use to generate a spreadsheet from a selected spreadsheet template. Data that you load from the spreadsheet is imported first to stage tables. Objects that import successfully to the stage tables are loaded automatically to the application tables. Any errors from the import and load stages are reported in the spreadsheet. You can correct import and load errors in the original spreadsheet and upload corrected objects. — This figure summarizes the process of uploading data using HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader.

How Spreadsheet Data Is Loaded

The details of this process are:

You use the Run Spreadsheet Data Loader task in the Data Exchange work area to generate a spreadsheet for a business object from a spreadsheet template directly. You can also access spreadsheet templates directly from the business objects pages, such as Job, Location, Position.
You click Create Data Set in the spreadsheet to create a data set for the data that you want to load.
You enter data in the spreadsheet and click Upload. This action imports the spreadsheet data set to the HCM Data Loader stage tables.
Some validation occurs in the stage tables. Any import errors are reported in the Progress and Message columns of the Spreadsheet Line Status section of the spreadsheet when you click Refresh.

Errors at this stage are rare, as the spreadsheet format enforces business-object structure and rules.
As each object loads successfully to the stage tables, HCM Data Loader calls the relevant object service to load the object to the application tables.
The object service validates the object. Any errors are reported in the Progress and Message columns of the Spreadsheet Line Status section of the spreadsheet when you click Refresh.
You correct any import or load errors in the spreadsheet and click Upload again. This action imports the corrected data to the stage tables again.

Tip: You can review the status of an HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader data set on the HCM Data Loader Import and Load Data page. Search for data sets by file type to list those loaded from spreadsheets.

The Instruction worksheet of the spreadsheet may contain instructions on how to use the spreadsheet, while the Messages worksheet holds a summary of all import and load messages generated for this data set.