Introduction

HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader (HSDL) allows business users to create and maintain data using spreadsheets. Sometimes the data to be created requires a parent record to be created with multiple child records. For example, a job with many valid grades, or an employee with multiple phone numbers.

This tutorial explains how to define a HSDL template that allows multiple child records to be supplied in the same spreadsheet row as the parent record. This is achieved by duplicating the child object in the template for the maximum number of records you want to create in the spreadsheet. A preconfigured template is used to perform the steps in this tutorial. Apply the same steps when editing your own template.

Note:

You can only duplicate a child object if it doesn't have child objects of its own.

Objectives

In this tutorial you will:

  • Import a pre-configured template for bulk-loading jobs with a valid grade.
  • Learn how to extend the template to allow multiple valid grades to be specified on a single spreadsheet row.

Prerequisites

To complete this tutorial, you need a HSDL Template Designer role to:

  • Access the Spreadsheet Templates task.
  • Import templates for the Job business object.

Tip:

The Configure Access to Design and Maintain HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader (HSDL) Templates tutorial explains how to configure this role.

Task 1: Importing a Template

In this task you'll import a preconfigured template to complete the steps in Task 2. If you're updating your own template, you can skip this task and apply the Task 2 steps directly to your template.

Note:

This task summarizes the steps for importing a preconfigured template. The Importing HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader Templates tutorial provides detailed steps, if required.
  1. Download the Sample_JobTemplate.zip file and extract it to access the xml file it contains.
  2. Navigate to the Spreadsheet Template task and click Import.
  3. On the Import dialog window, specify a name of Job with Valid Grades and optionally a description.
  4. Select the downloaded Sample_JobTemplate.xml file using the Import field.
    5. Specify and name and select the downloaded xml template file

  5. Click OK to import the template definition.
  6. Click OK when you receive confirmation that the template was imported without error.
    7. Click OK

Task 2: Add Multiple Child Objects

In this step, you'll duplicate and configure the Job Valid Grade component in the template.

  1. Click on your template name within the Spreadsheet Templates task to edit it.
  2. Navigate to the Design tab.
  3. Check the Show excluded attributes checkbox on the Selected Attributes panel toolbar and filter the list of attributes to the Job Valid Grade component.

    4. Tip:

    All selected attributes for the component will be duplicated, including those that are excluded from the spreadsheet.
    Click OK

  4. Select any of the attributes listed and click the Duplicate button on the panel toolbar.
    5. Click Duplicate

  5. Specify the number of additional valid grades you want to include in a spreadsheet row.
    6. Specify how many duplicates to create

  6. Click OK. This creates the specified number of copies of every attribute included in the template definition for the duplicated component.

    7. Tip:

    The new attributes will have a number appended to their name in the Selected Attributes panel to identify which occurrence of the component they belong to.
  7. Edit the default value of any hidden attributes where the configuration changes between occurrences. For example, if you're creating multiple phone numbers, you may want to configure the first phone type to be the work phone, the second to be mobile phone and so on.

    8. Tip:

    On the Job Valid Grade component, the values of the hidden attributes aren’t dependent upon which occurrence of the valid grade so there are no edits required.
  8. Uncheck the Show excluded attributes checkbox to review the list of attributes that will now appear in spreadsheets.
  9. Edit each attribute to provide a more meaningful column heading, such as Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 etc.
    10. Click OK

    Tip:

    The column heading is reflected in the Selected Attributes panel, but the occurrence number is also appended.
  10. Reset the filter to review all attributes in your spreadsheet and the order in which they are included in generated spreadsheets.
    11. Review all attributes and the order in which they will be displayed

  11. Click the Reorder button.
    12. Click Reorder

  12. Move the additional occurrences so they are placed together. For example, move Grade Code 2 through to Grade Code 5 up to immediately below Grade Code 1.
    13. Click OK

  13. Validate and save your template changes. Complete the editing of your template.


Acknowledgements

  • Authors - Ema Johnson (Senior Principal Product Manager)

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