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an optional tag. There are no formatting requirements on the phone number. It is stored and displayed as it is found in the import file. For example, (555)-555-5555 will appear as (555)-555-5555 and 5551234567 will appear as 5551234567.

It is strongly suggested to pick one format for phone numbers.

SSN - 9 numeric characters - max. (Optional)

This optional field will be visible only on the

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper Employee Maintenance screen. It is not used within

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper and exists strictly for the benefit of payroll systems that require it. If your payroll system does not require it,

we suggest leaving this

leave the field blank.

PayrollCode -

Optional

64 alphanumeric characters max. (Optional)

This optional field is not used within

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper, but exists as an alternative way to identify employees in

3rd-

3^rdparty payroll systems.

CostCenterCode -

Optional

64 alphanumeric characters max. (Optional)

This optional field is not used within

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper, but exists as an alternative way to associate an employee with a cost center in

3rd-

3^rd party payroll systems.

Below, you will find the XML code stripped of employee info. Feel free to copy this snippet of code for your own imports.

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title	Importing Employees

Import Employees

MCS TIme Keeper allows you to import batches of employees into the system–for instance, if you have employees in another piece of MCS software that you wish to import in to Timekeeper. There is a bit of work up front, but it is easily accomplished. The formatting may look daunting, but is quickly mastered.

warning

Timekeeper has the capability of importing employees through a batch process typically run during setup.

Info
Contact your IT department for assistance in preparing the file.

Before the Import

Before you import any employees, you need to place the required data in a format that the program can understand and use. Below is a sample Employee Record. Again, it may look daunting, but we will explain each section in detail, as well as provide you with a template at the end of this section that you may cut and paste XML format. You may use the template provided to create your own employee files.

Each employee record found in the file will be created in the MCS Time Keeper database.

Warning
If an employee record already exists, it will be updated with the information provided in the import file. Make sure that you aren't are not overwriting data or information on the employee that you wish to keep.

A sample file is shown below followed by specific details about each field. All XML tags–the tags – the red text enclosed in brackets–are brackets – are required unless specifically noted as optional. The fields must appear in the specified order.

SAMPLE CODE

The code below shows two employees. One, Bob Smith, has much more information associated with the file. The second, John Doe contains just the minimum. Notice, too, the two different ways of formatting the name. John Doe's information will be marked as INACTIVE due to the empty XML code–<Inactive />

<EmployeeUpdate>
  <Employee>
     <EmployeeNumber>123<>123</EmployeeNumber>
     <FirstName>Bob<>Bob</FirstName>
     <Middle>E<     <Middle>E</Middle>
     <LastName>Smith<>Smith</LastName>
     <Suffix>Jr<>Jr</Suffix>
     <PrimaryJobCode>449A<>449A</PrimaryJobCode>
     <ExtraJobCodes>
         <JobCode>449B<>449B</JobCode>
         <JobCode>449C<>449C</JobCode>
     </ExtraJobCodes>
     <PhoneNumber>555>555-555-5555<5555</PhoneNumber>
     <SSN>123456789<>123456789</SSN>
     <PayrollCode>1111111<>1111111</PayrollCode>
     <CostCenterCode>2222222<>2222222</CostCenterCode>
  </Employee>
  <Employee>
     <EmployeeNumber>456<>456</EmployeeNumber>
     <FullName>Doe>Doe, John F Jr.</FullName>
     <Inactive />
     <PrimaryJobCode>668<>668</PrimaryJobCode>
  </Employee>
</EmployeeUpdate>

Employee Update

This XML tag should start and end the whole import file

. All employee records should be between <EmployeeUpdate></EmployeeUpdate> tags

.

It is not necessary to surround each employee with this tag.

Employee Number

Employee

There should be one Employee tag for each employee to be imported. It should surround all of that employee's data.

All employee records should be between <EmployeeUpdate></EmployeeUpdate> tags.

EmployeeNumber - 32 alphanumeric characters max.

This is the primary identifier for employees. Duplicate employee numbers are not allowed and will cause the program to overwrite one file with another, leading to the loss of employee data.

Warning
If an employee number in the import file matches an employee number already in the MCS

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper database, the employee record in MCS

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper will be updated with the information in the import file.

Inactive

- XML Empty Emplty Tag - (Optional)

This tag contains no data. If this tag is present, the employee will be marked as inactive in the

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper database. If the employee currently exists in the

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper database, the record will be updated and activated/inactivated based on the existence of the Inactive

tag. In other words, if the employee is active, remove this

tag.

FullName

FirstName – 64 alphanumeric characters

Middle – 1 alphanumeric character – Optional

LastName – 64 alphanumeric characters

Suffix – 3 alphanumeric characters – Optional

Info
A FullName tag may be used in place of the individual name tags and vice versa. Each part of the name is limited to the size listed below. The FullName may be listed as

“Last

“Last, First Middle

Suffix”

Suffix” or

“First

“First Middle Last

Suffix”

Suffix” with only the first and last names being required. However, each time the employee's name is used, the complete name, including suffix, will be displayed.

FirstName - 64 alphanumeric characters max.

PrimaryJobCode

Middle - 1 alphanumeric character max. (Optional)

LastName - 64 alphanumeric characters max.

Suffix - 3 alphanumeric characters max. (Optional)

PrimaryJobCode - 32 alphanumeric characters max.

This code must match an Export Code in the MCS

Time Keeper

Timekeeper Job Code Maintenance screen. Job code descriptions are not allowed, just the number.

Expand

_{The image below shows the codes in a red oval.}

Image Modified

ExtraJobCodes

-

(Optional)

This optional tag is used to assign additional job codes to an employee. All additional job codes must be listed within this tag using JobCode tags described below. If the employee needs no extra job codes, you may leave these fields blank.

JobCode -

Optional

32 alphanumeric characters

–

max. (Optional)

This optional tag is formatted exactly like that of the PrimaryJobCode tag. The code must match an Export Code in the

TimeKeeper

Timekeeper Job Code Maintenance screen. If no match is found, the additional Job Code is not imported. Job code descriptions are not allowed.

If the employee needs no extra job codes, you may leave these fields blank.

PhoneNumber - 32 alphanumeric characters max. (Optional)

This is

another

Info

<EmployeeUpdate>
  <Employee>
     <EmployeeNumber></EmployeeNumber>
     <FirstName></FirstName>
     <Middle></Middle>
     <LastName></LastName>
     <Suffix></Suffix>
     <PrimaryJobCode></PrimaryJobCode>
     <ExtraJobCodes>
         <JobCode></JobCode>
         <JobCode></JobCode>
     </ExtraJobCodes>
     <PhoneNumber></PhoneNumber>
     <SSN></SSN>
     <PayrollCode></PayrollCode>
     <CostCenterCode></CostCenterCode>
  </Employee>
  <Employee>
     <EmployeeNumber></EmployeeNumber>
     <FullName></FullName>
     <Inactive />
     <PrimaryJobCode></PrimaryJobCode>
  </Employee>
</EmployeeUpdate>

Versions Compared

Old Version 12

New Version 13

Key

Import Employees

Employee Number

Importing Employee Data