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Setting Up Automated CSV Imports
Setting Up Automated CSV Imports

Automatically import data from your HRIS.

Brett avatar
Written by Brett
Updated over a week ago

This article explains how to schedule automatic CSV imports from your other HR systems rather than manually importing your people or positions list.

Setting up an SFTP

First, you or your IT department will need to set up an SFTP account on a server with a folder where your system can regularly update a CSV (Comma Separated Values) data file. You'll need to then create login credentials (username and password) for Built to access the server.

To set up the automated import:

  1. Once the SFTP server is set up, you’ll need to map the fields in your data file to existing fields in Built by logging into your account and manually importing your people or positions list. For example, your file may have a field called "Emp ID" which you'll map to our "Employee ID" field. The automated importer will use these field mappings to process future file imports.

  2. After the initial manual import is complete, click your company name at the top of the main navigation, then click Company Settings.

  3. Click the Imports tab. If the tab is not initially visible, click on the More tab.

  4. Click the Edit button next to General Import Settings to choose what happens to a position when the person filling it is terminated during an import. Choose to Keep the position open or Delete the position, and click Save. Understanding the importance of position IDs can help you decide which option meets your needs.

    Note: This setting applies to imports only. When terminating a person's employment manually in Built, you must delete the position manually, if needed.

  5. Click the Edit button next to FTP Import Settings.

  6. Select Yes to Enable FTP Import.

  7. When the Protocol field appears, click the dropdown arrow in the Protocol field and select SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol or FTP - File Transfer Protocol.

    Note: If your server only supports FTP, it must be secured with TLS (Transport Layer Security).

  8. In the Host field, enter the name or IP address of your server (e.g., ftp.yourcompany.com).

  9. You may leave the Port field blank unless your server must be accessed using a non-standard port.

  10. Enter the Username and Password required to access your server.

  11. If the login credentials provided in the previous step don't automatically access the folder where your data file resides, enter the path to that folder in the CSV Folder Path field. You may enter either an absolute or a relative folder path.

  12. Click the Test Connection button. Built will use the information you've provided to try to connect to your server. You'll see a message indicating whether the attempt was successful or not. If it fails, an error message should help indicate the cause of the failure. If you need additional help diagnosing an error, please have your IT staff contact our customer success team.

  13. When the connection test is successful, you can set a desired Import Frequency for automatically importing your data file, either daily or weekly. If you select daily, a second dropdown appears below where you can select once, twice, or three times a day. Refer to the schedule below to understand the specific time these daily imports will occur:
    -Imports scheduled to run once a day occur at 12 am.
    -Imports scheduled to run twice a day occur at 12 am and 12 pm.
    -Imports scheduled to run three times a day occur at 12 am, 8 am, and 4 pm.

  14. Enter an email address where the system can send a Notification Email each time the automated import process completes. If you choose to import daily, you'll receive an email each day, so you may want to set up a rule in your email account to automatically folder these notifications.

  15. Click Save. The system will automatically log into your server on the requested schedule and process the CSV file that has the most recent timestamp. Your HR system can either update the existing data file or place a new file on your server. In either case, Built will process the newest file.

Please contact our customer success team for additional assistance.

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