Standard Time Card Import (Weekly) AQ

This article explains how to use the Avionté Standard Time Card Import to bring time entry data into the application. Using a standard AQ, you can generate a formatted time card spreadsheet to send to customers, who fill it in and return it for import via the Import/Export section in Back Office.

• Standard Time Card Import (Daily)
• Importing Connect Timesheets config

On This Page
→ Time Card Import Demonstration Video → Setup → Permissions → Time Entry Import Template	→ Transaction Type Mapping → Process → Process the Time Card Import → Completing the Import Mapping → Enhanced Filtering within Import Connect Time Sheets

Time Card Import Demonstration Video

This interactive training course contains a lesson on using the Standard Time Card Import along with a demo video.

Setup

Before importing time entry data, two areas must be configured: user permissions and a correctly formatted import spreadsheet.

Permissions

To give users access to run the import feed:

1. Open Admin Tools > Report > Advance Query tab.
2. Select Avionté Standard Time Card Import from the list.
3. Place a check mark next to the users or groups that should have access.
4. Click Save.

Time Entry Import Template

The spreadsheet attached to this article is the template used to collect time entry information for import into Avionté.

1. Scroll to the bottom of this article to find the spreadsheet attachment.

   

2. Click the attachment link to download the spreadsheet.

   

3. Ensure the columns of the spreadsheet are, and remain, in the format pictured below.

   

   Column	Definition	Notes
   Employee ID	An identification number unique to the employee within the staffing agency	Only one of these columns is required to link the employee/assignment in the application.
   SSN	An employee's Social Security Number
   ExternalID	An identification number unique to the employee outside of the staffing agency (e.g., an employee on temporary assignment at a warehouse where the warehouse assigns its own unique worker ID). If an ExternalID is used, that value is entered in the application in the Employee > Extra field. When performing the import, select ExternalID for the Link Identifier parameter followed by the extra value associated with the ID.
   AssignmentID	An identification number unique to the assignment
   FirstName	The employee's first name	First and last names are not used in the actual import, but are required fields in the template.
   LastName	The employee's last name
   PayCode	A code signifying the pay type — Reg, OT, Training, etc.	The import maps PayCodes to Avionté transaction types.
   Unit	The unit value of pay (e.g., 40 hours regular; 5 hours OT; 1 training charge)	If anything is entered in Earnings, the application defaults to a value of "1" for the pay and bill unit, and the pay/bill rate will equal the Earnings value.
   Earnings	Actual dollar earnings

Transaction Type Mapping

Transaction types are mapped between the Avionté application and the imported data. Mapped values can be managed in System > Import Export Mapping Type.

To modify transaction type mappings, go to Admin Tools > Import Export Mapping > Mapping Type Data tab. If some transaction types should be pay or bill only, update the Extra5 column for those types:

• Blank — enters both pay and bill units
• P — enters pay units only
• B — enters bill units only

Process

With permissions and the import template in place, the steps below cover how to perform the actual time entry import.

Process the Time Card Import

To import time data into Time Entry using the Standard Time Card Import:

1. Navigate to the Import Export section.
2. Click New Batch.
3. From the Mapping Group drop-down menu, choose Avionte Standard Time Card Import. This selection also defaults the Processing Method.
4. Enter a free-text description in the Description field.
5. Click Browse and select the Excel file to import.

6. Select the WorkSheet to import from the file. The main or first sheet will be Sheet1.

   Note: A run-time error will occur if the file you are importing is open on your computer. Close the file before attempting to import.
7. Select the appropriate Accounting Period Date from the Parameter section.
8. Choose how to link to the employee by selecting an option in the Link Identifier drop-down menu.
   • If using ExternalID, select the External ID Link parameter; otherwise leave blank.
9. Click Finish. The New Batch window will close.

10. Click Process Import Export Batch.

    Note: The first time you attempt the import, it will error out because transaction types need to be mapped. See the next section for how to resolve these errors.
    Note: If the import file contains records for employees assigned to branches that you do not have access to, a warning will display after clicking Process Import Export Batch. You can approve the warning to proceed with the import. Records belonging to inaccessible branches will still be imported into the batch; however, they will not be visible to you in Time Entry.
    Note: If the import file contains an Assignment ID for an assignment that has already ended, a warning will display after clicking Process Import Export Batch. Review the flagged records carefully — if the import is valid, you can approve the warning to proceed. This warning helps prevent accidental payroll processing for expired assignments.

Completing the Import Mapping

The import becomes more accurate with each transaction processed. The first time you run the import, you will receive errors to resolve in the Import Export > Validation & Error screen. Once a transaction type is mapped, the import will remember that mapping for all future batches.

1. When an error pop-up appears asking if you'd like to view errors, choose Yes. The Validation & Error screen will open.
2. Click the + sign on the far left of the errors list to expand the error details.

3. In the New Value column for an error, select the transaction type the system should map to that value.

   Note: Enter a "1" in the column next to Ignore from Import to discard a line item from the import.
4. Click Process Batch. All errors for that transaction type will disappear.
5. Repeat steps 2–4 until all mapping errors are resolved.

Enhanced Filtering within Import Connect Time Sheets

The Import Connect Time Sheets feature supports multiple filters, allowing you to pull all the transactions you need in a single pass. This import is performed in Back Office before starting the time entry process.

To start an Import Connect Time Sheet process:

1. From the Time Entry screen, select Import Connect Time Sheets.
2. Click Fetch Connect Time Sheets to retrieve the data.
3. Select items from the Available list to populate the Collection list.
4. Apply filters as needed. Type a search term in one of the Available columns (for example, Customer Name) to filter by that value.
   • Select all records matching that filter and add them to the Collection.
5. Enter a Batch Description.
6. Click Import. All items in the Collection will be imported and removed from the Available grid.
7. Apply additional filters for further imports if needed (for example, filter by SSN to import by employee).
8. Refresh the Sheet View to see the imported items.