Import custom entitlement balances

Tip: This functionality is available to Powerpay People customers using the Time Off Request module. To request this functionality, contact your Customer Support Team.

When you first set up a new custom entitlement you may want to import existing entitlement balance data into Powerpay without entering it for each individual employee. This saves you time and helps to eliminate data entry errors.

The custom entitlement balance import process is simple:

  1. Create an import file with balances for each custom entitlement to import using the TOR Starting Balance Import Template.xlsx . A sample template is also available for reference.

  2. Send the files to your Customer Support Team to import.

  3. Review the imported balances for each employee

Important: Balances for an employee cannot be loaded for the same Import Code multiple times. In other words, balances for each employee/entitlement combination can only be imported once.

Important: If an import code was not entered during the custom entitlement set up and employees are already utilizing the custom entitlement for time off requests, the import code cannot be added and entitlement balances will need to be entered manually.

Tasks

You can use the TOR Starting Balance Import Template.xlsx and Microsoft ® Excel ® to prepare the import file in the comma separated value (CSV) file format specified for Powerpay People. A sample template is also available for reference.

Each entitlement balance import file consists of multiple records, where a record is a line of data in the file. The import file includes two types of records:

  • Header

    • The first record in the entitlement balance import file is the header record. It contains all the field names to be imported.

  • Data

    • The second record and all subsequent records are data records.

    • The data records include the actual data for the fields listed in the header.

Note: Maximum file size is 1 MB.

  • There can only be one header record and it must be at the beginning of the file.

  • Green headings indicate required fields.

  • Blue headings indicate optional data. They are used to provide context and are not uploaded or validated during the load process.

  • All columns in the header of the import template MUST be included in the import (.csv) file and must appear in the order provided.

Warning: Do not re-order or remove columns from the import template.

  • The data records must only include one row per employee per entitlement balance (Import Code). In other words, the import file can only include one row for each employee for the same import code. However, the import file may contain multiple rows for the same employee each with a different import code.

  • Payroll ID - each import file must contain employee records for ONE payroll number.

    This column is used by the import validation process to validate that the file does not contain data for other PSIDs, and that the file is being loaded to the correct (matching) PSID.

  • Employee Number – the employee number must exist in Powerpay People prior to importing data.

  • Employee Name (Last, First) – The name of the employee the balance is being loaded for.

  • Import Code – the import code assigned to the entitlement for which you are importing balances.

    The code is assigned in step 2 of the Custom Entitlement Setup module in Powerpay and is a maximum of four alpha-numeric characters.

  • Entitlement Description – The description assigned to the custom entitlement in step 1 of the Custom Entitlement Setup module in Powerpay.

  • Hours (Up to 2 decimal places) – the balance data for the employee for the entitlement.

    • Must be in hours (not days), regardless of how the corresponding entitlement is configured.

    • The balance entered here will add to or subtract from the existing balance; it will NOT replace an existing balance.

    • Negative values can be imported, however if the entitlement does NOT allow negative balances and the resulting balance after the import will be less than zero, the row is rejected and the following message displays:

      Entitlement with import code <Import_Code> cannot have negative balance. Current Balance is <current_balance> hours for Employee <employee_number>.

  • English and French number formats are supported based on the Powerpay interface logged in.

    Example:

    A value of 9,999 is entered in the Hours column

    • English Powerpay interface – Powerpay interprets the value as 9999

    • French Powerpay interface – Powerpay interprets the value as 9.999. An error is generated because the value exceeds two decimal places.

The file must end in .csv

When all values to import are included in the import file, send the file to your Customer Support Team.

Review the balances for each employee:

  • In the Time Off Entitlements section on the Time-Off tab.Closed From the People menu, select People List > Time-Off.

  • In the Entitlement Balance History section on the Time-Off tab.Closed From the People menu, select People List > Time-Off. The transaction date is the system date of the import.