Astra Schedule provides an Excel import utility for updating building and room data with data from an existing system, or for otherwise importing a number of buildings and rooms at once. The building and room import feature utilizes the ATE to provide mapping and import functionality. In this system, an Excel file is the data source from which data will be imported. An xml configuration file provides instructions for mapping and querying the Excel file, and for any rules to be applied to the data. Finally, a transformation service interprets the incoming data and inserts it into the Astra Schedule database.
•Updates and Inserts
The import will make changes to existing matching buildings and rooms and add new records, but will not delete any existing buildings and rooms.
NOTE: Users now have two options relating to the updating of effective dated rooms when executing an Excel Room data import: Import to Current Room Versions, or Import to Latest Room Versions.
Import to Current Room Versions – If this option is used, if a room record has effective dates defined and is being updated by import, the import routine will update the version of the room that is effective "today" (leaving other versions as-is).
Import to Latest Room Versions – If this option is used, if a room record has effective dates defined and is being updated by import, the import routine will update the version of the room that is active the furthest into the future (leaving other versions as-is).
This new option is visible on the room import job screen as a job parameter, as shown below.
NOTE: If a room’s latest effective-dated version is the same as the current version (ie, there are no effective dates in the future), it will not matter which option is selected. Only when there are effective dates in the future for any room(s) does this option become applicable.
An Excel template (BuildingAndRoomTemplate.xls) is provided by Ad Astra staff for the importing of room data.
The default Excel template includes the following fields:
NOTE: All cells must be in text format.
Column |
Comment |
---|---|
CampusSISKey* |
Unique campus ID
Recommendation: Copy from Campus column |
Campus |
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist. |
BuildingSISKey* |
Unique building ID |
BuildingName |
Optional |
BuildingCode* |
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist. |
RoomSISKey* |
Unique room ID
Recommendation: Create by concatenating campus, building, and room number (i.e. MAIN_ADMIN_101) |
RoomName |
Optional |
RoomNumber* |
|
RoomType |
Classroom, Biology Lab, Art Studio, etc.
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist. |
ConfigurationName |
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist.
Recommendation: Use "Standard" |
ConfigurationIsDefault* |
Must be TRUE or FALSE
At least one configuration must be "TRUE" for each room. Additional configurations will be "FALSE". |
FacilityLayoutName |
Recommendation: Use "Default" |
Capacity* |
Room configuration capacity |
FeatureQuantity |
Semi-colon delimited list of room features and their respective quantities (i.e. "Chalkboard,2;Internet,1;Computers,25")
Include a comma between feature name and quantity.
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist.
When a new record is added, the system will use the default category.
If a feature is new and a quantity is provided, quantities are set to "allowed" for the feature.
If the feature exists and quantities are allowed but none are provided, the quantity is set to 1.
If the feature exists and quantities are not allowed but provided, quantities are set to "allowed" and the value is set. |
RegionName |
Semi-colon delimited list of regions to which the room belongs.
System will perform a name lookup during import and add the record if it doesn't exist. |
* = Required field
The values specified above represent the default set of import values for the typical room import file. The room import hub supports additional data options if desired. To include additional values in the room import, these values must be added to both the Excel import template and the room import spoke file query that accesses the template. Ad Astra implementation and support staff can assist with customizations to the import process.
The room import hub supports the following room record fields:
•RoomWidth
•RoomLength
•RoomSquareFootage
•RoomMaxOccupancy
•RoomSisKey
•RoomName
•RoomDescription
•RoomRoomNumber
•RoomKeyNumber
•RoomPhoneAreaCode
•RoomPhoneNumber
•RoomPhoneExtension
•RoomWidth
•RoomLength
•RoomSquareFootage
•RoomMaxOccupancy
•RoomIsShareable
•RoomMaxSharedActivities
•RoomNoSchedule
•RoomArrangedSection
•RoomDoNotOptimize
•RoomEffectiveStartDate
•RoomEffectiveEndDate
•RoomIsActive
•RoomTypeSisKey
•BuildingSisKey
•Room Custom Fields*
*Custom room record fields must exist prior to import. The custom field name must be used in the import spoke file query to map a specific custom value from the template to the room record during import.
An xml configuration file contains the mapping information from the Excel source file to the Astra Schedule database fields. Optional data referenced above can be specified by editing this file.
The room import xml file (RoomExcelImport.xml) can be located in the following Astra Schedule installation directory:
Program Files\Ad Astra\7.x.x\Instances\AstraScheduleInstanceName\Files\ATEConfiguration\Spokes\SIS\Excel\ExampleDataTemplates
Page url: ?importexport_roomimportoverview.htm