OPEX provides the ability to update and create staff records based on information from an external system.
This can be configured on a customer by customer basis and can also operate automatically on a periodic (nightly/weekly basis). Contact Datatecnix support for more information on customisation options.
The standard Update allows for the creating and modifying of staff records using a simple Excel spreadsheet format.
Standard Actions
The following actions are provided.
AS - Add a new staff record
CL - Change Location details for an existing staff record
CR - Change Rank details for an existing staff record
CB - Change Both Rank and Location details for an existing staff record
CS - Change Staff details (name, contact information) for an existing staff record
TS - Terminate Staff adds a leaving date to an existing staff record after which time they will not be active in OPEX
PS - Pause Staff record sets the active flag to 'N' for an existing staff record to reflect a temporary situation such as Maternity Leave
RS - Reactivate Staff record sets the active flag to 'Y' for an existing staff record
US - Update Staff record changes all staff details for an existing staff record
Creating a new Staff Update File
A new staff update file can be added manually or it can be automated. To automatically add the staff update contact Datatecnix Support.
To manually add a staff update file go to Administration > Staff > Updates and click New.
Add a new Staff Update Header record, using the filename and message fields to identify this update. Click OK to add the header record.
The header record will be allocated a Staff Update Identifier number.
From the Input Data tab in the lower grid you can add New Staff Updates records or load them from a Spreadsheet by clicking the Actions button and selecting Import From File.
The columns in your spread sheet should correspond to the table below:
Staff Update Identifier | The Staff Update Identifier from the header ( The same number for each row) |
Action | One of the Update Actions listed above |
Identity Number | The unique number used to identify staff. This will be matched to the OPEX Staff Code. |
Surname | Surname |
First Name | Forename |
Location Code | A code to identify the location |
Location | A location description |
Rank Code | A code to identify the rank |
Rank Description | A rank description |
Domain Username | |
Staff members email address | |
Telephone | |
Date From | The Date depends on the Action. For a new staff record it is the staff members start date. For a staff member leaving it is their finish date. |
Date To |
Invalid Updates
Once the spreadsheet has been imported there maybe records that are not valid. Go to the Invalid Updates tab to view these records.
The code under the Problem column will determine the reason for the invalid record:
IS = Invalid Staff
IL = Invalid Location
IR = Invalid Rank
An IS code will appear if the staff record that is to be updated does not already exist in Opex. In this case you will need to manually add the staff record in Opex before the update can be applied.
Location and Rank Code Mapping
In the staff update it is not a requirement to use the same location and rank codes that are used in OPEX. The HR system that is providing the information may have a different coding system for location and ranks.
To resolve Location and Rank code differences you can add new Location or Rank Codes by clicking on the line and selecting the Add Location or Add Rank button. You can also merge the Location and Rank codes and desscriptions that came across in the update as alternate names for existing OPEX codes.
For example, our update contained a location code of 'Fullwell' and a description of 'Fullwell Station'. We want to merge these with the existing OPEX Location Code (FLW) Fullwell Fire Station.
Once these alternate codes have been entered they will be remembered for all future updates.
To view the alternates go to Administration > Staff > Staff Ranks and Administration > Staff > Locations and click on the Alternate Names tab.
Once you have cleared all of the entries from the Invalid Updates tab you need to apply the staff update.
Applying Staff Updates
From the Valid Updates tab you can apply updates:
- individually by selecting a record and then clicking Update Staff Member or
- in bulk by clicking Update All then selecting Update All Staff Members or Add All New Staff
Merging Updates with existing OPEX Staff Records
In some case you may wish to merge a staff update that is requesting a new staff record with an existing OPEX staff record.
For example, an officer may have been manually added onto OPEX and had items issued to them before a staff code had been generated by the HR system. When the HR system sends the information you want to update the existing record. If the OPEX Action (Proposed) is AS ( Add Staff) and you select the record a Merge button is provided to allow you to manually update the staff record.
Duplication of Staff Records
If a staff update has an OPEX Action (Proposed) of AS (Add Staff) AND the force identifier (the default one is staff code) matches an existing OPEX Staff Record then the OPEX Action (Proposed) will be US instead of AS, to prevent duplication.
White Listing
In some cases you may need to stop certain OPEX Staff Records from being updated.
For example, there may be an OPEX Administration User whose OPEX system credentials are different than those provided by the automatic staff update. In this case you can mark the OPEX Staff Record accordingly to prevent any updates from being applied.
Go Staff and Edit the staff record. Click on the System tab and enter ''Y in the Stop Update field.
If an update for that OPEX staff record is contained in a staff update file it will be ignored and listed on the White List tab in Administration > Staff > Updates.