Flex Office: imports

The Imports screen in Flex Office settings sums it up: “Import a CSV file: each line goes through the screen of the object, with the same checks. Simulate first, then apply the valid lines.”

Before you start #

The screen only offers the objects you have the permission to configure, at the Execute level: locations (zones), floor plans (desks), meeting rooms (rooms), parking (spots), profiles (members and rules), catering (restaurants, services, menus). Without any of these permissions, the Imports tile does not exist.

Permissions in the role matrix #

Each object follows the permission of its screen, at the Execute level:

• “Configure work locations (sites, offices, floors, zones)”: Location zones, and desk assignment.
• “Manage floor plans and zone placement”: Desks (assignees included).
• “Configure meeting rooms: see rooms and their equipment (access), create, change and archive a room, cancel someone else’s meeting (execute)”: Meeting rooms.
• “Configure car parks (car parks, spot types, spots, assignments)”: Parking spots (assignees included).
• “Manage attendance profiles, their rules and assigned employees”: Profile members and Profile rules.
• “Configure catering (restaurants, services, closures, menus)”: Restaurants, Restaurant services and Menus (dish by dish).

What this screen is for #

It creates or updates Flex Office configuration objects in bulk, from a CSV file. For each object, a line identifies it as follows:

• Location zones: the location and the zone name.
• Desks (assignees included): the location and the desk code.
• Meeting rooms: the location and the room name.
• Parking spots (assignees included): the location, the car park and the spot code.
• Profile members: the employee number (a person has only one profile).
• Profile rules: the profile and the rule rank (empty: added at the end of the list).
• Restaurants: the location and the restaurant name.
• Restaurant services: the location, the restaurant and the start time.
• Menus (dish by dish): the location, the restaurant, the menu scope and the dish name.

If the object is found, it is updated; otherwise, it is created.

Step by step #

1. Open Flex Office settings › Imports.
2. In Object to import, choose the object (“Choose an object…”). The description of its columns is shown; “*” marks a required column. Hover over a column to read its allowed values.
3. Click Download the template. The template contains the header and the objects already in place, as you see them. Re-imported as is, it changes nothing.
4. Complete the file in your spreadsheet, then save it as CSV UTF-8.
5. Click Choose the CSV file and select your file.
6. Click Simulate. The Simulation — nothing was written report is shown, line by line: Line, Object, Outcome (Created, Updated, Unchanged, Refused) and Details.
7. Correct the file if needed and simulate again.
8. Click Apply the N valid lines. The Import summary replaces the simulation report. Refused lines are not written.

Good to know #

• Simulate first. The simulation writes nothing and sends no notifications. Changing the object or the file clears the report: a file that has not been simulated is never applied.
• The same checks as on screen. Each line goes through the object’s screen: same validations, same refusals, same log, same notifications. A refused line does not stop the others.
• Format.
  • CSV file in UTF-8: “Save the file in UTF-8 — in Excel: File › Save As › CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited).”
  • Semicolon, comma or tab separator. The template is separated by semicolons.
  • At most 2 MB and 1000 lines.
  • List items are separated by “|” (for example days from 1 to 7, diets or equipment).
  • Dates are written YYYY-MM-DD, DD.MM.YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY; times HH:MM.
• Headers. The template is written in your language. On import, headers in French, English, German or Italian are accepted, in any order, but not mixed in the same file: “Headers in several languages” is refused.
• Empty cell. On an update, the existing value remains. On a creation, the screen applies its default value.
• Nothing is removed. An import neither deletes nor archives anything, and does not create missing references (locations, zones, floors, car parks, profiles, restaurants, equipment).
• Employee number. People are identified by their employee number. An employee you cannot see is “Not found”, like an unknown employee number.
• Zones. The type column is “desks” (desk zone) or “landmark” (landmark); if empty, the existing type remains, and a new zone is a desk zone. The capacity of a zone that has desks is not imported: it equals the number of its desks in service. The report says so in a note under the line, without refusing it.
• Desks.
  • The zone and the floor are identified by their name within the location; equipment by its catalogue code. A list of equipment replaces the desk’s list.
  • Positions on the plan are not imported: they are set in the plan editor.
  • Assigning a desk through an import also requires the permission to configure locations at the Execute level; without it, the line is refused.
  • Putting a desk out of service through an import moves its upcoming bookings, as on screen.
• Meeting rooms. The floor and the landmark zone that places the room on the plan are identified by their name; equipment by its catalogue code. The maximum duration is written in minutes, the horizon in days. Neither the photo nor meetings are imported.
• Common refusals. Not found (unknown reference or employee number), Ambiguous (a name shared by two objects), Value refused, Already exists, Spot booked, In use, Closed or archived, No time zone, Failed.
• Refusal of the whole file. File not in UTF-8, File too large, Unreadable file (required column missing, unknown or duplicated), Headers in several languages. No line is then processed.

See also #

• Flex Office settings
• Locations and floor plans
• Attendance profiles
• Parking · Meals
• Flex Office: module overview