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Case import

Imports should only be carried out by users with very good SmartProcess knowledge! In addition, each import should first be tested with a small number of data records ! This article describes the spe…

Dennis Reichle
Updated by Dennis Reichle
Imports should only be carried out by users with very good SmartProcess knowledge!

In addition, each import should first be tested with a small number of data records!
This article describes the specifics and points of attention for importing cases and activities.

For a general description of how to configure a data import, see the article Import of data.

Selecting the case type

The case import can be used to create cases or activities and fill their form fields directly with the desired values. Alternatively, the import can be used to change values in form fields of existing cases or activities.

Data in field groups of cases can also be created / modified via import. A field group is displayed as a child element when selecting the case type (just like an activity of the case).

To perform the import, first select for which case type or activity type data is to be imported.

The case import is mainly used to transfer legacy data from other systems into SmartProcess.

However, it can also be used to change missing or incorrect data of existing cases.

Required columns

The required columns in the import file differ depending on whether new cases / activities are to be created with the import or whether field data of existing cases / activities are to be changed.

  • To create new cases, no specific column is required.
  • To create new activities or field group entries, the column Main case (Case number) is required so that the activities or the field group entries can be assigned to the desired parent case.
Independent of the required columns, it is of course useful to provide and fill a column in the import file for each form field of the activity (especially for the mandatory fields), so that there will be data in the form fields after the import.
In addition, before performing the import to create cases, the instructions of the section Prepare process model for case creation via import should be followed.
  • To change the data of cases or activities by import, it depends on which information SmartProcess uses to identify a case or activity as a duplicate (see the following section).

Identifier for duplicates

In the import mask, the <Replace duplicates> checkbox can be used to control how SmartProcess should act when it detects duplicates during data import.

When importing cases, there are two different ways SmartProcess detects duplicates of cases or activities.

  1. Case number - Activity number - Unless configured otherwise, SmartProcess uses the case number to detect a duplicate. In this case, the column Case number is required to update form data of existing case or activities.
Example:
So, to change the data of audit no. 12345, in the import file the column Case number must exist and contain the value 12345 in one row.
  1. Uniquely marked form fields - When designing the form in the form designer, it is possible to specify in the properties of a field whether it should be 'Unique (for import)'. If this option is enabled for at least one field, the value in that field will be used as an identifier for duplicates instead of the case number.
Example:
- In the form designer of the audit workflow, the 'Process' field has been marked as unique for import so that an import does not create multiple audit cases for the same process.
- If, for example, the Process column in the import file now contains the value 'Quotation creation', the entry will be recognized as a duplicate if there is already an audit case in SmartProcess with the value 'Quotation creation' in the Process field.

Prepare process model for case creation via import

Every case in SmartProcess needs a responsibility and a state. If cases are created via import, these two pieces of information must also be determined.

It is recommended not to list this information as a column in the import file, but to adjust the process model of the workflow before the import in such a way that the case is automatically forwarded to the desired organizational unit and then transferred to the desired state.

If, for example, audits created via import are to be assigned to the organizational unit Quality and then be in the state 'Audit planned', this could look as follows.

How did we do?

Organizational unit import

Meta data import for documents

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