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Introduction

Getting data into your SimplyWork instance is handled by the Data Imports app. Imports can consume or fetch data from any of the following:

  • File upload, you upload or drag-n-drop a static file into the import app
  • SFTP retrieve, a file is fetched via SFTP on a schedule
  • API GET, data is retrieved from another site via an API
  • API POST, data is posted into SimplyWork by an external source

The data format which is received (or sent) can be any of CSV, Fixed width, JSON or XML.

tip

For non-developers, API is just an acronym for Application Programming Interface, meaning two servers talking to each other

A common example would be to upload the following file (perhaps exported from Excel and saved as CSV) in order to create Departments:

Departments.csv
Code,Description,Status
ADM,Administration,Active
IT,Information Technology,Active
MAIN,Maintenance,Active
DLVRY,Delivery,Inactive
SAL,Sales & Marketing,Active

This file could be drag-n-dropped into an Import app and the columns Code and Description mapped to the matching SimplyWork Departments data source. For lists which may change, you could repeat the upload periodically, or more likely, automate through an SFTP fetch or API request.

There is no limit to the types of information you can import, but the most likely are demographic items, employees and other dynamic assets:

  • Employees
  • Balances
  • Demographics (locations, departments, positions, ..)
  • Leave events from external sources
  • Transactions from external sources

The next section will overview the import workflow and primary components of the import app.