Importing Data into Time Portal – Support | Time Portal, LLC

This article will review:

Downloading an import file.
Adding data to an import file.
Importing your data into Time Portal.
Creating an import file to include your data.
Editing your data.
Importing edited data into Time Portal.

Time Portal has an Import feature that enables you to import your master data to begin using Time Portal. This saves a lot of time with setup. Data that can be imported includes employees, crews, locations, and crop/varieties.

1. Download Import File

When you download an import file, Time Portal creates an excel spreadsheet template in a format that Time Portal can import.

To create the import file:

1. Select Import from the menu then select Import Data.

2. From the Import Data screen select Download import file.

Time Portal will create an excel spreadsheet in your Downloads directory with the name TimePortalData plus a number (1). The file will also appear in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. Click on the file to open the excel spreadsheet template.

If the spreadsheet opens up in Protected View, make sure to Enable Editing (2).

The first page to display is the Instructions (3) for using the spreadsheet. Make sure to review these before proceeding.

There are 5 tabs (sheets) (4) at the bottom of the spreadsheet. (Instructions, Employees, Crews, Locations, CropVarieties) These are the tabs you will use to enter your data.

2. Adding Data to the Import File

After reviewing the Instructions, click on the Employees tab at the bottom of the screen. The employees screen contains the data fields for the employee record that can be imported. The required fields are marked with a red asterisk (1). You must complete the required fields for each employee and any other fields that you want to import.

You don't need to import everything at once. For example, you can import just crew information or just some of your employees. You can import as many times as you like. If you import an existing record (ex. same employee number), the record in Time Portal will be updated.

(Note: There are relationships that must be observed. For example if you import an employee for crew code "10", that crew must already be in the system or part of the current import.) The employee information that can be imported is as follows:

Employee Number (2) - is a unique number identifying the employee in Time Portal. If you use a payroll system, you usually will use the same employee number in both systems for when information is passed from Time Portal into the payroll system. If you are using a payroll system you may be able to export your employees from your payroll system into an excel spreadsheet. You can then copy and paste the employee information into the Time Portal spreadsheet.
New Employee Number - this column is for changing an existing employees number. This field will not be used on the initial import.
Badge Number - is the number off the badge or RFID Fob that is assigned to the employee. This number can also be added to the employee record from the mobile application. (See How to assign badges)
Is Active (3) - identifies whether the employee is active or inactive. You can enter a value of Y or Yes or True for active and a N or No or False for inactive. Note: All employees will be active on the initial import.
Is H2A (4) - is the employee H2A or domestic. The values can be a Y or Yes or True for H2A or a N or No or False for domestic.
Birth Date - employee's birth date. This is informational only. Birth date is not used by Time Portal.
Crew Code (5) - identifies which crew the employee is assigned to.
Contract Number - is the H2A contract that the employee is working under. (The contract must already be setup in Time Portal before importing the number).
Hourly Rate - employees hourly rate. Only enter if the hourly rate is different from the company hourly rate.
Minimum Wage - employee's minimum wage rate. Only enter if the minimum wage rate is different from the company minimum wage rate.
Note: It is not necessary to enter hourly rate or minimum wage unless the employee's rates are different than the Company wage rate and minimum wage.

The next tab at the bottom of the screen is for setting up your Crews. A crew is just a group of workers within your organization. Some companies refer to this as a team or department. Time Portal uses crews to help manage workers. Each crew will have its own time sheet for a given day. Note: at least one crew is required to be set up to create a time sheet in Time Portal.

Workers can be permanently transferred between crews using the website or can be temporarily transferred between crews on the mobile device.

Click the Crews tab at the bottom of the screen. Both field are required to import the crews.

Code – This uniquely identifies the Crew in the system.
Name – This is a more user-friendly display of the record.

You can also import your list locations if using. Click the Locations tab at the bottom of the screen.

Name – This uniquely identifies the Location in the system.
Description – This is a more user-friendly display of the record.

Lastly, you if using, you can import your list of Crop/Varieties. Click the CropVarieties tab at the bottom of the screen.

Name – This uniquely identifies the Crop/Variety in the system.
Description – This is a more user-friendly display of the record.

Once you have entered all the data that you would like to import, save your excel spreadsheet by clicking the disc icon in the upper left hand corner. This will update the excel file that was created in your downloads directory.

If you would like to save the file into a different directory, click File in the upper left corner, then click Save As (1) and enter the file name (2) and select the directory (3) where it will be saved, then click Save.

3. Importing Your Master Data

Once you have entered your master data into the Time Portal excel spreadsheet, you are ready to import it into Time Portal.

To import your master data, select Import then Import Data.

Next, click the green Choose import file.

When the file manager displays, select your Time Portal excel file, and click Open.

Time Portal will check the import file and provide an overview of the data to be imported. This includes how many new employees, how many existing employees to be updated and how many duplicate employee if any. (A duplicate occurs when you use the same employee number for more that one employee or the same crew code, location name, and crop/variety name more that once) You can review the data by clicking the blue View details.

When you click View details, Time Portal will display the information to be imported and flag any issues. A duplicate is flagged in yellow, an update is flagged in blue, and a new record is green (1). Also, in the column on the right, Time Portal identifies the type of record (Updated, duplicate, new, unchanged) (2).

In the example above, two employees with the same employee number are in the import file. Two locations are being updated and six new records are being added. (New records include employees, crews, locations and crop/varieties)

If you need to make any edits to the import file before importing into Time Portal, select the Cancel (1) button, make the necessary changes to the excel spreadsheet and save the file. Then again, select Import Data, click Choose import file, click Open and review the data to be imported.

If the data to be imported looks good, click Import data (2).

4. Creating an Import File with Existing Data

The Time Portal Import feature enables you to update a lot of information quickly. If for example you need to change a group of employees to a new crew or add employee to a new contract, you may want to use the Import feature.

To create an import template with your data, select Import the Import Data.

Click on the toggle to Include my data then click Download import file.

5. Editing Your Data

Time Portal will create an excel spreadsheet in your Downloads directory with the name TimePortalData plus a number (1) containing your master data. The file will also appear in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. Click on the file to open the excel spreadsheet template.

If the spreadsheet opens up in Protected View, make sure to Enable Editing (2).

The first page to display is the Instructions (3) for using the spreadsheet. Make sure to review these before proceeding.

There are 5 tabs (sheets) (4) at the bottom of the spreadsheet. (Instructions, Employees, Crews, Locations, CropVarieties) These are the tabs that contain your data.

When you click on the tabs at the bottom of the screen, they will contain your employee records, crews, locations and crop/varieties.

Click on the Employees tab. Your employee list displays. You can now make changes to existing employee records and import those changes.

Any field can be changed in the employee record. To change an Employee Number, enter the new number in the column New Employee Number next to the existing number. The number will be changed when the file is imported.

To add or edit crews, locations, or crop/varieties, select the appropriate tab at the bottom of the screen. Note: You can only edit the crew name and location and crop/varieties description through the import feature.

6. Importing Edited Data into Time Portal

To import your Time Portal excel spreadsheet template, you will follow the same steps you used to import your initial master lists of data. Please refer to Section 3 above.

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