Introduction

IMMS maintains two Location databases: Installation/Service Locations and Storage/Warehouse Locations. The Instance Administrator defines the Location hierarchy for each Location database.

Every IMMS Location will have a path. The Location path is provided as a sequence of values for Location Types, based on Location hierarchy. For Example, based on configured hierarchy, a room Location may include several Location Types in its path, such as: Area North Campus -> Building A -> Floor 03 -> Room 317. In this example, State, Area, Building, Floor and Room are all Location Types.

Locations can be created or updated via a properly formatted CSV file and the Import feature. This document will serve as a guide for the bulk creation or bulk update of Locations in IMMS.

Base Location

When creating or editing Locations using the Import feature, IMMS will ask you to specify the Base Location. The Base Location is an existing Location that all imported Locations have in common and is based on the established Location Hierarchy. For example, you may be working with the following Location Hierarchy: Area → Building → Floor → Room and use the Import feature to create new Rooms in multiple Buildings. If your Import data file includes Locations in multiple Buildings, the Base Location would be an Area that all included Buildings have in common. That is, the Base Location will be a shared parent Location for all imported Locations.

The Base Location is selected from the Location Lookup within the Import Locations form. (See the Importing Locations Data section below for more information.)

Users can always reference the Location Hierarchy and allowed parent Locations for any Location Type from the Location Types view. To access this view, select "Manage Location Types" from the Configuration Baseline section of the Main Menu. Select a listed Location Type to open the respective Location Type Details panel. The details panel will specify the Allowed Parents for that Location Type.

Data File for Locations Creation

For the bulk creation of Locations in IMMS, the data to be imported must be contained in a properly formatted CSV file.

When creating Locations via bulk import, the data file can be set up using one of two possible notations: /TYPE Multi-column or Path and Name. 

/Type Multi-Column

Using the /Type Multi-Column notation, your CSV file must include an Action column for the desired action “CREATE”. It must also include a column for each Location path element associated with a new Location. The column headers will designate each Location Type, immediately preceded by a forward slash (e.g., “/Building”, “/Floor”, etc.) 

For example, you may use the /Type Multi-Column notation to create Locations for the Base Location “North Campus”, and the path for each new Location should include the following Location Types: “Building”, “Floor” and “Room”. For this Import, you would select the Base Location "North Campus", and the CSV file would be set up as follows: 

The first entry in the above data file sample would be interpreted as the Location Type “Room”. It would have the name “231” under the Location Type “Floor” with name “02”, which would exist under the Location Type “Building” with the name “A”.

Note: When importing Locations using the /Type Multi-Column notation, IMMS will create a new Location for all imported path segments that do not currently exist in the Location database. Typographical and similar data errors can result in the creation of large numbers of erroneous Locations.

Path and Name

Using the Path and Name notation, your CSV file must include an Action column for the desired action “CREATE”. It must also include a column for the Location path associated with each new Location, with column header “Path”. For each new Location the “Path” field should include the entire Location path with each path segment separated by a backward slash (e.g., “Building A\Floor 02\Room 231”).

In the above data file sample, the first entry would be interpreted as the Location Type “Room”.  It would have the name “231” under the Location Type “Floor” with name “02”, which would exist under the Location Type “Building” with the name “A”.

Note: Using both notations, /Type Multi-Column and Path and Name, in the same Import data file is not allowed.

Data File for Locations Update

For the bulk update of Locations in IMMS, the data to be imported must be contained in a properly formatted CSV file.

When updating Locations via bulk import, the data file must be set up using the “UUID" notation.

UUID

Using the UUID notation to update existing Locations, your CSV file must include an Action column header for the desired import action “UPDATE”. The file must include the UUID column header. The UUID uniquely identifies the existing Location. With the UUID identified, a Name column header will provide the data field for renaming each listed Location. A Path column header will provide the data fields necessary to change Location position.

In the above sample CSV file, the User is changing the City, State and Zip code associated with four uniquely identified Locations.

New Name Column Header

When updating Locations via bulk Import, the New Name column header can be used to rename existing Locations which are uniquely identified by UUID. The first column of the CSV file must include the Action column header for the desired action "UPDATE", and the UUID data field must be populated for each line of the data file.

Note: When using the New Name data column, do not include a Path column in the same Import data file, as values from the two data fields may conflict as imported line items are processed.

Importing Locations Data

Whether you are creating new Locations or updating existing Locations in IMMS, you will follow these steps for importing the bulk data.

Click on the Main Menu button at the top of the screen. Depending on the Location database you are updating, you will need to select the appropriate view. 

• For Installation/Service Locations, select Manage Locations (List View) from the “Configuration Baseline” section of the Main Menu. This will open the Locations Hierarchy view.
• For Storage/Warehouse Locations, select Manage Warehouses (List View)" from the "Materials Inventory" section of the Main Menu. This will open the Warehouses List view.

From the appropriate Locations view, click on the  button at the top of the view.

From the Import drop-down menu, select the “Locations” option. An “Import Locations” form will pop up. From the Import Locations form, you will:

1. Use the Choose File button to select the properly formatted CSV file that you have prepared for your bulk data import.
2. Select Contracts that the newly created Locations should be associated with.
3. Select the Base Location, which is an existing Location, selected from the Location lookup, that all imported Locations have in common.
4. Name the Import, entering a name that describes the Import action and purpose.
5. Once all form fields are populated, click the “OK” button at the bottom of the form.

Data File Exceptions and Successful Import

If there are any errors in the Import data file, IMMS will alert you of these exceptions and reject the entire Import. That is, IMMS will not partially process an Import.

All exceptions must be corrected in the data file before it can be imported. Correct exceptions in all specified line items and then repeat the Import steps listed above.

If IMMS identifies no exceptions within the data file, your bulk data will be successfully imported, and IMMS will return you to the view where you initiated your Import. The view should then include your new or updated records. The Import will also be listed in the Successfully Completed Imports list accessible via the "Show Completed" option under the Import button drop-down menu.