Faculty180 Auto Upload Information

The content in this knowledge base is based upon the standard FACULTY180 environment. Your institution may have made changes to configure the FACULTY180 environment to meet your institution's needs; therefore, the screens in your FACULTY180 environment may differ slightly from the knowledge base. For more information, please contact your FACULTY180 administrator.

We support auto loads of base data files for Faculty, Faculty Classifications, Current Positions, Prefixes, Courses, and Courses Taught. 

Files will be processed if they:

  • are in the required file format (.csv or .txt), 
  • are in the required column order (based on the set-up in the database),
  • have been sftp’d into the ‘autoload’ folder for the targeted database.

Notification (logs) will be sent after file processing is completed, or if there are issues with file processing and it could not be completed.  When submitting a request for auto load set-up, please provide the email address(es) for those who should receive these notifications.

Auto loads are dependent on having sftp access the Interfolio servers. Please submit a support request for sftp set-up prior to or in conjunction with the request for auto load set-up.

For auto load planning, please complete the Client Data Survey form available upon request or via Interfolio University.

Time of Import

Imports are scheduled for processing at 3:30 AM EDT / EST daily. If no files are found, then an import will not occur.

Upload Configuration

To set up auto loads you must review file processing settings:

Navigate to File Configuration

  1. Administration > Set-Up > Configuration > Upload Form.
  2. From the drop down, select the file type.
  3. Select the field order that will be included in the file.

Navigate to File Settings

  1. Administration > Administration > Bulk Data > Upload Data > New Upload
  2. From the drop down, select the file type.
  3. Review the settings for each file 

Note: Auto load settings require an Interfolio System Administrator to save the settings.  Please submit a support request for assistance in setting up the auto load feature.  If changes to the saved settings are needed, please submit a support request for assistance.

Non-base data files (except for Grants) are not supported for auto loading at this time.

File Location

All files will be located in a directory created by Faculty 180 - see sample image below.

Each database will then have a subdirectory under the ​autoload ​directory. (For example, /autoload/databasename/ and /autoload/databasename_dev/).

Supported file types are .csv and .txt - only! 

The following formats are not supported and should not be included :

  • .doc
  • .docx
  • .pdf
  • xls
  • .xlsx
  • subdirectories, etc.
  • For production: /autoload/databasename/ 
  • For development: /autoload/databasename_dev/
Sample File Directory
Action/Folder Description
autoload
 First level subdirectory - please DO NOT place files here.
dbid Production database directory for base data autoload (only files for faculty, current position, faculty classification, prefix, courses, courses taught).  Auto load has to be set up in order to support this processing.
notification.txt
 After file processing, notifications are sent to the email addresses that have been added here
dbid_dev
 Development database directory for base data autoload (only files for faculty, current position, faculty classification, prefix, courses, courses taught).  Used only for testing setup during implementation
notification.txt
 After file processing, notifications are sent to the email addresses that have been added here.
incoming
 All non-base data files (not supported by the base data auto load). Examples: grants, advising, professional development, etc. (DO NOT DIRECT FILES HERE)
did Files from the client will be directed here if the file is to be loaded into production. Examples:  grants, advising, scholarship, etc.
old_files
 After processing non-base data files into production, those files will be placed here.
dbid_dev
 Files from the client will be directed here if the file is to be loaded into development.  Examples:  grants, advising, scholarship, etc.
old_files
 After processing non-base data files into development, those files will be placed here.
dbid_transfer
 Files from the client will be directed here if the file is to be loaded into transfer for review.   Examples:  grants, advising, scholarship, etc.
old_files
 After processing non-base data files into transfer, those files will be placed here
outgoing
 Interfolio use only. Any non-base data files (not supported by the base data auto load). Examples: File logs,  Interfolio generated file extracts (limited scope).
file_extracts
 Managed by Interfolio based on limited scope use cases.
logs
 Non base data processed file logs - recent version - Examples:  grants, advising, scholarship, etc.
old_logs
 Non base data processed file logs - older versions
processed
 Base data autoload files are moved here after processing.  (only files for faculty, current position, faculty classification, prefix, courses, courses taught)
dbid
 Auto load processed into production.
dbid_dev
 Auto load processed into development - only used for testing set up during implementation.
Notification

Each directory under /autoload/ will have a file titled notification.txt. This file will hold, one per line, the email addresses of people who should be notified upon completion of auto upload processing. These emails will contain information on the upload, including counts of new, duplicate, and failed records as well as a list of lines that were duplicate or failed. Emails in this file could include FACULTY180 administration or the entity that creates files for automatic upload.

File Naming
  • Faculty180_<upload_type>_<yyyy>-<mm>-<dd>_<sequence>.csv
    •  Faculty180_CoursesTaught_2015-08-11_01.csv
      • This indicates a Courses Taught file to be uploaded and was the first upload file of this type received on 2015-08-11
      • If a second Courses Taught was to be sent on the same day, the sequence would change: : Faculty180_coursestaught_2015-08-11_02.csv

Available upload types will include the following: 

Supported Import <upload_type> Example Filename
Faculty faculty faculty180_faculty_2019-08-11_01.csv
Faculty Classifications facultyclassifications faculty180_facultyclassifications_2019-08-11_01.csv
Current Positions current positions faculty180_currentpositions_2019-08-11_01.csv
Current Prefixes prefix faculty180_prefix_2019-08-11_01.csv
Courses courses faculty180_courses_2019-08-11_01.csv
Courses Taught courses taught faculty180_coursestaught_2019-08-11_01.csv
Additional Notes
  • Courses Taught files should include:
    • The first column should always be the term (based on the University's database settings - this may be different for University ) ex. Fall, Spring, Summer
    • The second column should always be the calendar year (YYYY)
  • Faculty Classifications files should include:
    • The first column should always be the starting term (based on the University’s database settings - it may be different for University) ex. Fall, Spring, Summer
    • The second column should always be the starting calendar year (YYYY)
    • The third column should always be the ending term (based on the University’s database settings - it may be different for University) ex. Fall, Spring, Summer
    • The fourth column should always be the ending calendar year (YYYY)
Base Data Load Options Documentation

You can find information on base data loads here:

(C-2) Upload Base Data

What happens when...?

When a file is processed?

  • For Supported Auto Load Types that Meet Requirements:
    • After processing, files are moved from the autoload folder to the processed folder.
    • Unprocessed files (those that do not meet requirements), remain in the autoload folder.  The system will continue to try to process the bad file.
    • Please review the notifications that are sent.  These failed files will be noted and the file should be deleted from the directory folder.

When file modifications are needed?

  • It is possible to start with a file that only has the required data field and then add additional fields as needed.
  • This will require a change to the set-up.  Please submit a support request before making changes to the current file.

When you need to load a file manually via the administrative feature after auto load settings have been saved?

  • Recommended cadence for auto file loads is weekly.
  • If a file needs to be loaded between scheduled loads, it is possible to use the administrative use interface to load the file:
    • Navigate to: Administration > Administration > Bulk Data > Upload Data > New Upload > Select the file type > make selections as needed > attach file > validate > upload.
  • If this off-schedule load requires a change to the saved auto load settings, please reset settings to the auto load configuration.  This will not happen automatically and it will affect the auto file processing.