Defining the interface layout

The interface layout defines how the employee information is organized when stored in a Workforce Management database table. The interface layout definition must match the layout of the CSV file that imports the employee information into the staging table. See Configuring the CSV file.

Infor provides a standard interface layout template named EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE. This template is for organizations that use interface layout functionality. Unless you need to customize your Employee Import process, use the EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE as your interface layout.

Note: Do not modify the EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE interface layout. When creating your own template, copy the existing EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE interface layout. See Copying an interface layout.

As of the 2025.09 release, for new installations, the fields EMPT_ALTERNATE_HIERARCHY and EMPT_EXT_CODE are included by default in the EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE and HCM EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE.

For the ION EMPLOYEE INTERFACE TEMPLATE, only EMPT_ALTERNATE_HIERARCHY is included by default. For upgrades, existing templates are not modified automatically. Customers can manually add these fields to their interface layouts as needed.

To define a new interface layout for the Employee Import process:

Select Maintenance > System Administration > Interfaces > Interface Layouts
Click Create New Entry.
The Interface Layouts - Details page is displayed.
Specify this information:
Layout

Specify the name of the interface layout you are creating. Ensure that the name hints at the type of interface layout you are creating.

Description

Optionally, specify a short description that further describes the function of the interface layout.

Number of Rows
Specify the number of rows needed per employee record.
If an employee record contains fewer than 103 fields (pieces of information pertaining to employee), then this information can be stored in one row. In this case, this value is 1.

If an employee record contains more than 103 fields (pieces of information pertaining to employee), then this information must be stored in two rows. In this case, this value is 2.

Calculate the number of required rows based on:
- The number of logically grouped fields = 3 (OVR_START_DATE, OVR_END_DATE, EMP_NAME). These fields are repeated in each row.
- The number of other available fields per row = 100.
Interface Type

Select the interface type using the lookup.
Click Save. The Interface Processors, Interface Layout Fields Details, and Interface Reference Settings sections are displayed. Note that the mandatory values are already specified (CORE PROCESSOR under Interface Processors and OVR_START_DATE, OVR_END_DATE, and EMP_NAME fields under Interface Layout Field Details).
In the Interface Processors section, specify this information. The Interface Processors section allows you to select the processor that is responsible for processing the selected employee data elements and storing them in the Workforce Management database.

Process

Select the processor that processes the fields contained in the interface layout using the lookup. The Core Processor is the default processor that processes all the default interface fields with the exception of the SO_EMPLOYEE field, which is processed by the SO Processor.

Execution Order

If you selected more than one processor, enter a number that identifies the order in which each processor is run. For example, specify 1 for the processor that runs first and 2 for the processor that runs second.

Extension Script

Optional. You can use extension scripts for both pre- and post-processing.
Note: You cannot use both an extension script and processor in the same row.

For details, see Using the employee import processor extension script.
In the Interface Layout Fields Details section, specify this information. The Interface Layout Fields Details section allows you to define the interface fields (employee data elements) that are included in the Employee Import process. Defining the location and order for each employee data element in the WBINT_IMPORT table is also mandatory. This order of data elements must match the order defined in the CSV file. The row order and row location is defined by the import transaction detail maintenance form (which is the staging table). See Configuring the CSV file.
Interface Field
Select the employee data element that is used in the layout task using the lookup.
These mandatory data elements must be set in this order:
- OVR_START_DATE: Specify 1 for Import Field Order and A for Import Column Name.
- OVR_END_DATE: Specify 2 for Import Field Order and B for Import Column Name.
- EMP_NAME: Specify 3 for Import Field Order and C for Import Column Name.
For information on setting data element order, see Import Field Order and Import Column Name fields below.
Import Field Order

Specify the numeric value to define the column of the database table where the given data element is placed.
For example, 1 designates that the data element resides in the 1st column from the left.

Import Column Name

Specify the label for the column. In most cases, match the numeric value of the Import Field Order field with a corresponding alpha value. For example, if the Import Field Order is 1, the corresponding Import Column Name would be A. If the Import Field Order is 2, the corresponding Import Column Name would be B, and so on.
When the amount of columns exceeds 26, a second alpha value, alongside the first alpha value, can be used to specify the Import Column Name. The second value starts at "A" and can be increased in single increments. For example, if the Import Field Order is 27, the corresponding Import Column Name would be AA. If the Import Field Order is 28, the corresponding Import Column Name would be AB, and so on.

Keep in mind that in a multi-row layout, the logically grouped fields (OVR_START_DATE, OVR_END_DATE, and EMP_NAME) always occupy the first three columns in each row.

Row Number

Specify the numeric value to define the row of the database table where the given data element is placed. For example, 1 is the first row.
A row can hold a maximum of 103 data elements (columns in the database table). If an employee record contains more than 103 data elements, the data elements starting from the 104th element are placed in a subsequent row. The first three data elements (OVR_START_DATE, OVR_END_DATE, and EMP_NAME) are displayed for every new row used for the same employee record. In this manner, the 104th data element resides in the 4th column on the 2nd row of the same employee record.

When the Import Column Name value reaches CY, which is the maximum number of fields in a row (columns) the table can support, the row numbering changes in this way: the 104th field becomes located in column D and columns A, B, and C are occupied by the logically grouped fields (OVR_START_DATE, OVR_END_DATE, and EMP_NAME) that re-occur in each row.

Parameters

Specify the expected additional attributes that are associated with the data element in this format: data_type=value. Parameters act as rules that govern the type of information that is input into the interface field. Multiple parameters can be used, but must be comma-separated.
Currently, the only interface fields that use parameters are USER_ROLE and the EMP_UDF_DATA fields. See User roles and Employee User Defined Fields (UDFs).

You can create employee data definitions by selecting Maintenance > Employees > Employee Data Definition or Maintenance > Employees > Employee > Details. See "Employee settings and overrides" in the Infor Workforce Management Time and Attendance Implementation and Administration Guide.

Mapping

Select the mapping definition associated with the data element using the lookup. See Mapping framework.
In the Interface Reference Settings section, select one of these values from the Flag drop-down list:
- Reject: The employee record is not imported.
- Insert: The employee record is imported and creates the missing values (Table Name or Field name) in the database.
Click Save.