Dimensions integration is part of the Workforce Dimensions product. Customers using Dimensions have an API, and a file based integration with a single system of record. Integration components noted in the table below also reflect the order of configuration.
| Component | Integration Name1 | Integration Scope | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills and Certifications | Skills & Certs Export | Dimensions sends skills and certifications to this application. | Dimensions |
| People | People Export | Dimensions sends person information to this application and either inserts or updates relevant and matching fields in person > General tab, and person > Profile tab; such as Job (rank), Opportunity #2, Badge ID, Wage. | Dimensions |
| Business Structure | Business Structure Export | Dimensions sends jobs, types, working locations, and effective dates3 from Dimensions. Jobs are selectable positions in Setup > Organizations. Positions are identified and configured in this application using the job variables pushed from Dimensions. | Dimensions |
| Accruals | N/A | Dimensions sends employee balances in real-time. This application uses Dimensions employee balances to factor time-off request decisions. Accrual balances are exchanged by way of API calls. Accruals are not imported and accruals are checked using Dimensions Accrual Policy Business Rules. | Dimensions |
| Schedules | Schedules Import | Dimensions receives employee scheduling activity from this application. Dimensions uses the scheduling data from this application to calculate pay. The Schedules Import consumes event activities for the person for a calendar day, such as time-off requests, shift trades, and on-duty Roster switch activity. | TeleStaff | Planner |
| Schedules Batch | Schedules Batch Import | Dimensions receives employee scheduling batch activity from this application. Dimensions uses the scheduling data from this application to calculate pay. The Schedules Batch Import consumes event activity for a group of people and multiple days. The task Schedules Export to Workforce Dimensions is used to force push data from this application to Dimensions, see Schedule Integration below for details. | TeleStaff | Planner |
The integration between the two applications is handled through integration packs using Boomi. Each integration pack corresponds to an area. Personnel changes and business structure changes in Dimensions are pushed to this application. Dimensions sends cost centers and or accruals. Event activity and schedules are pushed to Dimensions from this application. Schedule integration flows differently, Dimensions is not the system of record. See Schedule Integration below.
This application exports employee scheduling activity for each person to Dimensions. Schedules are sent asynchronously to Dimensions via two types of events, low latency or batch process. Two types of events are generated within this application. A scheduling event is either a Batch (Bulk) event or Low Latency event.
A Batch event synchronizes the schedule of multiple people for multiple calendar days. Low Latency synchronizes the schedule for one person for one day. Low latency events process quicker than bulk events. Whenever, a user takes any action in this application one of these two types of events is triggered and sent to Dimensions.
In Dimensions there are two types of integrations deployed to consume these events, Batch (Bulk) and Low Latency. The batch event is consumed by the This means if you change a shift assignment a batch event is triggered, sent to, and consumed by the Dimensions Batch Integration. If you submit a vacation request a low latency event is triggered, sent to, and consumed by the Dimensions Low Latency Integration. The event processor runs continuously and checks for events every 30 seconds, if one is found that event is reviewed then routed to either the Bulk or the Low Latency Integration for further processing.
These events are triggered by changes, the application responds to these changes by channeling the requests through the low latency lane (fast track lane) or the Batch event lane (standard traffic lane). Warning, this is where things may get fuzzy... remember the integration runs constant and picks up ‘changes’ for the time given at a moment in time - but what if there are no changes or the schedule is stale meaning no changes at that moment in time, for example virtual records on the Roster because shift assignments and bidding awards were future processed giving the schedule a stale look when that day comes for that moment in time. To process and reflect future bulk activity on the Dimensions Schedule, the task type Schedule Export to Workforce Dimensions is used in this application to initiate Bulk synchronization within the Active Time Window defined.
Essentially, there are two types of integration with three uses cases:
USE CASE 1: Schedule Low Latency: this is a small change on the person’s schedule, such as add vacation, fill a vacancy. These small changes are pushed into the fast-pass lane of integration and appear almost immediately on the schedule.
Low Latency Events include:
USE CASE 2A: Schedule Batch: this involves multiple people and/or multiple dates; such as an assignment or other larger configuration change that may span over days or weeks. These larger changes because of the variability in how much is included are sitting in the standard traffic lanes. These changes occur because of user activity (change an assignment, change a shift, fix, finalize, undo...) that is larger in scope within the system. Also note USE CASE 2B below.
Batch Events include:
USE CASE 2B Schedule Batch: Schedule Batch: this involves the Task Manager task type Schedule Export to Workforce Dimensions. This task targets Bulk events and ensures that the schedules that would not otherwise be picked up on an idle system are saved to Dimensions. The purpose of the task is to push the most future date to synchronize the schedule in Dimensions. Only the most future date is needed because everything else is handled by schedule integration as noted in USE CASE 1 and 2A. However, the task can be used to fully refresh the Dimensions Schedule from this application. For additional information see section Schedule Export to Workforce Dimensions at the tend of this topic.
| Important |
|---|
| All non-working time past or future is always synchronized and not defined by any From and Through or Active Time Window definitions. All events types in the past are always synchronized. |
Although the task can synchronize the entire period, it is only necessary to synchronize the current definition of the THROUGH date defined in the Active Time Window, such as TODAY+7DAYS. Everything else is picked up by ‘changes’ to peoples’ schedules; as detailed in USE CASE 1A and 2A. This task can be set to run on a scheduled basis in the Scheduled tab within the task; the default scheduled time for the task to run is 12:01AM for the System Time Zone. The task can run on demand using the Run Now function in the Task Manager.
IMPORTANT: The FROM and THROUGH date parameter for the Schedule Export to Workforce Dimensions task must be the same or within the Active Time Window (ATW) boundary. This means if the ATW Through is: TODAY+1 DAY the THROUGH date in the task cannot be TODAY+2DAYS.
Default From value is 0 days. Default Through values is +2days.
IMPORTANT: For the initial schedule import the From and Through values must equal the values in the active time window.
The Active Time Window (ATW) is the span of time for working-time schedule data to be imported into Dimensions. The window identifies how far forward/backwards big changes are copied to the schedule for the Batch event type; for instance, if you change an assignment and don’t set the From date, it will not synchronize the persons schedule from the beginning of time, only back to the active time window’s definition of time. Its primary purpose is to provide a date range for event-driven imports that keep schedules synchronized in Dimensions within reasonable limits while supporting the ability to punch on the Kronos clock and keep schedule changes in sync during the pay period.
Changes to the schedule for working time outside the active time window are not sent to Dimensions; working time means shifts, segments, and schedule tags in Dimensions.
Changes to the schedule for non-working time are always5 sent to Dimensions. Additionally, the active time window is not applicable to non-working time which means duration pay codes in Dimensions.
Values cannot be institution centric because staff that work across institutions must have a complete picture of their schedule in Dimensions regardless of the Active Time Window. Active Time Window values are set in Setup > System > Import Manager > Integrations > type Dimensions.
The active time window does not exceed 39 days date raneg. Best practice is 17 days. This means FROM -32days. The active time window does not exceed 14 days in the future.6 This means, THROUGH+7days. Best practice is 1-2days.
| Component | Setup Area Guide | System Area Guide | Staffing Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organizations | X | ||
| Security | X | ||
| People | X | ||
| Employee Category | X | ||
| Employee Category Setup | X | ||
| Skills & Certifications | X | ||
| Skills & Certifications Setup | X | ||
| Work Code On-Call | X | ||
| Work Code Category | X | ||
| Accruals | X | ||
| Shifts | X | ||
| Tag References | X | ||
| Dimensions Integrations | X | ||
| Developer Portal | X | ||
| Task Manager | X |