guide data migration

Data MigrationG U I D E

Migration overview ........................................................................... 3

Data migration options .................................................................. 4

Order of imports ................................................................................. 5

Step-by-step migration checklist ............................................. 5

Common causes of data migration import failure ........... 8

Missing required columns ....................................................... 8

Missing required values ........................................................... 8

Incorrect column headers ...................................................... 8

Incorrectly formatted data .................................................... 8

Improperly assigned profile links ....................................... 8

Best practices .................................................................................... 9

Frequently asked questions ....................................................... 10

Table of contents

Questions? Reach out to your data migration resource or visit care.icims.com

iCIMS | Data Migration Guide

Migrating data from a legacy system is a primary concern for many new customers. iCIMS has extensive experience with data migration, and an iCIMS resource will guide you through the entire process. Here you’ll find an overview along with best practice tips and a checklist you can reference for project planning.

http://www.care.icims.com/

Migration overview

Migration refers to moving information, called data, from your existing software to the iCIMS Talent Cloud. The data you migrate to iCIMS may include any or all of the following:

Person data: Candidate, employee, and/or hiring manager information

Company data: Information about your company, such as locations(s)

Job data: Requisitions and/or job description templates

Recruiting workflow data: This is the relationship between a candidate and a job. For example, this data ties candidate Vijay Patel to job #1234, marketing manager, and puts him in the status of "Interview Scheduled"

Notes data: This data may be notations of emails associated with a person's profile, a job profile, or a recruiting workflow profile

Talent pool data: This is data associated with the Connect product , and acts as "buckets" for sourcing purposes, allowing users to associate prospects by skills or other features

Sourcing workflow data: This is the relationship between a prospect and a talent pool and ties them together with a status for sourcing purposes

Resumes: Resumes formatted as document files (including but not limited to .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .txt)

Additional documents: Any documents other than a resume, such as cover letters, licenses, employment applications, etc.




Data migration options

Data critical for go-live can be entered in the iCIMS Talent Cloud in various ways, depending on your needs and the type of data involved. These options include:

Candidate migration optionso Resume import, using iCIMS' iResume tool

either via email or the FTP bulk uploadero Manual creation of current candidates'

profiles by the recruiting teamo CSV Import of candidateso Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs

(developer.icims.com)

Company migration optionso Manual creation of company/location

profiles by the recruiting teamo CSV import of company/location profileso Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs


Job requisition optionso Manual creation of open requisitions by

the recruiting teamo CSV import of open requisitionso Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs


Recruiting workflow optionso Manual attachment of candidates to open

requisitions by the recruiting teamo Resume import, using iCIMS' iResume tool

via email with associated Job ID'so CSV Import of workflow to associate

candidates to requisitions, after candidates and requisitions have been successfully migrated

o Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs (developer.icims.com)

Notes Optionso Manual recreation of notes by the

recruiting teamo CSV import of notes after dependent

profile types (depending what type of notes) have been completed

Talent pool optionso Manual generation of talent pools by the

recruiting teamo CSV import to create talent pools in masso Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs


Sourcing Workflow Optionso Manual generation of talent pools by the

recruiting teamo CSV import of workflow to associate

prospects with talent pools, after prospects and talent pools have been successfully migrated


Resume Optionso Manual attachment of resumes to

candidates by the recruiting teamo FTP bulk loading of resumes to attach to

previously generated profiles, only after all candidate profiles have been successfully migrated


Additional documents optionso Manual attachment of prospects to talent

pools by the Recruiting Teamo Utilization of iCIMS RESTful APIs




https://developer.icims.com/









Order of imports

CSV imports take place in the following order:

1. Location import2. Candidate/prospect import3. Jobs import4. Talent pools import5. Recruiting workflow import6. Sourcing workflow import7. Notes import8. Resume/additional documents import

Step-by-step migration checklist

1. Customer – Assign a dedicated resource to manage the data migration project. If you are migrating data during Implementation, iCIMS recommends the data migration resource be someone other than your Implementation Project Lead. This will allow both resources to focus on their designated tasks.

2. Customer – Identify the data that needs to migrate. Generally, the best practice is to migrate only active data before go-live. If necessary, you can migrate historical data later. iCIMS recommends limiting historical data by date to avoid bogging down the iCIMS platform with outdated or irrelevant information.

a. As an alternative to a comprehensive data migration, many new customers choose a 'Resume only migration'. Here the customer either emails resumes in the iCIMS Talent Cloud or (for customers with a large volume of resumes) uses drag-and-drop functionality to migrate resumes through an FTP site provided to you by iCIMS. Once resumes are in the

platform, iCIMS parses the resumes pulling candidates' information (i.e., name, contact information, education data, professional experience and skills) from the resumes and automatically creating fully searchable and reportable candidate profiles.

b. For more guidance, see the FAQ section of this document

3. Customer – Contact your legacy software vendor to notify them about the data export and data requirements. Ask the vendor to send separate files for each data type you plan to migrate. These data types may include job, person, company, recruiting workflow and/or resumes. All data files must be provided in Comma Separated Value (CSV) format. Resumes must be in a document format (including but not limited to .doc, .docx, .pdf or .txt).

a. During your call with the vendor, be sure to inquire about any costs or other complications associated with subsequent data exports required for this project

b. Also be sure to inquire about the availability and costs associated with "change" or "delta" files that may be required toward the end of the project. These may be required late in the project to accommodate any data that was entered in your legacy software after the initial data export.

c. Please note: iCIMS cannot contact your legacy software vendor on your behalf. Obtaining data from the legacy software vendor is the sole responsibility of the customer.




4. Customer – Obtain sample files from your vendor. Sample files are copies of your company's data as of the date your request is fulfilled by the legacy software vendor. Sample files should be obtained as early as possible to allow for sufficient testing and resolution of any errors.

5. Customer – Review your legacy software vendor's files for completeness and accuracy. It's important to make sure that the data provided to you by your legacy software vendor is complete. If any files are missing, corrupted or inaccurate in any way, contact your legacy software vendor as soon as possible.

6. iCIMS – Assign an iCIMS resource to the migration project. The iCIMS resource will guide the customer through the migration process.

7. iCIMS – Provide the customer with the additional technical documentation templates. This information will provide the customer with technical specifications and data formatting requirements supporting the successful completion of this project.

8. Customer – Immediately notify iCIMS if any of your required data elements do not "fit" the data templates iCIMS provided to you. With this information, iCIMS can work with you to make sure that the iCIMS Talent Cloud is configured to meet your data needs.

9. Customer – Format your legacy software vendor's sample files according to the requirements provided by iCIMS in the data migration templates. Sample files are used to identify and resolve any possible issues, errors, or other problems before the final data migration. Please note:

a. iCIMS personnel are not permitted to format or in any other way manipulate any customer's data. The customer is solely responsible for data integrity.

b. When migrating candidate data, iCIMS requires that the External ID be modified to include characters other than numbers. This is to ensure your migrated records remain unique and don't interfere with any other data that has already imported into the platform, such as integration data for employees or hiring managers. For example: if data is migrated from your legacy software, called XYZ software, the External IDs may be amended to 'XYZ12345' to distinguish the legacy data from other data that already exists within the iCIMS system. If the External IDs of migrated data are not amended, there is a risk that migrated data could be overwritten by data in subsequent imports/integrations.

c. Be sure to remove any data duplication, such as duplicate candidates, before you send the files to iCIMS for import.

10. Customer - Send the formatted sample files to your iCIMS resource for import. Depending on the quantity and sensitivity of the data, it can be sent to iCIMS via email, or iCIMS can provide an FTP site to which you can upload the formatted sample files. If an FTP site is required, your iCIMS resource will provide you with the FTP username, password, and host name.




11. iCIMS – Review and process the sample files the customer has provided

12. iCIMS – Notify the customer regarding the outcome of the testing, any formatting or data revisions that may be required, and any necessary next steps in the testing process.

13. Customer – Upon successfully completing the testing, and as close to the iCIMS implementation go-live as possible, you must secure final data files from your legacy software vendor. The final data files include any data added after the sample files were secured (such as new candidates, jobs, etc.).

14. Customer – Format the final data files according to the iCIMS requirements established in the migration templates provided, incorporating any lessons learned during the testing phase. Please refer to the notes in 9a, b, and c.

15. Customer – Send the formatted data files to iCIMS for import. Depending on the data's quantity and sensitivity, you can send it to iCIMS via email, or iCIMS can provide an FTP site to which you can upload the formatted data files. If an FTP site is required, your iCIMS resource will provide you with the FTP username, password, and host name.

16. iCIMS – Import the final data files and notify the customer when the migration is complete.

17. Customer – Import you company’s resumes (including but not limited to .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .txt) into iCIMS. If you have a limited number of resumes for import, you can email the resumes to your iCIMS platform using the iResume email tool. This tool is available from the main menu in the platform. If you have a large quantity of resumes, iCIMS can provide you with an iResume FTP site on which you can drag-and-drop your resumes. Either way, once the resumes are in the platform, iCIMS will automatically create profiles for each candidate and parse the data from the resumes to populate the matching candidate's file.




Common causes of data migration failure

Missing required columnsEvery import type has a set of columns required to facilitate successful import. If these columns are missing from the file, the iCIMS platform is unable to create or update records.

Missing required valuesEvery import type has a set of columns required to facilitate successful import. Blank values in required columns can cause a file import to fail. Make sure that values are present in all required fields. For example: A blank System ID or External ID in any single record of a Person file will cause the entire import to fail.

Incorrect column headersColumn headers for standard fields must match the column header titles defined in the Integration Reference Document and Import Templates exactly, regardless of the field name you see in the iCIMS platform.

The column headers for custom fields, however, are different. For custom fields, the customer must use the Field ID as the column header. Field IDs are created by iCIMS when a custom field is added to the platform. The Field IDs are formatted as RCF#### or JCF#### and are located in the left column of the System Configuration tool, which is accessed from the main menu, by going to Admin > System Configuration.

Incorrectly formatted dataEach field type has a required format. Any deviation from that format will result in import failure. Please refer to developer.icims.com, the Integration Reference Guide, or the field descriptions in the Import templates to determine the correct format for each field.

Improperly assigned profile linksOften, jobs are assigned to a specific recruiter. When importing data from your legacy software, you must establish a "link" between the job and the recruiter to whom the job is assigned. Failure to provide this information about the import file will result in a failure to link jobs to their assigned recruiter(s). In order to establish this link you must:

1. Be sure the recruiter assigned to each job has an existing profile in iCIMS

2. Enter information establishing the link in the import file. You can do this in three different ways:

a. Enter the Recruiter's System ID in the "RecSystemID" Column

b. Enter the Recruiter's Enternal ID in the "RecExternalID" Column

c. Enter the Recruiter's first name, last name, and email in the "RefFirstName", "RecLast Name", and "RecEmail" columns.

Please note: Improperly assigned profile links can similarly apply to any Person, Job, or Company Profile link field that exists in the system.





Best practices

Assign a dedicated technical resource to the data migration project. This person should be different from the person leading the iCIMS Talent Platform implementation. If you do not have sufficient technical resources available for this migration, iCIMS will gladly recommend an experienced consultant to assist you.

To avoid duplicating users, list each user only once (iCIMS identifies users by first name, last name, and email address)

Personal home and mobile phone numbers should not be imported for current employees. It is best if only a default work phone number is provided, as it will be displayed on approval screens (job, offer, etc.).

Once a candidate record is created, a username/password is automatically designated for each candidate. During any candidate migration, iCIMS suggests that a communication be sent to all candidates to let them know about your organization's change to the iCIMS Talent Cloud. Be sure to include the candidate's username and a link to reset the password. This communication will provide candidates an opportunity to update their profiles within the iCIMS Talent Cloud.

Instead of over-complicating the data migration by attempting to migrate everything from your legacy software, keep it simple. Either choose iCIMS Resume Only Migration or if you prefer to migrate more comprehensive data files, migrate only active jobs, people, company, and recruiting workflow records.

Remember:

• You will have the ability to reference the data files provided by your legacy vendor for as long as you securely store the files.

• Migrating old data typically clogs the iCIMS platform with information that will likely not be useful to your recruitment team.

Stay in close contact with your legacy software vendor throughout the project to ensure accurate and timely delivery of your data files.




FAQs

Q Can iCIMS recommend which data I should migrate from my legacy software?

It is best to choose data based on the reason you need to retain that data. Here are several recommendations based on the most common uses of legacy data follow:

Reason 1: I need to mine the database for candidates (ex: keyword search).

Recommendation: Consider migrating resumes only. After a resume is imported, iCIMS parses each resume to create a fully searchable candidate profile. Alternatively, you can migrate the candidate's name and email address only. Following this type of import, you can mass email candidates about the iCIMS Talent Cloud and invite them to update their information. In this way, you obtain updated candidate profiles and see which candidates are still interested in employment with your company.

Reason 2: I need to retain information about historic requisitions (ex: job descriptions)

Recommendation: Consider migrating job files only. This will limit the time and effort required for data migration because candidates will not be linked to jobs.

Reason 3: I need to search old requisitions to find candidates associated with specific positions.

Recommendation: A full data migration, including the candidate, job, and applicant flow/status data, is the most appropriate. If you choose a full data migration, consider limiting the data to a defined period of history (for example, the past two years). This will reduce the amount of data you need to manipulate and avoid clogging your iCIMS database with data that will not be referenced in the future.

Reason 4: I need to prepare for year-end reporting.

Recommendation: Consider whether this reporting can be done in Excel or another external system, such as an Access database. This will save you time dedicated to scrubbing and migrating data, and will keep your iCIMS database free of unnecessary data.

Q Can iCIMS log into my current Applicant Tracking System and "pull" the data?

Your iCIMS project resource is not permitted to access your data while it resides in your current ATS.

Q How long does the data migration process take?

The project duration depends on several factors:

The amount and type(s) of data you choose to migrate

The response time of your current vendor

The extent to which your data needs to be manipulated

The resources you have available to format the data to iCIMS specifications

After you have received your data and formatted it to the iCIMS import specs, it will take 1-2 days to migrate your data to your iCIMS database.

Q Where can my technical team learn more about this process?

Your technical team can learn more about flat file imports at: https://developer.icims.com/File-Based-Transfers



https://developer.icims.com/File-Based-Transfers


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