Import desks data

You can import your desks information into Deskradar using comma-separated data.

Import feature allows you to update desk markers details, create and delete desk markers.

Here are some scenarios for which you can use the import feature:

• Initial import of the desks data.
• Bulk change of the desks marker ype to Spare Desk or Hot Desk.
• Create or delete desk markers.
• Update desk marker details (e.g. update hardware list in the Notes field for the Hot Desk markers or change responsible department in the Roles field for the Spare Desk markers).

Importing desks is designed to be the first step in the data integration process. Here is what the general workflow might look like:

1. Create your buildings and floors manually using Deskradar user interface or via Deskradar API.
2. Perform initial import of the desks data using import feature.
3. Perform one-time positioning of the desk markers on floor plans.
4. Continue using import feature for subsequent updates to desk markers data and employees data.

Import feature generic information

Please read the generic information about the import feature.

Import data requirements

Following columns are important for Desks import:

CSV data column	Required?
Building name	Yes
Floor label	Yes
Location ID	Yes
Desk Type	No

Building name and floor label

In order to be able to unambiguously determine marker location, it is required to provide building name and floor label columns in CSV data.

Requirements that must be met on the given Deskradar instance before importing the data:

• At least one building must exist
• At least one floor must exist in that building
• Buildings must have unique names
• Within each building, floors must have unique labels

Location ID

Location ID column is required for Desks import. It is used by the subsequent Staff import procedure and allows Staff markers to be positioned properly on a given floor plan.

Location ID in Deskradar is expected to identify (uniquely on the floor) a spot on a floor plan. For Desks or Staff markers, location ID is a particular seat ID or a desk number.

• On each floor, values of the location ID field defined on markers must be unique.
• Location ID column value can contain letters, numbers, _, ., :, /, \ and -. No space character is allowed. Maximum value length is 36 characters.

Desk Type

Desk Type column is not required for the import, but it is important for setting correct marker type.

Desk Type column value	Marker Type
empty	Spare Desk (default)
spare	Spare Desk
hot	Hot Desk

Import process

Desks import process implies matching, updating, placement and removal procedures.

Matching

For Desks import, existing markers are matched with the CSV data entries using Location ID and only on the floor specified by the building name and floor label columns.

Updating

Any existing matched Spare Desk or Hot Desk marker is converted to the marker type specified by the Desk Type column value and updated using the data from the CSV entry.

Staff markers with the matching location ID are ignored during Desks import. In that case, the respective CSV entry is marked as Skipped in the import job details.

If the given location ID is found on a marker of type other than Spare Desk, Hot Desk, or Staff the respective CSV entry is marked as Failed in the import job details.

If no marker is found with the matching location ID, new marker is created.

Matched markers are updated with the data from the CSV entry.

Marker type is changed based on the value of the Desk Type column if defined. By default Spare Desk type is assumed as the marker type.

Placement

Existing matched markers retain their position on the floor plan.

New desk markers are placed in an arbitrary position in the top left corner of the floor plan. Respective CSV entry is marked as Unplaced in the import job details.

Removal

Deskradar can remove Desk markers. This might be useful when you need to synchronize Deskradar data with the complete desks list you have at hand.

Marker removal is irreversible.

During the import it is determined which markers, that currently exist on Deskradar instance, are unmatched, which means there is no information about them in the CSV data.

Deskradar supports 3 modes for marker removal: None, Imported Floors and All Unmatched.

Removal scope: None

Set removal scope to None to disable unmatched marker removal.

Removal scope: Imported Floors

Set removal scope to Imported Floors to remove unmatched Spare Desk and Hot Desk markers, which are located on the floors explicitly defined by building name and floor label columns in the current CSV file.

Markers with types other than Spare Desk or Hot Desk are ignored by the removal procedure.

Example. You have floors 1 and 2 in a building. Desk markers with location ID 1A and 1B exist on floor 1, and marker 2A exists on floor 2. Editor imports the updated information for floor 1 only, which includes only 1A with floor label set to 1. Removal scope is set to Imported Floors.

After the import, 1A remains on floor 1, 1B is removed, because the marker is on the imported floor, but not in the CSV. 2A remains on floor 2 because the marker is not on the imported floor.

Any existing Staff markers are not affected by the import or specifically by the removal procedure, even if the CSV data for the Desks import doesn't contain an entry with the location ID defined on a Staff marker and the removal is requested.

To remove a desk that is assigned to an employee and therefore is represented on the floor plan as a Staff marker, first import the data with the employee unassigned from the given desk (e.g. by removing employee or assigning the employee to a different location ID). Then perform Desks import with removal enabled and the the given location ID not in the import CSV data.

Removal scope: All Unmatched

Set removal scope to All Unmatched to remove all unmatched Spare Desk and Hot Desk markers across all buildings and floors available on the given Deskradar instance.

Example. You have floors 1 and 2 in a building. Desk markers with location ID 1A and 1B exist on floor 1, and marker 2A exists on floor 2. Marker 2A must be removed. Editor imports the updated information for floor 1 only, which includes markers 1A and 1B with floor label set to 1. Removal scope is set to All Unmatched.

After the import, 1A and 1B remain on floor 1. Marker 2A is removed, because there is no data about them in the CSV.