Integration Studio

Updated Integration Studio to give users the ability to add and use custom tokens in the File Name field and in the API URL field (for JSON output) in Step 4. Define the transmission details of this integration in the Build My Own (Outbound from Dayforce) connector. With this update, you can include data from the source system in the generated file name so that the target system can easily identify which data needs to be updated. This functionality was added to the Event Driven HR Changes (Outbound from Dayforce) connector in Release 2023.2.1.

Updated Integration Studio to provide additional flexibility when configuring the Return Portion of a Text Field transformation. Specifically, this update gives you more control over how the data in the Return Portion of a Text Field is returned. Previously, you could only define a starting point and the number of characters. With this update, you can define a specific character, a specific position and the number of characters using the Until drop-down list.

To support this update, the Until drop-down list was added to Step 3. Map fields from Dayforce to <vendor> in the Build My Own (Outbound from Dayforce) connector and the Event Driven HR Changes (Outbound from Dayforce) connector and to Step 5. Map fields from to Dayforce in the Build My own (Inbound to Dayforce) connector.

To use the new Until drop-down list, you must select Transformation from the Source drop-down list and then click Edit. In the Edit Data Transformation Details for <vendor name> field page, select Return Portion of a Text Field from the Transformation drop-down list, and select the appropriate starting point from the Starting From drop-down list. The following options are available in the Until drop-down list:

• Specific Character: Select this option to return all characters between the starting position and the character specified. You must enter a single alphanumeric character in the adjacent field.
• Specific Position: Select this option to return all characters between the starting position and the specific position. You must enter a single or a double-digit positive integer in the adjacent field.
• Number of Characters: Select this option to return a set number of characters after the starting position. You must enter a single or a double-digit number in the adjacent field. The number entered must be a positive integer.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to convert non-ASCII characters in a text file to ASCII characters so that the file can be used in systems that do not allow non-ASCII characters. To support this update, the Convert Supported non-ASCII Characters to ASCII checkbox was added to Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration, in the Output Format section. The Convert Supported non-ASCII Characters to ASCII checkbox is only shown when you select one of the following file formats from the Output Type field:

• Character-Separated Values/Delimited Text File
• Segmented Character-Separated Values/Delimited Text File
• Fixed Width Text File

If a non-ASCII character in a file cannot be successfully converted, the character is shown in the file in its original state—no conversion is performed.

Updated Integration Studio to allow users that work with benefits-related integrations to configure an auto-incremented number that represents the number of times an integration ran successfully. In addition, this update also ensures that you meet the 834 vendor requirement for target systems. To support this update, a new system token called INTEGRATION_RUN_COUNT was added to the application. This system token can be used in the mapping step in all outbound connectors. To use this system token, you must select Number from the Data Type field in the Add Field dialog box, and you must also select Token from the Source drop-down list. You can then select INTEGRATION_RUN_COUNT from the Source Details drop-down list.

The run count for the new INTEGRATION_RUN_COUNT system token starts at 1 and is incremented sequentially by 1 with each successful run of an integration. The run count is reset to 1 when the benefits source API is changed or when a new integration is created or imported.

You can also reset the INTEGRATION_RUN_COUNT system token, if needed. To support this functionality the View & Reset Mapping Tokens section was added to the Define the parameters of this integration step. In the section, the name of the system token is shown in the Token field and the run count is shown in the Value field. You can reset the value of the INTEGRATION_RUN_COUNT system token in the Value field. The value entered must be an integer that is greater than 0.

Added new system tokens to Integration Studio called {@IntegrationId} and {@ParentIntegrationId}. The {@IntegrationId} system token ensures that batched files are given a unique name to prevent them from overwriting each other. You can use the {@ParentIntegrationId} system token for integrations that use batch size. These tokens can be added in the File Name Tokens dialog box and in the API URL Tokens dialog box in Step 4. Define the parameters of this integration.

Updated how error messages behave in Integration Studio. Now, an error message is shown when there is an issue with the information entered in a text input field and the error message is removed when you resolve the issue. The same behavior applies when you click the effected text input field or use the Tab key to move out of the field. With this update, error messages are now shown before you click Save or Next, which allows you to quickly identify and resolve any issues you might experience with your integration.

Updated Integration Studio to show error messages below the affected field. Previously, you had to hover your cursor over the affected field to view the associated error message. With this update, you can now easily view and address errors you encounter in the application.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to explicitly select a source array that defines the structure of a destination array. This update ensures that the application uses the correct source array, if the auto-generated array results in an unexpected output. To support this update, Step 3. Map fields from Dayforce to <vendor> was updated to allow you to select a source array from the Source Details drop-down list when the field Type is set to Parent and the Is Array checkbox is selected for an element. When this criterion is met, the Source field is set to Source Array, which cannot be edited, and the Source Details drop-down list is set to Auto-Generate for integrations that do not have a filter. If needed, you can select a different source array from the Source Details drop-down list.

This update was made to Step 3. Map field from Dayforce to <vendor> in the following connectors:

• Build My Own (Outbound from Dayforce)
• Event Driven HR Changes (Outbound from Dayforce)
• Build My Own (Inbound to Dayforce)

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to convert characters in a text file to uppercase characters. To support this update, the Output in Uppercase checkbox was added to Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration, in the Output Format section. The Output to Uppercase checkbox is shown when you select any of the following file formats from the Output Type field:

• Character-Separated Values/Delimited Text File
• Segmented Character-Separated Values/Delimited Text File
• Fixed Width Text

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to filter data based on the characters or letters that appear at the beginning or at the end of a record's name or value. For example, an employee number could have the prefix or the suffix NY to identify employees that are from New York. To support this update, the Starts With operator and the Ends With operator were added to the options available from the Operator drop-down list. To see the Starts With and the Ends With operators, the Data Type field in the Add Element dialog box must be set to String. The Comparison Value field is required when you select either the Starts With or the Ends With operators. These operators are available in all areas of Integration Studio where the Operator drop-down list is present.

Updated Integration Studio to allow users who work with In-Country Partners (ICPs) to create and maintain payroll integrations without having the Pay Setup > Pay Group feature configured for their user role. With this update, users that do not have the Pay Group feature configured for their user role, can still select Pay Groups in the API source parameters.

Added a new system token to Integration Studio called LAST_SUCCESSFUL_RUN_DATE_DAYFORCE_TIME. When you are working with the Build My Own (Outbound from Dayforce) connector or the Event Driven HR Changes (Outbound from Dayforce) connector, you can configure your integration to use the LAST_SUCCESSFUL_RUN_DATE_DAYFORCE_TIME token in Step 3. Map fields from Dayforce to <vendor> or in the File Name or the API URL fields in Step 4. Define the transmission details of this integration. You can use this token to reference the date your integration last ran successfully using the Dayforce server's time zone, for example, AST time (Atlantic Standard Time). You can then use the token to compare the date returned by APIs in AST time.

In addition, the existing LAST_SUCCESSFUL_RUN_DATE token has been updated and is now called LAST_SUCCESSFUL_RUN_DATE_UTC. You can use this token to reference the date your integration last ran successfully using the UTC time zone.

For more information, see the Dayforce Integration Studio Administrator Guide.

Moved the File Name field from the Output Format area in Step 2. Define the Parameters of this integration to Step 4. Define the transmission details of this integration for all output types. In addition, the ability to name a JSON file in Integration Studio was added.

For integration that use JSON as the output type, the File Name field is shown when any of the following transmission methods is selected from the Transmission Method drop-down list:

• Transmit to SFTP Server
• Transmit to Dayforce SFTP

You can click Auto-generate File Name to have Integration Studio create a name for the JSON payload. By default, the Auto-generate File Name checkbox is cleared when you are creating a new integration and is selected by default when you are working with an integration that was created before the introduction of this feature. When the Auto-generate File Name checkbox is selected, the file name in the File Name field is read-only and cannot be edited.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to use non-unique headers in your CSV files. To support this update, the Use Display Name in Output checkbox was added to Step 3. Map Fields from Dayforce to Vendor, in the Add <vendor> Field dialog box and the Edit <vendor> Field dialog box.

The Use Display Name in Output checkbox is only shown when the Character-Separated Values/Delimited Text File format is selected in the Output Type field from the Output Format section in Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration. If you select the Use Display Name in Output checkbox and you leave the Display Name field empty, the name entered in the Field Name field is used as the header in your output.

Updated Integration Dashboard to hide the Integration Processor background job. This background job is used to process integrations and contains the same information as individual Integration Studio connector entries in the Dashboard

Updated Integration Dashboard to retain your filter settings. With this update, you can go to the Integration Log screen, or you can edit an integration without losing the filter settings you applied on the Integration Dashboard screen.

Updated Integration Studio to generate a destination file when you run the Build My Own (Outbound from Dayforce) connector using a Dayforce report as its source even when the selected report does not return any data.

Previously, an error message was shown in the application when you selected Dayforce Report from the Dayforce API drop-down list in the Source section of Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration, and the report selected from the Report drop-down list did not return any data. Now, the Integration Studio completes the task and then generates a destination file that does not contain any records.

Updated Integration Studio to add filtering options to Step 2. Define parameters for this integration, in the Global Filters Criteria section for filters that use the Within option in the Operator field. Now, you can use the following options to configure a filter using a custom range in the Comparison Value drop-down list:

• Next (Custom)
• Last (Custom)

When you select either of the above filters, the Length field and the Time Period drop-down list are shown. You must enter an integer that has the value of at least 1 in the Length field. The Time Period drop-down list contains the following options:

• Days
• Weeks
• Months
• Years

Important: Both the Length field and the Time Period drop-down list are required fields. These custom ranges assume that the day starts at 12:00 AM and ends at 11:59 PM.

The Within operator value, and the related comparison value options, are evaluated based on the integration run date.

For more information, see “Define the Parameters for this Integration” in the Dayforce Integration Studio Administrator Guide.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to specify tokens to include in the header value when you are defining API headers. To support this update, the Headers section in the Define the transmission details of this integration step in all Integration Studio connectors was updated to support the use of tokens. When you expand the Headers section, the Key field and the Value field are shown when you click the addition icon. You can use these fields to define metadata to be included in the API call as headers. You have the option to mask header values stored in Dayforce; however, masked values are not masked in the actual API call.

For unmasked headers, you can access the Header Value Tokens dialog box by clicking View Tokens or you can delete a key-value row from the action button (three vertical dots) to the right of the Value field. Masked headers only have the delete option. This feature can only be used with system tokens. New tokens cannot be added.

To use this feature, the Output Type drop-down list in the Output Format section of the Define the parameters of this integration step, must be set to JSON. In addition, the Transmission Method drop-down list in the Define the transmission details of this integration step must be set to Send as API Requests.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to apply a filter on the root element of an integration. This update affects integrations that are configured to use any of the following output types:

• Segmented Character-Separated Values / Delimited Text File
• XML File
• JSON

As part of this update, a filter button was added to the far right of the root field in the Map fields from Dayforce to <Vendor> step. When you click the Filter button, a dialog box opens that reads Filter For <Integration Name>. From this dialog box, select a field from the Field drop-down list and then use the Operation drop-down list and the Comparison Value drop-down list to limit the data included in the integration.

Updated Integration Studio to support importing an XSD file in Step 3. Map fields from Dayforce to <vendor> when you select XML File as the output type in Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration.

With this update, you can reduce the time spent on manual set-up and configuration by importing an XSD file that defines the destination fields and their structure. Now, when you click Browse for File in the Import dialog box in Step 3. Map fields from Dayforce to <vendor>, the browse window shows files that have .xml or .xsd file extensions.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to filter records based on characters or letters that do not appear in a record's name or value. For example, if you need to filter benefit election options, but there are multiple benefit plan codes that contain the word "ELECTIVE", you can use the Does Not Contain operator to exclude benefit plan codes that contain the word "ELECTIVE".

To support this update, the Does Not Contain operator was added to the options available from the Operator drop-down list. The Does Not Contain operator is available in all areas of Integration Studio where the Operator drop-down list is present.

Updated Integration Studio to support feature role access to the connectors used in the application. To support this update, the Connectors feature was added to System Admin > Roles, in the Features tab, under Integrations > Integration Studio and the Build My Own/Event Driven sub-feature was added under Integrations > Integration Studio > Connectors.

By default, users who have access to the Integrations feature and to the Integration Studio feature will have the Connectors feature and the Build My Own/Event Driven sub-feature enabled for their user role. You must have both the Integration feature and the Integration Studio feature configured for your user role to have access to the Connectors feature and to the Build My Own/Event Driven sub-feature.

For example, if the Integration Studio feature is enabled for your feature role, but you do not have the Integration Studio feature enabled for your feature role, the Connectors feature and the Build My Own/Event Driven sub-feature will not be enabled for your user role. In addition, you cannot import a Build My Own integration or an Event Driven integration from a different environment, if the Integration feature and the Integration Studio are not enabled for your user role.

Updated the Event Driven HR Changes (Outbound from Dayforce) connector to allow you to select any date field from the event payload to enhance the context of the data collected.

To support this update, the As Of Custom Date option was added to the Data Context Date drop-down list in the Source area of Step 2. Define the parameters of this integration. The As Of Custom Date option is not available from the Data Context Date drop-down list when you select more than one event from the Event Type drop-down list.

When you select the As Of Custom Date option, the Data Context Date from Event Payload drop-down list is shown. From this drop-down list, you can select any date field from the event payload.

Updated the Integration Studio Home page to save the keywords you enter in the Search bar. More specifically, when you use the Search bar to locate an integration, your search results are no longer cleared when you go to a different screen within Integration Studio. For example, if you decide to edit an integration or to view its log, you can still view your initial search results when you return to the Integration Studio Home page.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to use APIs to retrieve information from external systems so that it can be used in Dayforce. To support this update, the Build My Own Connector (Inbound to Dayforce) connector was added to the list of available connectors shown when you click Create Integration on the Integration Studio Home page.

Important: To improve usability, pagination is not supported in the Build My Own Connector (Inbound to Dayforce) connector.

For more information, see “Using the Build My Own Connectors” in the Dayforce Integration Studio Administrator Guide.

The New Build My Own (Inbound to Dayforce) Connector in Integration Studio, allows you to view the source profile of an integration. With this update, you can verify that the incoming source schema is correct and can be used in the mapping step.

To support this update, the Review Source Schema button was added beside the Next button in the Define the source details of this integration step. When you click the Review Source Profile button, the Review Source Profile screen opens. From this screen, you can view and assess the information shown for each source field.

Important: You must generate the source profile to see the Review Source Schema button in the application.

Updated Integration Studio to provide you with additional information about integrations you ran previously. This update introduces another way to troubleshoot issues you might encounter with your integration by allowing you to view API responses and API body requests.

To support this update, the Integration Response tab was added to the View Job Information dialog box. To see the Integration Response tab in Integration Studio, you must have the Integrations > Integration Studio > Integration Response Log role feature enabled for your user role.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to use expressions to define custom tokens. This update was made to the Define the transmission details of this integration step for all outbound connectors.

To support this update, Expression was added as an option from the Source drop-down list that is shown when you click Add New in the File Name Tokens dialog box. To open the File Name Tokens dialog box, click View Tokens in the Define the transmission details of this integration step.

When you select Expression from the Source drop-down list, the new Configure button is shown and when clicked, the Edit Expression for <field> dialog box opens. From this dialog box, you can define parameters as needed and view or update an expression using Integration Description Language (IDL) for a field.

You must complete the configuration of a valid expression to save your changes. After you have saved your changes and you have used the custom token, the corresponding expression’s value is included in the API URL, file name, and header value in accordance to where the token was configured.

Updated Integration Studio to allow you to run an ad hoc integration without updating the time and date used for the LAST_SUCCESSFUL_RUN token. To support this update, the Update Last Successful Run Time checkbox was added to the dialog box that opens when you run an integration. This ensures that the next scheduled run will pick up any changes made after the last scheduled run, even if the previously scheduled run failed and needed to be retriggered.

Updated the Fixed Width File output type in the Define the parameters of this integration step, to include a single header line and a single footer line. This update ensures that the vendor can read the file that is generated by the application.

If you choose to include a header line and a footer line, they must be the same character length as the record lines. When Fixed Width File is selected as the output type in your integration, you can only define data fields within a parent field in the mapping step.

Important: The Fixed Width File output does not support multi-lined records.

Updated the Define the transmission details of this integration step in Integration Studio to add the ability to send data to an API using the PUT method or the PATCH method. To support this update, the Request Method drop-down list that is shown when you select Send as API Request from the Transmission Method drop-down list, was updated to have the PUT method and the PATCH method listed as options. This feature was added to all connectors that allow API transmission.