Importing entities from a file - Card Synchronization 3.4.1

Card Synchronization Plugin Guide 3.4.1

Applies to
Card Synchronization 3.4.1
Last updated
2023-01-12
Content type
Guides > Plugin and extension guides
Language
English
Product
Card Synchronization
Version
3.4

You can import entities from an external system using a file that conforms to the Card Synchronization schema. After the import, changes made in the data source can be synchronized in Security Center.

Before you begin

Complete the steps outlined in Preparing to import entities.

What you should know

  • Each external data source that you add to the Data sources list uses one data source license. One file data source can contain up to one file per entity type (cardholder, cardholder group, cardholder group member, and credential). If you add a separate file data source for each entity type, this counts as four data sources.
  • To include international characters, special characters, and accents the file must use the Unicode character set.
  • Including pictures from the data source increases import time.
    NOTE: If you are upgrading from version 3.0 or 3.1 of the Card Synchronization plugin, the data source configuration appears as they were in the previous version. For instructions on how to import these entities, refer to the plugin guide that came with the previous version of the plugin. To see the Data source configuration wizard shown in this topic, you must delete your data sources from the plugin, and then recreate them.
  • If you try to import data from a CSV file that is open, the synchronization fails and triggers a message that the file is being used by another process.

Procedure

  1. From the Config Tool home page, open the Plugins task.
  2. In the Plugins task, select the Card Synchronization plugin role from the entity browser, and click the Properties tab.
  3. In the Data sources section, click Add data source ().
    The Data source configuration window opens.
  4. From the Source list, select File, and then click Next.
    Selecting File.
  5. Select the entity types to import and synchronize with Security Center, and then click Next.
    Cardholders
    Imports the cardholders from the external data source into Security Center.
    Cardholder groups
    Imports the cardholder groups from the external data source into Security Center.
    IMPORTANT: This does not put cardholders into their respective cardholder groups.
    Cardholder group memberships
    Synchronizes the relationship of cardholders and cardholder groups from the external data source.
    IMPORTANT: This option assigns imported cardholders to cardholder groups. If this option is not selected, imported cardholders are not linked to cardholder groups.
    Credentials
    Imports the credentials from the data source into Security Center.
    Choosing what to import and synchronize
  6. Configure the following settings:
    File
    Navigate to the file you want to import.
    NOTE: The file must be accessible by the Genetecâ„¢ Server service running the plugin role. If you are using a network location, express it as a UNC path (\\<Server Name>\<Folder Name>\<Filename.csv>).
    Delimiter
    Enter the delimiter used to separate unique data records in your file.
    NOTE: If the delimiter is present in one of the values to import, edit the file so that the value is between quotation marks.
    Start at line
    If your file contains headers, enter the number of the first line after the header. When the Start at line option is set to 0, it starts reading data records from the first line.
    Tip: To facilitate mapping the fields, you can adjust the Start at line value to different numbers and verify the data in each field via the Sample value column.
  7. Map each external field to a Security Center field by selecting the column name from the corresponding drop-down list.
    For an explanation of the external fields, refer to the following topics:
  8. (Optional) Choose one or more fields to be global keys.
  9. (Optional) If the external data contains terms that you want to replace, do the following:
    1. Click Find and replace text using regular expressions ().
    2. Enter the text to find and replace.
      For example, you could look for variations of a country name and replace them with a country code, or replace a native card format name with a supported card format alias.
    3. If necessary, change the order using the up and down arrows.
      The transform expressions are processed in the order specified in the Add transform expressions for field dialog.
    1. Click Save.
    Tip: If required, you can select the row of any expressions that you no longer require, and click delete .
    A script icon () is shown in the Sample value column when the field text is being replaced by a regular expression.
  10. (Optional) Click Refresh () to update the external fields data from your source. This refresh option is used in situations where the existing data has been modified, new data rows have been added, or new attribute columns have been added.
  11. If there are external field without a corresponding Security Center field, you can create new custom fields and associate them now: Click Manage custom fields, fill in the form, and then click Save.
    Create new custom fields and map them to external fields.
    NOTE: To map an external field that is, turn on the Display all external fields option.
  12. Click Next.
  13. In the Data source name field, enter a name for the data source, and then click Finish.
  14. Click Apply.

Results

When a synchronization occurs, the file data source is added to the list of data sources, and the entities are created in Security Center.