What is the Oracle HCM Data Loader?

HCM Data Loader is a tool that can be used to integrate data from one system to another. When using HCM Data Loader, you must select key types to identify records uniquely. HCM Data Loader supports the following key types: Oracle Fusion Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), source key, Oracle Fusion surrogate ID, and user key. The key types have different features and can be used for different purposes, such as when creating or updating objects. For example, source keys can be used for both creating and updating objects, but user keys can only be used for updating objects in some cases. Additionally, some key types are held on the object itself, while others are not. It is recommended to use source keys whenever possible.

When integrating data from one system to another using HCM Data Loader, you must select key types to identify records uniquely. This ensures that the records being created or updated are accurately identified and linked to the appropriate parent records or objects.

HCM Data Loader supports several key types, including Oracle Fusion Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), source key, Oracle Fusion surrogate ID, and user key. These key types have different features and can be used for different purposes. For example, source keys can be used for both creating and updating objects, but user keys can only be used for updating objects in some cases. Additionally, some key types, such as surrogate IDs, are held on the object itself, while others, such as source keys, are not. It is recommended to use source keys whenever possible, as they are the most versatile key type supported by HCM Data Loader.

When multiple key values exist for an object, the keys are resolved in a specific order. The first key type that is used is the Oracle Fusion GUID, followed by the source key, then the Oracle Fusion surrogate ID, and finally the user key. If multiple key values are supplied, no cross-validation occurs, and any keys that are not held on the object are stored in the Integration Key Map table.

It is important to note that Oracle Fusion GUIDs and surrogate IDs are only generated when the associated record is successfully created in Oracle HCM Cloud. Source keys are not recognized in Oracle HCM Cloud until the associated record exists in the system. Therefore, before attempting to load data that references foreign objects, you must ensure that those foreign objects already exist in Oracle HCM Cloud. For new implementations, it is recommended to load each business object separately and ensure that it loads successfully before importing the next. If all business objects are supplied in the same .zip file, HCM Data Loader will load them in order of dependency. In this case, a reference to a foreign object will only fail if the referenced object itself failed to load.