Abstract:
Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods, systems, and apparatuses for self-service data importing. In some aspects, a user may interact with a data importing server to import data into a database and/or manipulate existing data and/or data associations in the database. The data importing server may contain files or scripts of different specifications or processes to perform for a plurality of predefined jobs. The user may interact with the data importing server via a user interface. The user interface may outline each step in the process and enable steps only after the user has completed a previous, prerequisite step. The user interface may provide user selectable buttons to input user commands, and the user selectable buttons may initially be disabled and become enabled after the user or the system performs the corresponding prerequisite step.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Personnel with special technical knowledge or training are sometimes needed to load and/or modify data in a database. Reliance on technical personnel for loading and/or modification of data is inefficient in terms of both time resources and monetary resources. A person requesting the loading of data or modification of data must wait for technical personnel to handle the person&#39;s request, and when the process includes multiple requests and responses between the person and technical personnel, much time may be spent waiting for the other person to respond to the latest request. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. 
     Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods, systems, and apparatuses for self-service data importing. In some aspects, a user may interact with a data importing server to import data into a database and/or manipulate existing data and/or data associations in the database. The data importing server may contain files or scripts of different specifications or processes to perform for a plurality of predefined jobs. Each file or script may define the parameters needed for a predefined job including input files, file locations, and processes to perform to execute the predefined job. Before executing the predefined job in a real-time environment, a user may be required to execute the predefined job in a test environment to protect data in the real-time environment from data corruption or unauthorized manipulation which may be caused by executing the predefined job in the real-time environment. 
     In some aspects, the user may interact with the data importing server via a user interface. The user interface may outline each step in the process and enable steps only after the user has completed a previous, prerequisite step. In some aspects, the user interface may provide user selectable buttons to input user commands, and the user selectable buttons may initially be disabled and become enabled after the user or the system performs the corresponding prerequisite step. 
     Of course, the methods and systems of the above-referenced embodiments may also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readable data structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed and claimed herein as well. The details of these and other embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example operating environment in which various aspects of the disclosure may be implemented. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustrative block diagram of workstations and servers that may be used to implement the processes and functions of certain aspects of the present disclosure according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example system according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example user interface according to one or more aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an example self-service data importing method according to aspects described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of various illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which the claimed subject matter may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the present claimed subject matter. 
     It is noted that various connections between elements are discussed in the following description. It is noted that these connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, wired or wireless, and that the specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an illustrative operating environment in which various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to  FIG. 1 , computing system environment  100  may be used according to one or more illustrative embodiments. Computing system environment  100  is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality contained in the disclosure. Computing system environment  100  should not be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components shown in illustrative computing system environment  100 . 
     Computing system environment  100  may include computing device  101  having processor  103  for controlling overall operation of computing device  101  and its associated components, including random-access memory (RAM)  105 , read-only memory (ROM)  107 , communications module  109 , and memory  115 . Computing device  101  may include a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by computing device  101 , may be non-transitory, and may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, object code, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer readable media may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by computing device  101 . 
     Although not required, various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, or as a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions. For example, a computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform steps of a method in accordance with aspects of the disclosed arrangements is contemplated. For example, aspects of the method steps disclosed herein may be executed on a processor on computing device  101 . Such a processor may execute computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. 
     Software may be stored within memory  115  and/or storage to provide instructions to processor  103  for enabling computing device  101  to perform various functions. For example, memory  115  may store software used by computing device  101 , such as operating system  117 , application programs  119 , and associated database  121 . Also, some or all of the computer executable instructions for computing device  101  may be embodied in hardware or firmware. Although not shown, RAM  105  may include one or more applications representing the application data stored in RAM  105  while computing device  101  is on and corresponding software applications (e.g., software tasks), are running on computing device  101 . 
     Communications module  109  may include a microphone, keypad, touch screen, and/or stylus through which a user of computing device  101  may provide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual, audiovisual and/or graphical output. Computing system environment  100  may also include optical scanners (not shown). Exemplary usages include scanning and converting paper documents, e.g., correspondence, receipts, and the like, to digital files. 
     Computing device  101  may operate in a networked environment supporting connections to one or more remote computing devices, such as computing devices  141  and  151 . Computing devices  141  and  151  may be personal computing devices or servers that include any or all of the elements described above relative to computing device  101 . Computing devices  141  or  151  may be a mobile device (e.g., smart phone) communicating over a wireless carrier channel. 
     The network connections depicted in  FIG. 1  may include local area network (LAN)  125  and wide area network (WAN)  129 , as well as other networks. When used in a LAN networking environment, computing device  101  may be connected to LAN  125  through a network interface or adapter in communications module  109 . When used in a WAN networking environment, computing device  101  may include a modem in communications module  109  or other means for establishing communications over WAN  129 , such as Internet  131  or other type of computer network. The network connections shown are illustrative and other means of establishing a communications link between the computing devices may be used. Various well-known protocols such as transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), Ethernet, file transfer protocol (FTP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and the like may be used, and the system can be operated in a client-server configuration to permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-based server. Any of various conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulate data on web pages. 
     The disclosure is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs), server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, smart phones, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative block diagram of workstations and servers that may be used to implement the processes and functions of certain aspects of the present disclosure in accordance with one or more example embodiments. Referring to  FIG. 2 , illustrative system  200  may be used for implementing example embodiments according to the present disclosure. As illustrated, system  200  may include one or more workstation computers  201 . Workstation  201  may be, for example, a desktop computer, a smartphone, a wireless device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, and the like. Workstations  201  may be local or remote, and may be connected by one of communications links  202  to computer network  203  that is linked via communications link  205  to server  204 . In system  200 , server  204  may be any suitable server, processor, computer, or data processing device, or combination of the same. Server  204  may be used to process the instructions received from, and the transactions entered into by, one or more participants. 
     Computer network  203  may be any suitable computer network including the Internet, an intranet, a wide-area network (WAN), a local-area network (LAN), a wireless network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a frame relay network, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, a virtual private network (VPN), or any combination of any of the same. Communications links  202  and  205  may be any communications links suitable for communicating between workstations  201  and server  204  (e.g. network control center), such as network links, dial-up links, wireless links, hard-wired links, as well as network types developed in the future, and the like. A virtual machine may be a software implementation of a computer that executes computer programs as if it were a standalone physical machine. 
       FIG. 3  shows an illustrative self-service data importing system  300  according to aspects described herein. Self-service data importing system  300  includes a data importing server  302 , a workstation  304 , a test environment  306 , and a real-time environment  308 . The test environment may include test servers  310  and test databases  312 , and real-time environment  308  may include servers  314 , databases  316 , the operating environment shown in  FIG. 1 , and/or the system shown in  FIG. 2 . Data importing server  302  may provide a self-service data loading tool  400  to a user of workstation  304  to enable the user to import data into database  316  of the system and perform various verification steps without requiring that the user have specialized knowledge or skills while protecting the system from corrupt or incorrect data. Data server  302  can bridge the gap between the user of workstation  304 , test environment  306 , and real-time environment  308  to enable a user to interact with data server  302 , for example via tool  400 , to perform the entire data importing or data modification process. Test environment  306  and real-time environment  308  may each have a data loading application that executes the selected job in its environment. Tool  400  can provide a simple interface and step-by-step guidance to facilitate a test of any job in test environment  306  before allowing the job to execute in a production, live, customer, or real-time environment  308 . Data importing server  302  can receive user input via workstation  304  regarding a predefined job to perform and receive an input file for a predefined job or a location to an input file for the predefined job. The input file can be locally stored on the workstation  304  and imported to data importing server  302  from the workstation  304 . Data importing server can pass the input file to the data loading application of the appropriate environment and cause or instruct the data loading application to execute the selected job in test  306  or live environment  308 . 
     Each predefined job may be directed to a specific purpose. For example, a data loading or importing job may be to delete system or network access for employees who have left an organization. For this job, a data file such as a spreadsheet containing information about the former employees may be imported into the system using a self-service data importing tool, and the system can use the information about former employees to change access permissions of the user accounts associated with the former employees or delete the user accounts of the former employees. Some predefined jobs might not use or require an input file. These predefined jobs may be to manipulate data and/or data associations of data already in the database or system. As an example, a user group may be given special permissions to perform certain tasks in a system. A new user may be added to the system, but the new user may need to be added to the user group in order to have permission to perform certain tasks in the system. Using the self-service tool, a user can add the new user to the user group by adding an association to the user group in the new user&#39;s account information. The user can select a new user and select a user group to which the new user should be added. 
     Data server  302  may include specific processes or scripts for each predefined job. In other words, each predefined job may have its own processes or scripts specifying the parameters associated with each job and the steps or functions to be performed by data server  302  for each job. The scripts for a job may define a standard file format to be used for the particular job. For example, for a predefined job that uses an input spreadsheet file, the script may define the information to be placed in each column in the spreadsheet, a destination location of the data in the database, and/or a storage location or path for where the input is to be stored. The destination location may be, for example, a file location, file path, and a storage location in a database. As another example, for a predefined job which manipulates data flows, a spreadsheet may be used as an input file which specifies the changes to the locations from which an application gets data and/or locations to where the application sends data. An executable application in the live environment may use the data in the spreadsheet to implement or execute the specified changes. Similarly, for the test environment, an executable application in the test environment can use the data in the spreadsheet to run checks against data corruption on the data in the spreadsheet as well as test run the job process in the test environment. 
     Workstation  304  in system  300  may be one or more workstations similar to computing device  101  and workstation  201 . Workstation  304  can interact with data server  302  which may be one or more servers similar to computing device  101  and server  204  over a computer network  203  or internet  131 . Data server  302  may connect to test environment  306  and live environment  308  via one or more networks similar to network  201  or internet  131 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an example user interface of a self-service tool  400  which can be used with the self-service data importing method  500  according to aspects described herein. Self-service tool  400  may be implemented on data server  302  and accessed by the user via the user&#39;s workstation  304 , for example, via an internet browser on workstation  304 . Self-service tool  400  is beneficial in that self-service tool  400  guides the user by providing clear steps and instructions as to how to execute the predefined jobs. Tool  400  can provide a single interface through which the user can interact with the system. Tool  400  furthermore protects the system and the data already in the system from being corrupted, unauthorized modifications, or importing incorrect data because the tool  400  only allows the user to perform certain predefined steps or functions and controls the order in which the user can perform these steps and when the user is allowed to perform these steps. For example, later steps may only be enabled once certain earlier, prerequisite steps are performed. 
     The user interface of self-service tool  400  outlines five steps for importing data into the database and/or manipulating or changing data associations in the database. In Step  1  shown in area  402 , the user is instructed to select a job from dropdown menu  404 . After selecting a predefined job from menu  404 , the user can proceed to Step  2  shown in area  406  and select an input file to upload if the selected job accepts or requires an input file. Once an input file has been selected, button  408  for inputting a command to upload the selected input file is enabled, and the user can select button  408  to upload the selected input file. In some aspects, enabling button  408  may occur after data server  302  validates the selected file, for example, the file name and/or file type of the selected file. After the input file is uploaded in Step  2 , the user can proceed to Step  3  shown in area  410  and execute a test run of the job in test environment  306 . Similar to upload input file button  408 , button  412  to run the selected job in test environment  306  may become enabled only after the input file has been successfully validated. After the job passes in test environment  306 , the user can proceed to Step  4  shown in area  414  to acknowledge and certify that the selected job and input file combination passed tests applied to it in test environment  306 . After the user acknowledges and certifies that the selected job passed the tests in test environment  306 , button  420  to run the job in a live or production environment  308  becomes enabled for selection in Step  5  shown in area  418 . Upon selection of button  420 , data server  302  instructs the servers  314  and databases  316  to execute the selected job and passes the input file, if any, to the servers  314  and databases  316  in live environment  308 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an illustrative self-service data importing method  500  according to aspects described herein. As described herein, method  500  can guide any user through the process of importing data into a live database and/or manipulating data associations in a live database while still having the user perform all needed checks on the data before allowing the data or data changes in the live environment. Starting with step  502 , a user may initiate the self-service tool  400 , and the system may load a plurality of predefined jobs which are stored in data server  302 . The predefined jobs may include jobs loading data into the database and/or jobs modifying data and/or data associations of data already in the database. At step  504 , the user may select a job that the user would like to execute from the list of predefined jobs in the dropdown menu  402 . At step  506 , data server may load the parameters for the selected job including the inputs needed to complete the job. For each predefined job, a script may be present in the data server  302  specifying parameters associated with the predefined job such as input files needed to execute the job. At step  508 , data server can determine whether the selected job requires an input file based on the script for the job type. A data importing type job may specify that an input file is required and the file name, file type, and/or file location for the input file. Data server may load the file name, file type, and/or file location defined for the job. At step  510 , an input file may be selected for upload or importing. Self-service tool  400  may automatically load the file location for the job as defined in the script. The user may be given the option to select a different file location for the file. Once the user has found the selected input file acceptable, the user may select an upload input file button  408  to upload the input file to the server. At step  512 , upon input file selection or after the user selects upload input file button  408 , data server  302  can validate the file by determining whether the selected input file meets the requirements for the selected job. For example, server  302  can determine whether the file name of the selected file matches the acceptable file names specified for the selected job in the job script and whether the file type of the selected file (e.g., spreadsheet file, word processor file, etc.) matches acceptable file types specified for the selected job. The user may selected a recently uploaded and/or validated file (e.g., uploaded and/or validated within the past 3 days, 5 days, week, etc.), and the recently uploaded and/or validated file may be automatically validated for the current session or the selected job. Data server  302  can indicate via the self-service tool  400  whether the selected file meets the requirements of the input file for the selected job. If the file is determined to be correct at step  512 , the user may then run the selected job in a test environment in step  514 . If the file is determined to be incorrect at step  512 , data server  302  may return to step  510  and prompt the user to select a new file, and button  512  to run the selected job in a test environment may remain disabled to assure that the user can not attempt to run the selected job with an incorrect file in the test environment. 
     Returning to step  514 , in running or executing the selected job in the test environment, data server  302  may return the results of the test run to the user. For example, a log file from the test environment server may be returned to data server  302  which provides the log file to the user. The user can examine the test log to confirm whether all tests run on the selected job in the test environment were passed. At step  516 , data server  302  can determine whether the user has certified that the selected job has been successfully run in the test environment, and upon user certification of the successful test run, button  420  to run the selected job in the live environment may become enabled. At step  518 , the user can select button  420  to run the selected job in the live environment using the selected input file, if any. 
     Various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, an apparatus, or as one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Any and/or all of the method steps described herein may be embodied in computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, such as a non-transitory computer readable medium. Additionally or alternatively, any and/or all of the method steps described herein may be embodied in computer-readable instructions stored in the memory of an apparatus that includes one or more processors, such that the apparatus is caused to perform such method steps when the one or more processors execute the computer-readable instructions. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of light and/or electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmission media (e.g., air and/or space). 
     Aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated in the illustrative figures may be performed in other than the recited order, and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. Further, one or more aspects described with respect to one figure or arrangement may be used in conjunction with other aspects associated with another figure or portion of the description.