Importing and Exporting Layouts

Accolade provides Administrators and Process Designers the ability to export layouts from one Accolade environment and import it into another Accolade environment. For example, your company may have a test environment set up during your implementation, or you may have company branches that are new to Accolade that are hosted in a separate environment. Instead of having to recreate layouts in each environment, download the information and import it into the new environment.

The download exports the layout configuration information including all pods and layout settings to a spreadsheet file with the parts of the layout grouped into the following tabs within the file:

• Layouts
• Pods
• Comparison Set

When importing layouts into Accolade, the thumbnail image for a layout displays with the message "No Image Available." All updated pods and layout settings are saved. Click to edit the layout to view the pods and settings. Saving and closing the layout regenerates a corresponding thumbnail image.

To export layout settings and pods:

1. From the System menu, select Page Design > Layouts.
2. Select the layouts that you want to download.

To narrow the list by layout name or system name, add the criteria to filter by in the appropriate filter text box. These filters are case insensitive.

To narrow the list by category, select a category to display in the Category list. To download all layouts, select All.

3. Click Download in the top right corner of the page.

Accolade downloads the layouts into a zip file which contains a workbook file with all of the layout system details, as well as an individual file folder containing any related JavaScript and HTML files, and saves it to a temporary internet files directory. Save the file to a more accessible location.

Note:  Only components to which you have view and/or edit configuration access group rights will download. Components you can only view may be included in the file, but you can only upload changes to areas to which you have explicit edit permission.

To import layout settings and pods into Accolade:

1. Ensure the data within the spreadsheet meets the requirements for a successful import.
2. Remove any layouts that you do not want to include in the upload from the spreadsheet and save the file.
3. From the System menu, select Page Design > Layouts.
4. Click Upload in the top right corner of the page.
5. Click Load File and select the spreadsheet file to load.
6. Click Upload File.

Accolade uploads the changes to the existing layouts in the spreadsheet, and adds any new layouts with unique system names.

7. (Optional) Click Print to print the import results for your records.

To upload JavaScript files and HTML files, save the JavaScript or HTML file in a folder. Match the folder name with the Advanced Platform pod system name, as defined in the spreadsheet file for uploading the layouts and pods. Save the folder and the completed upload file to a zipped folder. Upload the zipped folder to import the layouts and pods, and JavaScript and HTML files to their associated Advanced Platform pods.

Note:  Components that are imported are subject to group configuration rules. The user may assign components in a way that the configuration access groups are not consistent. This behavior is not allowed in the UI, and mismatches in either the user's access rights or the component's access group restrictions may result in warning or error messages during the upload, and may result in an incomplete upload.

Layout Settings Included in the Spreadsheet File

The columns in the downloaded spreadsheet include the settings for each layout in the order listed below. For a description of layout settings and pod types, see Creating Page Layouts or Available Pod Types.

Important! Using the import and export tools to update configuration can result in unintended changes if information is missing or creates an error during the import process. Sopheon recommends reviewing Importing and Exporting Configuration Components Best Practices before making changes in a production environment.

• Layouts

  The Layouts worksheet contains the settings for the layouts being uploaded or downloaded.

  Column Name	Accepted Values on Upload*	Additional Notes
  System Name	Alphanumeric characters, underscore**	Used for matching for upload. If a layout exists, its settings are changed with the values in the uploaded file. If a new, unique system name exists in the file when uploaded, a new layout is created.
  Display Name	Any	If blank, the layout does not upload.
  Active	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Description	Any	Can be blank.
  Category	Alphanumeric characters	If a new, unique category name exists in the file when uploaded, a new category is created. If blank, the layout is placed in the Default category.
  Order	Any number	The field is set to 0 on upload if no value is entered or the value is not a number.
  Project Header Visible	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Process Graphic Visible	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Horizontal Alignment	Left Center Right	If blank, the layout uploads with the default of Left.
  Background Color	Valid hex color code	Can be blank and defaults to color code #fffff.
  Margin Color	Valid hex color code	Can be blank and defaults to color code #fffff.
  Page Width	Valid pixel values	Can be blank in which the layout uploads with the default of left aligned.
  Icon	Valid alphanumeric icon id	If blank, the layout does not upload. Icon id value displays in icon selection dialog when creating layouts.
  Has Master Button	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Layout Filters	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Fill Remaining Height	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Add to New Gated Process Models	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Add to New Non-Gated Process Models	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Add to New Idea Process Models	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Hide Action Menu	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	Applies to idea models only. All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Generate Global Link	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Configuration Access Groups	Valid access group display name	Separate each access group name using the pipe ( | ) character.
  Layout Cycles	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Icon Color	Valid hex color codes: #932121, #C76614, #10611E, #36297B, #A21E79, #417491 (blue, default)	All other values including blank are treated as #417491 on upload.
  Hide Hierarchy	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.

  * For any column that accepts Yes, Y, True, 1, or X, you can also enter No, N, False, or 0 if it helps you when entering data in the spreadsheet. All values other than Yes, Y, True, 1, or X are treated as No when you upload the spreadsheet.

  ** Limited to characters between a - z, A - Z, and 0 - 9, and the underscore ( _ ).

   

• Pods

  The Pods worksheet includes the individual pods and pod settings within the layouts being uploaded or downloaded.

  Column Name	Accepted Values on Upload*	Additional Notes
  Layout System Name	Alphanumeric characters, underscore**	Used for matching for upload. If a layout exists, its settings are changed with the values in the uploaded file.
  System Name	Valid pod-specific system name	Used for matching on upload. If a pod exists, its settings are changed with the values in the uploaded file. If a new, unique system name exists in the file when uploaded, a new pod is created and added to the layout.
  Name	Any	Can be blank.
  Type	AdvancedPlatform Buttons Chart Documents Gates GlobalLinks HTMLReport Metric PlanningView Plugin PortfolioOptimization Productivity ProjectImage ProjectInformation QuickGrids Report ReportGroups TemplateImage Voting	If a layout contains the Advanced Platform pod, Accolade downloads the JavaScript files and HTML files in individual file folder along with the spreadsheet file. Long string metrics with the Rich Text check box enabled are not supported in pods and cannot be imported. Can be blank.
  Content	Valid pod content name	Do not include spaces between words and the content must be appropriate for the pod Type. Can be blank.
  X	Integer value greater than or equal to 0	Determines where the pod displays horizontally in the layout. Coordinates (0,0) correlate to the top left corner of the layout.
  Y	Integer value greater than or equal to 0	Determines where the pod displays vertically in the layout. Coordinates (0,0) correlate to the top left corner of the layout.
  Height	Integer value greater than 0	If blank or invalid, the pod does not upload.
  Width	Integer value greater than 0	If blank or invalid, the pod does not upload.
  Advanced Settings	A valid expression	Applies to pods with advanced settings. For example, note a Data Form pod with Project Name, Project ID, and Description selected and one column defined in the advanced settings as follows: {"Columns":1,"Items":[ {"Order":null,"IsReadOnly":false,"ObjectTypeID":2,"SystemName":"ProjectName"},{"Order":null,"IsReadOnly":false,"ObjectTypeID":2,"SystemName":"Description"},{"Order":null,"IsReadOnly":false,"ObjectTypeID":2,"SystemName":"ProjectId"}]} If the expression is invalid, the row does not upload.
  Plugin Type	Valid configured plugin name	This setting only applies for pods containing plugins.
  Filter To Project	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	This setting only applies to global link and planning view pods. All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Title
  Text Alignment	left right center	If blank, the pod uploads with the default of left aligned.
  Font Color	Valid hex color code	If blank, defaults to color code #fffff.
  Font Size	Valid pixel values	If blank, defaults to a pixel size 11.
  Content
  Font Color	Valid hex color code	If blank, defaults to color code #fffff.
  Font Size	Valid pixel values	If blank, defaults to a pixel size 11.
  Background Color	Valid hex color code	If blank, defaults to color code #fffff.
  Vertical Bar color	Valid hex color code	If blank, defaults to color code #054353.
  Border
  Size	Valid pixel values	If blank, defaults to a pixel size 11.
  Style	none dotted dashed solid groove ridge inset outset	If blank, defaults to solid.
  Color	Valid hex color code	If blank, defaults to color code #fffff.
  Allow Maximization	Yes, Y, True, 1, X*	All other values are treated as No on upload.
  Comparison Set System Name	Valid comparison set system name	Can be blank.

  * For any column that accepts Yes, Y, True, 1, or X, you can also enter No, N, False, or 0 if it helps you when entering data in the spreadsheet. All values other than Yes, Y, True, 1, or X are treated as No when you upload the spreadsheet.

  ** Limited to characters between a - z, A - Z, and 0 - 9, and the underscore ( _ ).

   

• Comparison Set

  The Comparison Set worksheet includes the comparison set settings within the layouts being uploaded or downloaded. This worksheet must be included in the spreadsheet file, but can be left blank if the layouts do not include comparison sets.

  Column Name	Accepted Values on Upload*	Additional Notes
  Layout System Name	Alphanumeric characters, underscore**	Used for matching for upload. If a layout exists, its settings are changed with the values in the uploaded file.
  Comparison Set System Name	Valid comparison set system name	Used for matching on upload. If a pod exists, its settings are changed with the values in the uploaded file. If a new, unique system name exists in the file when uploaded, a new set is created and added to the layout.
  Comparison Set Name	Any	If blank, the set does not upload.

  ** Limited to characters between a - z, A - Z, and 0 - 9, and the underscore ( _ ).