Bulk Data Entry Made Easier with Mass Writes
Behind the scenes here at OnPing, developers are hard at work each day optimizing the service. Many times, the changes are subtle, meant to optimize the system but not necessarily make big waves. Sometimes, new features noticeably reduce the difficulty of completing tasks. These features enhance the richness of the platform and are an example of how we respond to user feedback. Then, there are game changing additions like Mass Writes. Mass Writes is one of the most transformative updates to the OnPing platform, and we believe it will be a favorite among those who are frequently involved in bulk data entry with OnPing.
What is Mass Writes?
In its simplest form, Mass Writes is a widget that empowers OnPing data clerks to create a bundle of data entries in a single session. Instead of tediously typing each change out individually, line by line, an entire document of writes can be created and sent in one go.
But What does Mass Writes Really Mean for the Bulk Data Entry?
In short, it means one of the most time consuming and tedious processes in the automation process has been greatly simplified. Sit down, copy the new information needed, and send out the writes. Mass writes even checks the instructions to make sure duplicates aren’t being sent out!
The Widget
Let’s take a look at what the Mass Writes interface will look like:
There is a lot to unpack in just a couple of lines. For now, we can say this is nothing like the old method of writing in OnPing.
This new capability is a significant improvement over making individual writes. Alone, creating multiple writes at once is a big update. However, in bringing Mass Writes to OnPing the feature was integrated with an “Import” function. Now, CSV can be imported and converted directly into writes. If a formatted spreadsheet is present, there is no longer a need to manually convert information into writes. We will get into this in more detail later in this post.
What is Mass Writes Used For?
Mass Writes was initially conceived as a solution for customers engaged in gas analysis. For these users, rapid deployment of bulk data entry is necessary for accurate monitoring. We wanted the OnPing system to have the capacity to process simultaneous panel updates across several locations. Alternative use cases became quickly evident: Any user with bulk inputs that must be made manually would benefit from this feature.
This led to another question: What do all these users have in common? For us, the answer was organization. In order to create, maintain, monitor, and adjust the data before it is entered, the data must be organized. This type of information is commonly stored in spreadsheets, often pre-formatted sheets organizations keep up to date through regular audits and edits. If we could get information from those spreadsheets into OnPing, then we could further reduce the amount of time spent entering new data.
Introducing: Import from Spreadsheet
Regardless of industry, spreadsheets are a common tool for pre-scripting new instructions before they are copied into the system. This made CSVs a great channel through which to implement “Import” – if the information is already there, why not integrate that component into the Mass Writing framework?
In the past, data entry specialists would need to copy each cell manually from the spreadsheet. Now, importing formatted CSV with a Dhall file can automatically generate bulk data entries. To get a templated CSV, contact our service department and request information regarding Mass Writes Imports. Users can create their own files or we can create a custom template as needed.
How to Import Spreadsheets
- Open the Mass Writes widget.
- Choose a CSV or Excel file to upload
- Choose a Dhal file
- Click Upload and watch the magic happen.
It is important to select both a CSV/Excel and Dhall file when importing a spreadsheet. Without the Dhall, OnPing won’t know what to do with the spreadsheet. We are here to help create these files if necessary.
The import feature is ground-breaking for continual improvement to Automation in OnPing. For the first time ever, OnPing is now compatible with future data projections imported from a CSV file. This enables in-system analysis that was never possible before.
The Scope of Change
In many respects, we are announcing two separate features in Mass Writes: 1) a new, highly efficient method of replicating information facilitating large scale simultaneous input and 2) an import feature that rapidly executes bulk data entry and reduces input redundancy. These are not one-off features, they will be a core part of OnPing moving forward. We are thrilled to present these tools now, but we are even more excited about the doors this will open for the OnPing platform moving forward.
Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding Mass Writes, Importing, or would like to learn more about how OnPing can be used contact us at info@onping.net. Let us know your thoughts on our new features!
