Exporting the Career Site Settings From Stage and Importing to Production

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
  • Use the move to production checklist to move to another environment
  • Export the Site Settings, Career Site Builder Settings, Category Pages, and Site Translations XML files
  • Update the values in the SiteExport XML file and SiteBuilderExport XML file
  • Import the XML files to the production environment
  • Run the job sync scheduled job
  • Confirm that the import was successful

From Stage to Production

After you have received written signoff from the customer, you are ready to move the career site configuration from the stage environment to production.

Push to Prod Spreadsheet

Follow the instructions in the spreadsheet located on SAP PartnerEdge: RMK CSB Push to Prod and Launch Tasks.

Example of an RMK CSB Push to Prod and Launch Tasks Spreadsheet showing different tasks, system, task owners, notes, site redesign information, and new implementation information. Details are explained below.

The following are some general considerations when moving the career site from stage to production:

  • Note that generating the SSL certificate is no longer pre-work. This is now the first step after importing the stage site to production.
  • Sections are provided in the spreadsheet for: Move to Production, Production Site Testing, and Launch.
  • Columns are provided for: New Implementation and for Site Redesign (re-implementations).
  • Prerequisite tasks ("pre-work") are marked on the spreadsheet. Notice that you will do the "site setup" steps (including Recruiter SSO and Real Time Job Sync) in production before beginning this process. The subdomain should be checked much earlier than the cutover date to avoid delays.
  • The tasks are marked by the system in which the action is performed.
  • Many steps can be done concurrently.
  • Within Career Site Builder, you will export from the stage (source) instance and import to the production (target) instance.
  • You will need to have at least two jobs created and posted externally on production. (Note that you will need a full job collection to properly complete this task.)
  • Steps that require additional explanation are included in this section.

Important: Blackout Period

SAP SuccessFactors releases code to Preview before it is released to production. Once an update has gone into Preview, feel free to test new features but do NOT push to production until after the update occurs on the production site. Career Site Builder displays a message and prevents your request. Mismatched files could cause your career site to break, and so you are prevented from importing them into the production environment.

For SAP SuccessFactors release dates, visit the Customer Community (Production Release and Roadmap Information) and select Resources → Empowerment Center → Product Release & Road Map.

Import and Export Functions in Career Site Builder

The Tools → Import & Export menu allows you to copy from a Career Site Builder instance. There are a number of uses for this functionality:

  • Move the final career site from stage to production, or from any "source" to "target" environment.
  • It is leading practice to occasionally create an export while making updates in CSB. This allows you to revert to that version, if necessary.
  • After go live, the customer can test new configurations in stage and then move them to production.
  • Export the settings without the images to create a blank site template for future use.
On the Export tab, there are three export options: Site Settings, Career Site Builder Settings, and Category Pages.
On the Import tab, there are three import options: Site Settings, Career Site Builder Settings, and Category Pages.

Import and Export Options

The Import and Export options include the following:

  • Site Settings: Exports settings that configure the site, including settings that implement and integrate the career site with SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting.
  • Career Site Builder Settings: The Source options determine where the site data included in the export file comes from. As currently configured uses Career Site Builder settings as they are saved right now. From a previous configuration: Uses the Career Site Builder settings that were backed up prior to an import on the selected date, with some exceptions. See the help text in CSB for details. The Contents checkboxes allow you to configure which site settings are included in the export file, such as Fonts, Images, and Email Layouts. You will usually select all options to export.
  • Category pages: This option exports all of the category page information. When you import this XML export file back in through CSB, it either adds new categories or overwrites the existing category pages with the same name. Any new category pages you created after you exported the file are not overwritten. This replaces the manual process that used to be required.

    For example, when you now import category pages from a preview to production environment and the categories exist in both, the Preview version now automatically overwrites the Production category pages.

Translations Import & Export

Also remember to import and export the Translations XML from CSB → Tools → Translations. This file contains any replacements that the customer made to "system text" that appears on Career Site Builder sites.

Remember to import and export the Translation XML. On the Translation page, choose the Export or Import button.

Stage Environment XML Exports

The process is to export four separate XML files from your customer’s stage instance (the source) and save the files locally. In some cases, you need to edit the XML file. Then, you import the XML files to your customer’s production instance (the target). You export XML files from Tools → Import & Exportin the source (stage) instance.

Export XML files from the Stage Environment in the following order:

  1. Site Settings* (file name: SiteExport)
  2. Career Site Builder Settings* Typically, you choose As currently configured, and check the boxes on the right. (file name: SiteBuilderExport)
  3. Category Pages (file name: CategoryExport)
  4. Translations from Tools → Translations (file name: TranslationOverrideExport)

To maintain site integrity, always export Site Settings and Career Site Builder Settings together. There are some things, like Search configurations, that for legacy/historical reasons, are in Site Settings, not Career Site Builder Settings.

Source and Target Settings in Career Site Builder

  • The Import process will overwrite some of the settings in the Target environment.
  • Update the values in these fields in the SiteExport XML file with the values from the target instance before importing:＜name＞,＜portalurl＞,＜agentemailaddress＞,＜companyname＞,＜sitefolder＞,＜phrasefilterback＞.

    Hint

    You may want to export Site Settings from the target instance to compare these values before importing.
    Update Values in the SiteExport XML File. The code elements are highlighted.

    The error shown in the following figure was received when the import was attempted without first updating the values in the import file.

    Error when SiteExport XML File is Not Updated. The error message says The Portal URL value already exists in the database. Edit the XML file to make sure the Portal URL is unique.

Stage Instance Links

Remember that the leading practice is to use relative links whenever possible. A slash (/) represents "home" and "/search/" indicates an all-jobs search. If the source instance contains links that are not relative links, those will need to be updated in the target instance. For example, it’s not common to include links to landing pages on the CSB site, but if this is done in the source instance you’ll need to update the links for the target instance, as there is no link type that can be used for landing pages.

To check if any links need to be replaced, search the SiteBuilderExport XML file for the source instance URL. If you find any links containing the source site URL, ideally, go back to the Career Site Builder source instance and change these to relative links. (Refer to instructions on relative links in the unit in this course that focuses on Build the Career Site.)

If you cannot replace all links with relative links in the source CSB instance, then replace any source links that will be imported into the target instance with the correct links for that environment in the SiteBuilderExport XML file. Also communicate this to the customer so they know to make the replacements when they export in the future. Alternatively, if you don't replace the links in the SiteBuilderExport XML file before importing to production, after importing you can update the link in CSB in the production environment. Again, be sure to let the customer know they will have to do this in the future when they export from stage to production.

Custom URLs are generally found in the following areas:

  • Headers
  • Footers
  • Logo
  • Any component that contains an External type link, including links to landing pages

Production Environment XML Imports

Import the CSB XMLs into the target (production) instance in the following order:

  1. Site Settings XML (SiteImport).
  2. Career Site Builder Settings XML (SiteBuilderExport).
  3. Category Pages XML (CategoryExport).
  4. Translations XML from Tools → Translations (TranslationOverrideExport).

    After selecting the import file, choose Upload Import File.

    The Upload Import File button is highlighted on the user interface.

Security Key for the Production Instance

The leading practice is to generate a unique security key for both stage and production. Remember that the security key must be unique for each CSB instance hosted in a data center.

  • Insert the new security key in two places in the production environment:
    • From CSB select Settings → Site Configuration → Site Integrations: Single Sign-On Security Key.
    • From Provisioning select Recruiting Marketing Settings: Security Key.
  • Run Recruiter Sync. From CSB, select Settings → Site Configuration → Site Integrations → Site Integrations, and then chooseExecute Now.

Job Sync in Production

Jobs are not included in imports. After importing XML files into the production environment, you will need to sync the jobs in that instance. From Provisioning, run the scheduled job the Job Type Sync all external job postings, and then do a search in the target career site to ensure that the active jobs appear in the results.

What is Transferred During Export/Import Process?

Site settings are transferred to the target instance, including settings that integrate the career site with SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting.

Other considerations include:

  • All site configurations and database records are updated, including locales and brands.
  • Settings that configure the look and feel of the career site are transferred.
  • Career site contents are transferred, including active category pages. New categories are added to the target, and existing category pages with the same name are overwritten.
  • Candidate Relationship Management functions in Career Site Builder are transferred, including landing pages, data capture forms, and email layouts. Note that all landing pages and data capture forms on the target instance are removed and are replaced by the pages and forms from the source.
  • Be aware that all images, including archived images, are copied to the target instance.

Items That Do Not Import

Items that do not import include:

  • Jobs (requisitions) are not transferred to the target instance.
  • Pages that were saved using Save Draft will not be part of the export.
  • To maintain site integrity, site integration information is not included in the export, including the security key and API credentials. (See exceptions to this in the section on updating values.)
  • Candidate Relationship Management functions within the SAP SuccessFactors Recruiting application do not transfer: talent pools and email campaigns.

The following elements do not transfer during the import process. These need to be configured in the target instance:

  • CSB Role Based Permissions (Users → Roles)
  • Job Alert Email Template (Layouts → Job Alerts Email Template)
  • Site Source Editor (Tools → Site Source Editor)
  • Advanced Analytics (Command Center → Recruiting Advanced Analytics)

Import and Export Career Site Builder Settings XML Files

Business Example

This exercise provides steps for two use cases:

MOVE: You are moving the site settings from a source to a target environment.

BACKUP: You are creating a backup of a site's settings that can be reimported to the source environment.

If you have a training environment, you will follow the BACKUP instructions. After exporting, you'll make a change in your career site and reimport, which will reverse the change.

Later, when you are implementing CSB, after your customer approves the site in the stage environment, you will follow the MOVE instructions.

Task 1: Export from the Source Environment

Note

For both MOVE and BACKUP use cases.

Steps

  1. Navigate to CSB → Tools → Import & Export.

  2. Click the Export tab.

  3. Select Site Settings and then select Export and save the export file to your drive.

  4. Select Career Site Builder Settings and the following option beneath it: Site Settings, As currently configured, Core CSB Settings, Fonts and Images, Email Layouts.

  5. Choose Export and save the export file to your drive.

  6. Select Category Pages, then select Export, and save the file.

  7. Navigate to CSB → Tools → Translation.

  8. Select Export and save the file.

Task 2: Replace Fields in the Site Settings XML Export File

Note

Use for MOVE case only. (BACKUP use case: Simply search for the fields but make no replacement.)

Steps

  1. In the target instance of CSB, navigate to Settings → Site Configuration → Site Information and note the Site Name,Company Name,Site URL (also called the Portal URL), and Job Alert Email Address.

  2. Search through the Site Export XML file for the following tags, and replace them with target values, taking care to not change the case (upper or lowercase). Replace the values with the following values:

    • ＜name＞
    • ＜portalurl＞
    • ＜agentemailaddress＞
    • ＜companyname＞
    • ＜sitefolder＞
    • ＜phrasefilterback＞

Task 3: Update Non-Relative Links in the Career Site Builder Settings XML File, if Necessary

Note

Use for MOVE case only.

Steps

  1. Navigate to Pages → Content → English → Company.

  2. Choose the gear icon and select Delete Page.

  3. View a preview of your career site.

  4. From the Best Run home page, under the Why Work Here dropdown in the header, select Company. Because the page is missing, this is a broken link (as expected).

Task 4: Make a Change in Your Training Instance to Test Using Import/Export for Backups

Note

Use BACKUP use case only. For this task, delete the Company page for the Best Run brand.

Steps

  1. Navigate to Pages → Content → English → Default Brand → Company.

  2. Select the gear icon and choose Delete Page.

  3. View a preview of your career site.

  4. From the Best Run home page, under the Why Work Here dropdown in the header, select Company. Because the page is missing, this is a broken link (as expected).

Task 5: Import to the Target Environment

Note

Use for both MOVE and BACKUP use cases.

Steps

  1. In the target instance, navigate to CSB → Tools → Import & Export. (For BACKUP, you will reimport to the source instance.)

  2. Choose the Import tab.

  3. Select Site Settings and select Import.

  4. Navigate to find the SiteExport.xml file and choose Upload Import File.

  5. Select Career Site Builder Settings and then select Import.

  6. Navigate to find the SiteBuilderExport file and select Upload Import File.

  7. Select Category Pages and select Import.

  8. Navigate to find the CategoryExport file and choose Upload Import File.

  9. Navigate to CSB → Tools → Translation.

  10. Select Import.

  11. Navigate to find the TranslationOverrideExport file and choose Upload Import File.

  12. BACKUP: To check that the import was successful, confirm that the Best Run Company content page was restored.

Task 6: Sync Jobs in Production

Note

Use for MOVE case only.

Steps

  1. From Provisioning in the production environment, select Manage Scheduled Jobs and run the job with the Job Type Sync all external job postings.

  2. Open the production CSB site and search for jobs to confirm that all jobs synced.

  3. If not, check the Export Automated Process Log in Command Center.

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