Import a .csv file that contains historical data into a weighted historical index short-term forecast

When creating a historical index forecast you have the option to import up to 8 weeks of historical data by uploading records in comma-separated value (CSV) format.  You can do this by selecting the creation method named “Weighted Historical Index with Source Data Import” option when adding a new short-term forecast. Format the data to comply with .csv syntax before uploading it. We recommend that you export the CSV from a spreadsheet instead of composing CSV using a plain text editor. When the spreadsheet saves a CSV file, it automatically inserts required quotes and commas. This process is less error prone than formatting records manually. 

Workforce management requires the following columns in a CSV file:

  • Interval Start UTC Date
  • Planning Group
  • Offered
  • Average Handle Time in Seconds
  • Abandoned

Notes:
  • The system allows a maximum of up to 8 weeks of data.
  • The uploaded data is not used for any purpose related to historic data, such as actuals or intraday.
  • If you delete or do not include any of these columns, the system returns an error.

International customers should follow these guidelines when creating CSV file to import into a short-term forecast:

  • Extended ASCII characters can be used for the Skill Set and Language columns, but proper file type encoding must be ensured. CSV files must be saved as UTF-8 to show extended ASCII characters at run-time.
  • Date and time formats must follow the ISO8601 standard (that is, 2016-03-13T04:50:31Z). At runtime, however, the ISO dates and time values from the CSV appear in localized form based on the Genesys Cloud user’s selected login language, not in the ISO format.

If the file contains double-byte characters for languages like Japanese or Chinese, then save the CSV file in Unicode or UTF-8 format. Make sure to do the following before importing a CSV file into Genesys Cloud.

  1. Open the CSV file.
  2. Click File > Save As.
  3. In the Save as type menu, click Unicode Text (*.txt).
  4. Close the file in Excel.
  5. Change the file name extension to .csv.

Note: When you export a forecast, the system returns data in a CSV file. If you have data in a separate forecast, you can export it to view a CSV file. For more information, see Export a short-term forecast.
  1. Click Admin.
  2. Under Workforce Management, click Short-Term Forecasts.
  3. In the upper right corner, click the Business Unit list and select the desired management unit.
  4. Click Add. The Add Short-Term Forecast page opens.
  5. Click the calendar at the end of the Forecast Week box and then click to highlight a week for the short-term forecast. Display the future or previous state by clicking the arrows next to the month and year or using the lists.
  6. In the Description text box, optionally include information to differentiate it from other forecasts for the same week.
  7. In the Creation Method area, click Weighted Historical Index with Source Data Import and then select the file to import.
  8. Click Add Short-Term Forecast. The short-term forecast opens.

Click to download an example CSV file to use as a starting point for your data source:

Short-term forecast data example