Best practice forum (Archived)

Map LDAP values to Custom User Profile Fields

Hi,

Is it possible to map LDAP values to custom user profile fields?

We have created a custom user profile field 'Rank', which is needed for operational police members. Currently we are mapping user's rank values into the default ID Number field - but this default field name doesn't accurately reflect the data values.

I had a look at the LDAP server settings within Totara and the custom user profile field created doesn't display as an option under the Data Mapping section.

Would it be possible to map this data directly into a custom user profile 'Rank' field instead?

Alternatively can we alter the label of User ID Number to be displayed as Rank on the site?

thanks,

-Ira

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Hi Ira

Altering the label sounds the easiest option - does the Rank field hold text or numeric data. I assume the idnumber is a numeric field - it would be best to use a field that is the same data type.

A developer would need to estimate how difficult changing the mapping of data directly to the 'Rank' field would be.

Craig

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Hi,

Currently have text based rank data being mapped to User ID Number, which is working correctly eg.

ID Number: S.SGT / LSC/ VPSG-3

So it appears that the User ID Number field is not restricted to numerical data only.

Can I alter the label using the Language Editing settings in Totara?

i'm thinking this is more likely an interim solution for us at present, as we currently don't have the HR Orginisational Heirachy feed linked ot Totara with user's Positions (Ranks). With the orgnisational heirachy and positions mapped, we could use the User's Position data for custom reports, etc...

- Ira

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Hi Ira

Yes you could substitute the words using the language settings - I am not sure what files the ID Number would appear in.

There is an external database (Position assignments) under enrolment plugins which allows mapping of positions to an external database - does this sound suitable?

Craig

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Hi Ira,

Yes you can change this in the Language Editing settings. The language string that is used for ID Number in the user profile page is in the moodle.php language file. Note that this string is used a number of places, not just within the user profile page.

Cheers,
Alastair

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Hi Alastair,

I changed the language string of 'ID Number' to 'User Rank' in the moodle.php language file. Which has updated the user profile pages ok.

The custom reports we have created still display the "User ID" string. Just wondering if I can do the same by changing the language file for User ID Number in the custom reports/report builder?

If possible, which language file is it contained in?

thanks,

-Ira

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Hi Ira,

Just to make sure we are on the same page. "User ID" is a unique identifier given to each user record by the system which is different from "User ID Number" which is an alpha numeric field that can be used to tie into other systems or record a separate ID in this case "User Rank".

In your custom reports you can customise the "User ID Number" field name in the settings for the report. If the string it showing up somewhere else let me know and I'll try and track it down.

Cheers,
Alastair

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Hi,

I'm refering to "User ID Number" default user profile field, a little confusing I know...

I've changed the column heder text now to "User's Rank" using the report builder settings and this seems to met what we wanted for know.

thanks for the help

-Ira

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Hi,

Is there an easy way to reword the labels/lnaguage used in the custom reporting pages? User's are still getting confused with the defualt label's for:

User ID Number (Renamed "User's Rank")
Institution (Renamed "User's Department")
Department (Renamed "User's Work Unit")

I have renamed the column headings, but it is confusing as the report filter options use the original names for these fields...

Also when selecting fields for columns in the custom reports it is confusing.

Am I able to edit these field labels using the Language editing settings in Moodle/Totara?

thanks,

-Ira

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Hi Ira,

Currently there is no easy way to accomplish this. You can change the language strings in the language editing settings but this shouldn't be necessary. It would make sense that the filters were lableled the same as the columns or allowed you to customise the name for the filters. I'll create a bug to look into this issue.

As for the confusion when adding fields for columns for custom reports the only way to change this is to change the language strings to make them less confusing.

Cheers,
Alastair

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Hi Alastair,

A function to rename the filters as well as the column headings would be a good feature for the custom reporting.

Which language file contains the strings for:

user id number
user department
user institution

in the custom report pages?

thanks,

-Ira

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Hi Ira,

You should be able to find all three of those lang strings in the 'local/reportbuilder/lang/en_utf8/local_reportbuilder.php' language file. In the langage editing menu it should show up as 'local_reportbuilder.php'.

Cheers,
Alastair

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Just to let you know that as of Totara 2.5 you can now customise filter names the same way as you can for column names.

Simon

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Hi Ira

We had a similar problem where our LDAP records didn't contain our required organisational data but did provide the Cost Centre Code of where the staff member was last paid from - from which we could work out their organisation position.

Our IT support provider built a script / interface that parsed this LDAP field overnight and added in a new Totara user profile field - screen shot attached.

We've been using this for a number of years and while we now have direct sync to the HRMIS data we still rely on the org data extracted via the payroll Cost Centre as they tend to be more accurate!

We've also added two additional versions of the same to:

1, map groups of Cost Centres to a central Cost Center for that's used for that business areas training budget.

2, map groups of Cost Centres to form Development Groups - to which we associate development activities in Development Plans. E.g. we have two areas involved in collections and they have very similar training / development needs but are very separate in our business structure.

Happy to share, if this is of any use to you.

Cheers
Austen

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