Understanding the Verity Search EngineStaffing Front Office searches are performed by the Verity search engine. This chapter provides an overview of the Verity search engine and discusses how to:
Set up the Verity search engine and Cache Administration process.
Perform searches.
Understanding the Verity Search EngineThe Verity search engine is a third-party product that is embedded into PeopleTools. The searches are not performed directly against the database, but are performed by the Verity search engine against a Verity collection. The Verity collection is created based on the information contained in Staffing Front Office. This collection is not updated online, but through a batch process.
The Verity search is implemented as an Application Class that receives search criteria as input and returns results in the form of resources, orders, and so on, with associated scores.
Staffing Front Office uses five types of searches:
PeopleMatch
PeopleSearch
Customer Search
Contact Search
Order Search
The first two of these are forward searches, meaning they look for resources that match a certain criteria. The last three search types are reverse searches, meaning they look for customers, contacts, and orders that match a certain criteria, typically a candidate's experience or preferences. The last three searches are combined in a single component called Opportunity Search.
PeopleSoft delivers a standard searching template for these search types. However, Staffing Front Office customers must define their own search criteria for their organization as part of the implementation process.
To optimize searching capabilities and performance, the system extracts data from Staffing Front Office records and places the data into two types of ASCII text files: BIF and DAT.
For PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch, the system can also extract information from electronic attachments such as resource resumes. However, the creation of Verity collections is slower when electronic documents are processed. To optimize performance when resume searches are needed, Staffing Front Office provides a field in the Applicant and Employee components into which users can paste resume ASCII text. Using this method (instead of electronic attachments) greatly reduces Verity collection creation time. Even if users paste their resumes this way, they can still attach electronic resumes to the applicant and employee records to present them to customers.
The Search Index Creation process (FO_SRCH1_AE) captures Verity definitions (zones and fields) and generates the appropriate index files. The system applies a key to the templates according to the Verity Key field (SRCH_VERITY_CD). This key is used to identity the correct index files for the Verity search engine.
When configuring the five search types, you define the following attributes:
The list of configurable fields and settings used in the search type.
The availability algorithm to be used (applicable to PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch only).
Factor weights.
You can define factor weights as part of the search configuration and factor family weights in the actual search pages.
Scores to calculate.
The name of the Verity index and other Verity paths required to build the index (.BIF files and style files).
Note. For instructions on installing the Verity search engine with Staffing Front Office, refer to the installation procedures for Staffing Front Office on the PeopleSoft Customer Connection website.
Opportunity Search is a reverse search. Reverse searching consists of searching orders, customers, and contacts that would be a good fit for a particular resource.
PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch are forward searches. They consist of searching resources that meet a certain criteria such as job order required and desired qualifications. Forward searches calculate both the resource qualification and preference scores. Additionally, these searches can also provide resource availability information. There are two availability calculation options for PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch:
Simple Availability:
Availability is not calculated as a separate score or percentage, but as part of the overall search criteria using fields such as the count of active assignments, the candidate's first date available, shifts preferred by the resource, and so on.
Resource Management Availability:
Results are calculated based on how busy a resource is in a specific period of time. This option uses the resource calendar to determine his or her availability. This calendar is populated automatically when the resource is placed in a temporary assignment, or manually when a user adds an appointment for the resource. To use this availability calculation method, you must configure the Staffing Installation Options to use resource calendars.
The choice of availability algorithm is defined in the search type configuration. For an availability algorithm to be used with a search type, the resource calendar must be current.
Setting Up the Verity Search Engine and Cache Administration ProcessUse the pages described in this section to set up the tables and processing rules that Staffing Front Office uses when running the Verity search engine processes.
You should periodically run the Cache Administration process to correct inaccuracies in the data, and to reorganize the database indexes for these tables, as well as to update standings.
To set up the Verity search engine, use the Search Configuration (RS_VERITY_CONFIG) and Factor Weights components (RS_SRCH_FACT_WGHT).
This section discusses how to:
Define the Verity settings.
Define factor weights.
Define records and fields.
Define search fields to create the Verity index files.
Refresh cache tables and build the Verity indexes.
Maintain and schedule the Verity Index File Creation process and the Cache Creation process.
Run the Cache Optimization program.
Run the Cache Administration program.
Pages Used to Set Up the Verity Search Engine and Cache Administration Process
|
Page Name |
Object Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
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RS_VERITY_CONFIG |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Search Configuration |
Configure parameters for the Verity search engine. |
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RS_SRCH_FACT_WGHT |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Search Configuration, Factor Weights |
Define the relative importance of each factor within its family. |
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RS_CACHE_MISC |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Search, Cache Administration |
Specify processes to refresh cache tables and create verity collections. |
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RS_SRCH_INDEX |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Cache Administration, Maintain Search Index |
Capture the parameters needed to create the Verity index files. |
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RUN_RS_DF |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Cache Administration, Refresh Optimization Cache |
Recalculate and cache selected factor fit scores for all eligible resources. |
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RS_CACHE_SUMMARY |
Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Resource Search, Cache Administration, Summary |
Confirm the list of processes that you want to run or schedule for the future. |
Defining the Verity SettingsAccess the Verity Settings page.
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Search Type |
Displays the types of search:
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Verity Model |
This is a display-only field that directs the Verity search engine to read a specific collection. All delivered searches create two sets of search collection files—collection A and collection B. When Verity collections are being created or updated, users cannot search them. Therefore, the system keeps a backup collection file to be available to users will another collection is created or updated. For Staffing Front Office to add new rows into the search collection, the system alternates between collection A and collection B. When collection A is in use, all updates are done on collection B. After the updates are completed for collection B, the system automatically moves users to collection B and collection A is released. This alternating approach enables the system to add new rows into the collection without forcing users to log out. |
File Settings
Enter the location of the style files in the Style Files field. The directory specified here must contain the delivered style files. The Search Style files are located in PS_HOME/Data/Search. For each FO_FO_STAFFING directory, a style directory must be present and a series of style files must exist under that directory.
Note. Verity needs to know the actual directory path and that path needs to be accessible from your process scheduler server by the user ID that runs the process scheduler.
When you select a PeopleSearch (PLSRC) or PeopleMatch (PMSRC) search type, the Resume Files field also appears, in which you can enter the location of the folder where you store your resume files. The system reads the resumes in the folder when building the Verity collection. This applies to PeopleSearch and PeopleMatch only. The resume attachment feature for applicants and employees allows applicants to attach their own resumes to Staffing Front Office. The attachment process uses FTP to move the resumes from the users’ own workstations into a designated system directory. Verity needs to know the location of that system directory before it can incorporate the resume into the Search File Creation process.
Note. The applicant and employee components capture resumes both in the form of electronic document attachments and in an ACSII text field. When configuring the Verity searches for PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch, you can have the system include the attachments in the Verity collections and indexes by specifying c:\resumes, for example, in the Resume Files field. If you do decide to include electronic attachments, the creation of Verity indexes may be slower. As an alternative, leave the Resume Files field blank so that the system will only search on the resume ASCII field. You can still attach resume documents to your applicant and employee records to present them to your customers, but they will not be part of the Verity index.
Performance Settings
Define the size of your result set by entering a value in the Buffer Resultset Size (in rows) field.
Availability Method
Enter a method to that the system will use to calculate availability scores in the verity search results: Daily Summarization or No Availability Calculation.
Note. This group box appears only if you select the PeopleSearch (PLSRC) or PeopleMatch (PMSRC) search type. when Daily Summarization is selected, the system calculates the percentage of time that a resource will be available between the start and end dates specified in the Order or in the PeopleSearch component. When No Availability Calculation is selected, the system does not calculate availability scores and users may have to rely on other information such as the count of active assignments to infer whether a resource is available or not.
Defining Factor Weights
Access the Factor Weights page.
|
Preferences and Qualifications |
The Staffing Front Office search components present the results with their associated search score. The score is a weighted average of several factors. For each factor family grouping, enter the relative importance of each factor, such as AccomplishmentsCompetency Proficiency, or Resume. Values are 0 - Not at all important, 1 - Much less important, 2 - Less important, 3 - Important, 4 - More important, or 5 - Much more important. |
Defining Records and Fields
Access the Configurable Fields page.
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Sort Order |
Enter a number to change the order of the fields on the page. This field controls in which order the fields are listed on the actual search page. |
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Category |
Enter the category to which you want to group fields. Note. You can define views to join multiple records and use that view for the Verity index creation. You can also create views with complex joins or outer joins, but this is considered a specific customer configuration. Note that complex joins, outer joins and joins with multiple tables and views may significantly decrease the performance of the verity collection creation process. |
|
Column |
Enter the name of the field as you want it to appear in searches. |
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Show In Search |
Select the check box to indicate which fields display on the search page. Selecting a given check box causes the system to include that field as a searching field. When generating the SQL to extract the raw data for the Verity collection, the fields with this check box selected are named in the SQL. When creating the Verity ASCII text files, the system writes out the field as a data field. In addition, the fields are also included in the Verity STYLE.UFL file. |
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Show In Results |
Select the check box to indicate that the system should display this field in the search result set. |
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Free Form |
Select the check box to make Verity treat the field as a free-form search—that is, a search with no field edits. Generally, a free-form search is used for text searching (for example, searching for a description). All fields defined as free-form are considered zone fields in Verity. |
|
Allow Compare |
Select the check box to enable the use of comparison operators (such as <, >, and =) when searching. Note. To make searching faster, the system treats all fields as Verity zones. When a field is treated as a Verity zone, you cannot use comparison operators. If you select the Allow Compare check box, the field is treated as a Verity field and you can use the <, >, and = comparison operators. |
Defining Search Fields to Create the Verity Index Files
Access the Available Configurable Fields page.
|
Category |
Enter the name of the category into which you want to group fields. |
|
Column |
Enter the name of the field as you want it to appear in searches. |
|
Record (Table) Name |
Enter the actual record name. |
|
Field Name |
Enter the actual field name. |
|
Result Column |
Select the check box to indicate that the system should use the field for result display purposes. |
See Also
PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler, "Understanding PeopleSoft Process Scheduler"
Refreshing Cache Tables and Building the Verity Indexes
Access the Miscellaneous page.
|
Refresh Current Eligible Resources |
Select this check box to update the Eligible Resource Cache table (RS_ELGBL_WRKR) with current eligible resource information. In addition to tracking the current, eligible resources, the table stores the resource’s job-related information such as job code and location. The program is required when routine changes are made to a resource's job-related information. Run this program nightly and as required. |
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Refresh Resource Schedule Cache |
Select to update the Resource Schedule Cache table (RS_DF_WRKR_DATE) that is used to track a resource's schedule. The program purges old availability date and ineligible resource data. It is required when:
This program runs automatically for a resource when the resource's schedule changes. Run the program manually for all resources as required. Select Create New or Update Existing. |
|
Refresh Resource Organizational Unit Cache |
Select to update the Resource Organizational Unit Cache table (RS_WORKER_ORG) that stores organization information from the specified organization tree. The program is required when:
Run this program nightly. |
Maintaining and Scheduling the Verity Index File Creation Process and the Cache Creation Process
Access the Maintain Search Index page.
Process Selection
Select the Maintain Search Index check box to create the search index as part of this Cache Administration run control.
Indexing Options
Select Create New to delete the existing index and create a new one. Use this option to replace the Verity index.
Select Update Existing to update the existing index without deleting it by inserting new documents and updating those that have been changed since the last time the update process ran.
Index Language
Specify whether the index should be created for all installed languages or a single language.
Select All Installed Languages to create a collection for each installed language.
Select Specific Language to specify a language, and enter the language for which you want to create index files in the adjacent drop-down list box.
Index
Specify a Search Type for the index creation.
Running the Optimization Cache Program
Access the Refresh Optimization Cache page.
|
Refresh Optimization Cache |
Select to include the Refresh Optimization Cache Application Engine process (RS_DF) as part of this Cache Administration run control. |
Running the Cache Administration Program
Select any of the following check boxes to include the process in the run:
Refresh Resource Organizational Unit Cache
Refresh Resource Schedule Cache
Refresh Current Eligible Resources
Maintain Search Index
Maintain Employee Data Cache
Refresh Supply/Demand Cache
Refresh Supply Category Cache
|
Run |
Click this button to run the cache administration program. |
|
Process Monitor |
Click this link to review the status of the process scheduler job you initiated when you clicked the Run button. |
Performing SearchesThe five Staffing Front Office searches can be executed from different components:
Order
From this component users can run PeopleMatch.
Opportunity Search
From this component, users can perform the customer, contact, and order searches (opportunity search).
A third component is provided to execute PeopleSearch.
PeopleSearch is an impromptu search in that is not associated with any particular order.
The PeopleSearch page enables you to define specific sets of qualifications and characteristics, and then search your database to locate employees and applicants that match the search criteria. You can save the searches that you create under different names and recall them for repeated searching.
This section describes how to:
Use PeopleSearch to find resources.
Use Opportunity Search to find positions.
Note. Your system administrator establishes the search criteria fields during implementation. If you want to search for additional characteristics, contact your system administrator.
Pages Used to Perform Searches
|
Page Name |
Object Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
|
FO_PEOPLESRCH |
Staffing, Search, PeopleSearch |
Search for applicants, employees, and contractors who possess particular qualifications. |
|
|
RS_RESOURCE_GROUPS |
Click the Add Resource Group link on the PeopleSearch page. |
Add resource groups that can be used as criteria for your PeopleSearch. |
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RS_RSRCGRP_ADD |
Click the Add button on the Resource Group Definition - Resource Groups page. |
Specify details about resource groups. |
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RS_QUALIF_DETAILS |
Click the Details link for Languages specified as qualification criteria on the PeopleSearch page. |
Enter proficiency information for the language. |
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RS_QUALIF_DETAILS |
Click the Details link for Licenses specified as qualification criteria on the PeopleSearch page. |
Enter location information for the license. Note. The other qualifications refer to flexible factors, but the flexible factors are only applicable to Resource Management and are not available to Staffing Front Office. |
|
|
RS_SELQUALPROFILE |
Click the Profile button on the PeopleSearch page. |
Add qualifications from a qualification profile. The functionality of this page is similar to that used when adding customers to the system. |
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RS_QUALIF_SRCH |
Click the List button on the PeopleSearch page. |
Add qualifications from the qualifications list. The functionality of this page is similar to that used when adding customers to the system. |
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RS_SO_COMP |
Click the Competency Tree button on the PeopleSearch page. |
Add qualifications from a competency tree. The functionality of this page is similar to that used when adding customers to the system. |
|
|
FO_REVERSE_SRCH |
Staffing, Search, Opportunity Search |
Search among current customers, contacts, and orders for potential new placements for existing employees. |
Using PeopleSearch
|
Start Date and End Date |
Enter the date range for which you want to check the resources' availability. Note. These fields appear only if the search type is configured to use an availability algorithm. |
|
Resource Group ID |
Select a group of resources on which to search. |
|
Add Resource Groups |
Click this link to add resource groups to your search possibilities. |
|
Max Candidates (maximum candidates) |
Enter the maximum number of candidates that you want to include in the search results. |
Qualifications
|
Type and Description |
Displays the overall qualification type, such as Competency, Degree, or Language, and the more specific description of the qualification.
|
|
Importance |
Indicate the relative importance of the qualification, such as Desired or Required. Required criteria filter non-matching records from the search results. Desired criteria does not filter records from the search results, but does impact their score. |
|
Years of Work Experience |
Enter the number of years of experience that the resource should have for the qualification. |
|
Proficiency |
Enter the level of proficiency for the qualification, such as 0-None, 1-Little, 2-Fair, 4-Very Good, or 5-Expert. |
|
Major |
The main field of study for degree qualification types. |
|
Details |
Click this link to enter specific location and proficiency details about language and license qualification types. Note. Other qualification types are not applicable to Staffing Front Office. |
|
Profile, List, and Competency Tree |
Click a button to add qualifications to the search criteria. The functionality of these buttons' destination pages is similar to those used when adding customers to the system. |
|
Search Also in Resume |
Select to have the system also search resumes for the qualifications. |
Configurable Fields
Configurable fields enable users to search on criteria other than qualifications. The criteria is defined through system configuration and can include fields such as zip code, city, personnel status, date hired, and so on.
|
Saved Search |
Select a saved search to use, and click the Go! button to retrieve the search criteria previously saved. |
Search Results
|
Qua. (qualifications score) |
Displays the percentage of the search criteria that the candidate matched. |
|
Avail. (availability score) |
Displays the percentage of time that the candidate is available between the start and end dates specified in the search criteria. |
|
Candidate Type |
Indicates whether the candidate is an applicant, or an employee or non-employee. |
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Name |
Displays the candidate's name. Click a link in this column to view the employee record. |
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Per Status (personnel status) |
Displays the candidate's personnel status: A (applicant), E (employee) or N (non-employee). |
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Status |
Displays the candidate's job status. Possible values include A (active) and T (terminated). |
|
Phone |
Displays the candidate's phone number. |
|
City |
Displays the candidate's city of residence. |
|
State |
Displays the candidate's state of residence. |
Using Opportunity Search
Access the Opportunity Search page.
Qualifications
|
Profile, List,and Competency Tree |
Add qualifications by clicking the appropriate button. Note. The functionality of these buttons and their destination pages is the same as those that you use when adding customers to the system. |
|
Search Orders, Search Customers and Search Contacts |
Select the appropriate check boxes to have the system search for resource requests, customers, and contacts that request the qualifications indicated in the opportunity search criteria. |
|
Max Results (maximum results) |
Enter the maximum number of records that you want to include in the search results. |
|
Qualifications and Preferences |
Enter the level at which the system weights these attributes. |
|
Qua. (qualifications score) |
The percentage of the qualification criteria specified in the search that the order, customer, or contact matched. |
|
Business Unit |
Business unit of the resource request found by the search. |
|
Service Order ID |
Service order ID of the resource request found by the search. |
|
Line |
Line number of the resource request found by the search. |
|
View |
Click the associated link to view additional information for the following:
|
|
Customer ID and Customer Name |
Displays the ID and name of the customer found by the opportunity search Click a View link to view the customer information in the customer component. |
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City,State, and Postal Code |
These fields are related to the customer address. |
|
Contact ID, Contact Name, and Phone |
The ID, name, and phone number of the contact found by the opportunity search. Click the View link to view the contact information in the contact component. |
Order Fields
The order fields are configurable and enable users to search on criteria other than qualifications. The criteria is defined through system configuration and can include fields such as business unit, service user, order status, and so on. For each field specified, indicate whether the criteria is Required or Desired.
Customer Fields
The customer fields are configurable and enable users to search on criteria other than qualifications. The criteria is defined through system configuration and can include fields such as zip code, city, state, and so on. For each field specified, indicate whether the criteria is Required or Desired.
Contact Fields
The contact fields are configurable and enable users to search on criteria other than qualifications. The criteria is defined through system configuration and can include fields such as phone number (for area code searches), contact owner, and so on. For each field specified, indicate whether the criteria is Required or Desired.
Selecting Required Versus DesiredSelect the fields to be required by selecting the Required option next to the corresponding search criteria. These required fields narrow the result set. Items that do not meet these required criteria will not appear in the result set.
The Desired option does not exclude records from the result set. Rather, those items that match criteria marked as desired have a higher score than the records that do not match that criteria.
Note. Selecting the Desired option neither extends nor narrows the result set. It only increases or decreases the result displayed in the Score field accordingly.
How the System Scores ResultsThe system performs calculations and returns results based on three scores: qualifications, preferences, and availability (the availability score can only be calculated for PeopleSearch and PeopleMatch).
In the search pages, the user can define the weight that qualifications, preferences, and availability have in the consolidated score. Additionally, when configuring the searches, you can associate each factor with a weight within its factor family.
The system calculates scores differently based on how a user enters their search criteria. A weighted average is calculated for each row in the result set.
If a user enters search criteria for four fields, the system assigns 25 percent of the total score to each field. If in one of the fields the user enters a list of key words connected by AND or OR, the system assigns the results a fraction of the 25 percent total for the field following these rules:
If a user enters the Desired and AND conditions for a search field, the system calculates the score based on the number of values that match. For example if they enter three values in the search criteria and the record matches only one value, the record receives a score of 33 percent of the 25 percent associated with the search field.
If a user enters the Desired and OR conditions for a search field using three values in the search criteria and the record matches only one value , the record receives a score of 100 percent of the 25 percent associated with the search field.
If a user enters the Required and AND conditions for a search field using three values in the search criteria, the system returns only those rows that meet all values and scores the record 100 percent of the 25 percent associated with the search field.
If a user enters the Required and OR conditions for a search field using three values in the search criteria, the system returns all rows that meet at least one value and scores the record at 100 percent of the 25 percent associated with the search field.
Using Free Form FieldsFree form fields do not allow users to select a value from a prompt when entering search criteria. Examples of free form fields include descriptions, city, or keywords to search within resumes.
In the PeopleMatch and PeopleSearch search configuration, use the RESUME_TEXT field to search keywords within resume documents.
When entering values in free form fields, you can enter a value or a partial value.
Partial Values
To enter a partial value, use wildcards to define the value according to the following guidelines:
|
* |
Specifies zero or more alphanumeric characters. |
|
? |
Specifies one alphanumeric character. |
Here are three examples of wildcard usage:
City: New*
In this example, the city must start with New (for example, New York or New Orleans).
City: *Orleans*
In this example, the city must contain Orleans (for example, New Orleans).
Postal: 94???
In this example, the postal code must start with 94 and continue with three more alphanumeric characters (for example, 94111).
Note. You determine whether your search is case-sensitive by the value you enter. For example, if you do not want to differentiate between New York, new york, and NEW YORK, enter NEW YORK or new york in the field. If you enter a string in sentence case (such as New York), the search on that field will be case sensitive.
Searching Using the Logical AND and OR
Within a particular search criterion, you can include multiple values and string them together with either an OR or an AND. If you string values together with an AND and you mark the criterion as required, then the system returns only search results that possess all of the criteria entered. No additional configuration is required to use this feature. You may not include AND and OR in the criteria for the same field. Also, the system does not support the use of parentheses.
Note. To search for the word OR or AND (for example, if you search for people living in Oregon and the state code is OR), enclose OR (which corresponds to the state abbreviation) within quotation marks to differentiate it from the logical OR.
You can search for values that are greater than or less than the value entered. This is useful when searching on dates (such as checking for availability) or numbers (for example, number of assignments). To use this feature, you must establish the field as available for a comparative search when setting up your search configuration.
Note. Searching on a field using a comparative search results in lower performance.
Combination Search for Test Scores
Test scores are divided into two categories, based on the type of values that can be entered:
Range:
The values are divided in ranges that are presented as options when searching. No comparison operator is provided, and a rating of better than is the only option.
Pass/Fail:
Radio buttons indicate whether the person passed or failed the test.
A few fields are available on the search pages where you might want to search for a combination of values. For example, when a user is searching for applicants that obtained a certain score in a particular test, the user needs to specify not only the score, but also the test. This is called a combination search because a relationship exists between the two fields involved in the search. If these fields are included in the search configuration, the system displays two fields on the search page (one next to the other and separated by a comparison operator). In this example, the fields are Test and Score.
This functionality is limited in that Verity, which has a limitation of 256 fields per collection, counts each field value as a separate field.
For example, if the TEST field has 3 values (Typing, Filing, and Math), the system counts this as three fields towards the 256 field limitation for the collection. This means that the total number of fields in the search configuration, plus the total number of values for the first field of each search pair, must be fewer than 256.
Note. Including combination search fields in the search configuration, even when the number of fields remains below the Verity limitation, could adversely affect performance.