The intended audience for this document is the Certification
Program Manager (referred to as the CPM) for an Accredited Certification Program
(referred to as the ACP) who wants to register
batches of IT Specialists for indirect certification within The Open Group IT Specialist Certification
Program (referred to as ITSC or the Program).
Indirect Certification within this Program occurs using an online web system.
This document provides an overview of the method for submitting batches of IT
Specialists to The Open Group ITSC program who have been certified internally within your organization's
program.
Batches of IT Specialist Certification Records are entered into the
system by uploading a file containing one or more records. Attributes, such
as each individual's default visibility on the register and how payment is to be
made, are set on a per-batch basis. Once a batch has been uploaded, the CPM (and
designated alternates) is able to track the certification status for each
individual using the Organization's ACP Resource Center webpage.
2. The ACP Resource Center
Once your organization has been accredited, the ACP Resource Center is available to
you for managing your accreditation and certification activities. The ACP Resource Center
can be found
by selecting the Home icon on your account page, which then displays
Organization Detailes, including the ACP registration status. Scroll down to
select the red-lettered link to the "Resource Center".
Example:
The ACP Resource Center provides the links to manage your ACP account and indirect certified individuals.
Here you will find link to the Billing Center predefined from your original
application. You can also define additional billing centers.
Example:
3. The Batch Upload Facility
The Batch Upload facility is available within the ACP Resource Center.
Uploading a batch of IT Specialists for indirect certification is a two stage process.
First, you upload a batch file to the web system. The batch file format
is defined later in this document.
Second, you process the batch file on the web system.
There are selections you can make each time you process a batch.
You can select the default visibility level
for the entries on the Directory of Certified IT Specialist. The default
value is confidential (also see section 7 below).
You can select the billing option for the batch (see later).
The batch upload screen is as follows. Note it also provides information
on recognized field codes for the client focus areas, technical focus areas and streams that
should be used within batches.
4. Billing Options
For each batch you can select the billing option as follows:
Individual payment by credit card: Each candidate will have to
supply credit card details when they enter the certification system
to accept the TMLA and become certified.
Monthly Invoicing to a specific billing center or business unit: This allows you to have
an invoice sent to an existing billing center, or define a new
billing center. When you define a billing center you are required
to provide sufficient details for an invoice to be issued. This
includes full contact information and a purchase order number.
The default Billing Center contact is defined as the Finance Contact in your
original application for accreditation.
Allocating to a billing center's Pre-Paid Discount Billing Group: This allows you to use pre-purchased Pre-Paid Discount Billing Group
from a billing center. Each candidate in the batch will use one credit from the Pre-Paid Discount Billing Group.
In the ACP Resource Center, you can create Billing Centers, or purchase a Pre-Paid Discount Billing Groups.
Create a new Billing Center:
Purchase Pre-Paid Discount Billing Group:
5. Batch File Format
The batch upload file must be a flat file in which each line of text contains a single candidate record.
The file may use Pipe, Comma or Tab delimiters, with NO embedded line breaks and NO header record.
Field #
Use
Format
Mandatory
1
Title (Mr./Mrs./Ms., etc.)
char(16)
Y
2
First name
char(30)
Y
3
Middle initials
char(8)
4
Last name
char(30)
Y
5
Job title
char(70)
6
Company name
char(70)
Y
7
Email address
char(120)
Y
8
Address - line #1
char(50)
Y
9
Address - line #2
char(50)
10
City/Town
char(30)
Y
11
State/Province
char(30)
12
ZIP code / Postal code
char(30)
Y
13
Country (for example USA, UK, etc. See the
pull-down list in
the Resource Center for all available values)
char(35)
Y
14
Telephone
char(30)
Y
15
Cell phone/Mobile
char(30)
16
Fax
char(30)
17
Employer address - line #1
char(50)
18
Employer address - line #2
char(50)
19
Employer City/Town
char(30)
20
Employer State/Province
char(30)
21
Employer ZIP code /Postal code
char(30)
22
Employer Country (for example USA, UK, etc. See the pull-down list in
the Resource Center for all available values)
char(35)
23
URL of employer web site
char(100)
24
Date of Certification or Last Re-certification within the ACP
date (dd-mm-yyyy)
Y
25
Client Focus Area
char(2)
Y
26
Technical Focus Area
char(2)
Y
27
Stream
char(2)
Y
28
Certification Level (1 or 2)
integer
Y
6. Two-digit Code of Client Focus Area, Technical Focus Area and Stream
Client Focus Areas
Code
Services
TS
Sales
SA
Support
SU
Training
TR
Technical Focus Areas
Code
Solution Development
DT
Solution Delivery
DY
Solution Development Streams
Code
Business Analysis
BA
Application Development
AD
Package Application Implementation
PA
Data Integration
DI
Infrastructure Design
ID
Testing
TE
Business Information Management
BI
Solution Delivery Streams
Code
Infrastructure and Application Management
SM
Storage Systems
SS
Networking Systems
NS
Server
SV
Cross Systems
CS
Application Development Products
DP
Application and Integration Middleware
AI
Data Management
DM
Content Management
CM
Portal and Collaboration
PC
7. The Search Facility
The search facility allows you to search on current and previously
certified individuals and those still in the process of certification.
The search fields are as follows:
Batch ID:
The identifier given by the web system to the batch uploaded.
Billing Center:
Selects individuals associated with the selected billing center.
Pre-paid Discount Billing Group:
Selects individuals associated with the selected pre-paid discount billing
group.
Initial payment arrangements:
Select from one of the values: Invoiced - individuals whose initial
certification fee is to be invoiced as per the billing center arrangements, Pre-paid
Discount Bulk Billed - individuals whose initial certification fee is
covered by a pre-paid package, Credit card - individuals who are
responsible for paying their initial certification fee by credit card, Credit
card and paid - individuals who have completed payment of their initial
certification fee by credit card, Any - selects individuals independent
of payment arrangements
Last name:
The individual's last name.
Status:
This field can be set to Any, Accepted, Certified, or Terminated. Accepted is the status for an individual
who has not yet accepted the terms of the trademark license
agreement. Once an individual has paid the certification fee (if paying via
credit card) and accepted the terms of the trademark
license agreement they become Certified. Terminated is for an
individual who was previously certified and has let the certification terminate,
typically due to failure to pay annual program participation fee and/or complete
re-certification process.
Certification Level: IT Specialist, Master IT Specialist,
or Either.
Client Focus Areas: Selects individuals with the selected Client Focus
Area(s).
Streams: Selects individuals with the selected Stream(s)
8. Visibility of Entries in the Directory of Certified IT Specialists
A certified individual has an optional Personal Confirmation Code (PCC)
which may be personally set/updated and given out as required.
An individual may choose one of the following settings:
(a) All details visible in the Directory of Certified IT Specialists
(b) Contact details suppressed in the Directory of Certified IT Specialists
(c) Not visible in the Directory of Certified IT Specialists
An entry with setting (b) will only reveal the contact details if a valid PCC is given.
An entry with setting (c) can only be found by searching the register and giving a
valid PCC.
9. Editorial changes
Issue
Date
Changes
1.1
March 28, 2008
The choice of Certification Level (1 or 2) has been moved from a process time
option to a field within the batch data file, thus allowing a batch to have
a mix of candidates at either level (if both are permitted by the ACP's scope).
1.2
March 16, 2009
Change to Batch File Format in Section 5 - field 11,
State/Province, is no longer mandatory, but should be provided where
applicable. Billing Options and Search facility descriptions updated to
align with current system functionality.
