How is the "Is Academic" flag used in the HR data Import?
Occasionally, we are asked whether it is necessary to have the Is Academic field correctly populated in the HR data Import. The simple answer is 'yes'.
Being able to distinguish your academic users from your non-academic users allows Elements to 'filter' in two important aspects:
Harvesting publications: only academic users will have a default search profile created and will be added to the synchronisation queue.
Reporting: you have the option of reporting only on academic users.
In addition, for organisations with an integrated repository and using the Elements Open Access Monitor, they should be aware that only users marked as 'Academic' will appear in the OA Monitor.
The alternatives – either not making the Is Academic field mandatory or not having the academic users marked correctly – would mean that:
publications would be harvested for every staff member at an institution, creating an unnecessary strain on your institution’s systems.
email notifications about pending publications would be sent to all staff
all reporting in the system would include publications for all staff
For further detail please see HR Data Import and Elements User Groups