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Duplicate IDs

Review this page for information on reporting, resolving, and preventing duplicate CAESAR EMPL IDs.

What are duplicate CAESAR EMPL IDs?

An individual has Duplicate EMPL IDs when he/she has two or more EMPL IDs in CAESAR. EMPL IDs created in CAESAR begin with the numeral 2 or 3 and are seven digits long. EMPL IDs created in myHR begin with the numeral 1 and are also seven digits long. Sometimes the myHR (1-xxxxxx) EMPL IDs are copied over to CAESAR. Sometimes the CAESAR (3-xxxxxx) EMPL IDs are used in myHR if the HR admin did a search to find an already existing EMPL ID for a new employee.

In contrast, an individual has Multiple EMPL IDs when he/she has only one EMPL ID in CAESAR and has only one EMPL ID in myHR. In most cases, these two EMPL IDs can co-exist at Northwestern with no issues and do NOT need to be resolved. Many employees and students currently have multiple EMPL IDs across the two enterprise systems.

How to Report Duplicate CAESAR EMPL IDs

  1. Go to the SES EMPL ID Merge Request Form. Any valid NetID user should be able to access and submit this form.
  2. Fill out the required fields—it is required to name the business impact and why the duplicate needs to be resolved now—and provide any notes that might be useful in the analysis.  If there is conflicting data in the record, which is correct? By when must the duplicate be resolved? Submit the form.
  3. Fill out other fields, including NetIDs and academic careers, as this information helps all business units determine whether external systems are affected (e.g., Kellogg must also resolve any duplicates in their external system on the same day SES resolves a duplicate of a Kellogg student).

Upon Submission of the Web Form

  • A support ticket will be created and assigned to the SES system analysts.

  • The “SES Duplicate” distribution group will be automatically cc’ed on the ticket to maintain visibility of duplicate reporting and resolution.

Important note about accessing the "SES EMPL ID Merge Request" web form:

If you are having trouble accessing the form (e.g., receiving a “Forbidden” error), turn off the wireless on your workstation. You may also have to clear your web cache and restart your browser.

For questions that might require input from a much larger group of university representatives across many business units, send an email to the “SES Duplicate” distribution group (type “SES Duplicate” into Outlook).

How Reported Duplicate CAESAR EMPL IDs are Resolved

  1. The SES system analysts review the ticket and communicate with users and/or business units to collect any additional information needed. Usually, the entire “SES Duplicate” group will NOT need to be included on these fact-gathering emails. Important data that is considered includes, but is not limited to, the following: bio/demo, student financials, enrollments, Visa/Permit for an international student, HR payroll data that might exist under the EMPL in myHR, NetIDs and NU email in use by student, etc.
  2. If student financials or payroll data is attached to either or both IDs, the system analysts will ask student financials and/or Human Resources (HR) to resolve that data before the IDs are merged. These are the most time-consuming cases. The student financials office will also coordinate, as needed, with Registrar’s and Financial Aid Offices to resolve data. The International Office is contacted if Visa data is connected to an ID that will be retired. The appropriate Admissions Office is contacted when an application may need to be deleted and moved to a retained EMPL ID.
  3. Once the financials/enrollment data is resolved, an SES Developer will be assigned to retire the extra ID and contact the Identity Management (IDM) and SES security teams for any NetID adjustments. If the student has taken Kellogg classes, Kellogg will also be contacted so that they can resolve the duplicate in their external system.
  4. A final email will be sent to the SES Duplicate distribution group once the duplicates are resolved.
  • Note that retired ID data is marked with "DUP" in the first and last name field. Typically, retired EMPLs are not deleted entirely due to auditing concerns.

How to Prevent Duplicate and Multiple EMPL IDs

Search for existing student records via the Search/Match component in SES in order to prevent Duplicate EMPL IDs.

Why do you need Search/Match? The Search/Match component allows you to determine whether a person already exists in CAESAR. When you add an applicant/student to your program in CAESAR (e.g., via Add Application, Quick Admit, Add a Person), you can use the person’s existing EMPL ID instead of creating a new one. Creating a new, duplicate record would be subject to a lengthy duplicate resolution process that is inconvenient for the student and for numerous NU offices.

Consistent and careful use of this component will reduce the number of duplicate IDs created. For additional documentation, see the Search/Match Tip Sheet.

Pay attention to warning messages regarding data that already exists in myHR (the HR system) in order to prevent Multiple EMPL IDs.

A database link between CAESAR and myHR exists in order to check for matching Social Security numbers (SSNs) between the two systems.

  1. If the SSN you entered for an applicant/student/person already exists in CAESAR, you will be blocked from creating the new ID; instead, you should use the EMPL ID that is presented to you in the error message.
  2. If the SSN you entered for an applicant/student/person already exists in myHR, you will see a warning message. The warning message will present the name, birth date, and ID of the person in myHR. If you determine that this is the same person, do NOT create a new ID in CAESAR. Instead, copy the myHR ID from the warning message and use the ID in the new applicant/student/person record in CAESAR.
  3. You may also receive a warning message regarding a myHR EMPL with a matching SSN when you are attempting to save other changes to an already existing record in CAESAR. In these few cases, it is acceptable to click “OK” and bypass the warning message since the multiple EMPL IDs already exist for the student across the two systems.

If you have doubts while creating any new ID in CAESAR or myHR, please contact consultant@northwestern.edu