Contents of this article:
What is a CSV?
.CSV stands for "Comma Separated Values" and is a format whereby data is separated by commas. In order for the file to be read, it is vital that this format is followed, with no extraneous spaces or disallowed characters. These will prevent the file from being imported.
Why use a CSV?
If you have multiple users to create, then using a CSV can create all the users at once, saving you lots of time.
Creating users via CSV
Clicking the Download CSV will provide you with a CSV file that contains all of the users currently in your organization. The file is in a particular format that must be maintained in order for it to be interpreted by our system.
You can add additional users to this file, and then upload it to our system in order to perform a bulk import of users. Do not remove users who are already listed in the CSV.
The fields used in the user data CSV are as follows:
- User ID
- Username
- Email Address
- First Name
- Last Name
- License Type
- Tag
With commas separating each of these fields, a CSV record for a user might look like this:
0001,JohnTestman,testman@irisconnect.com,John,Testman,Teacher,Maths
You can open CSV files in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets to view and edit them easily, but make sure you save it in .CSV format when you are done.
The best way to check the validity of a CSV file is to open it in Notepad and make sure there are no extraneous spaces or punctuation.
Once this is confirmed, you can upload the CSV file using the Upload CSV+ button. Any problems with the CSV import will be displayed per user. Click the info button for more information on the errors.
Common Errors
A field is missing:
Incomplete fields
Here, we have the column headers on the Line 1 and beneath it is the user's information. Line 2 contains the first user's information, who is pre-existing. These details were already in the file when it was downloaded. Line 3 is a new addition. As shown, the last name of the user was not entered. The required fields are: Username, Email, First Name, Last Name, and License Type (Standard or Student). Once the Last Name field is filled in, this user will upload successfully.
Removing existing users from the CSV
Once you've downloaded the CSV with existing users, do not edit/alter the current information. Only input user information that is being added presently. If you delete a user that currently exists under this organisation, you will get an extensive error like the one below, as that user's information fields are now empty.
Wrong format
Here, the column "License Type" was removed and therefore none of the users on the CSV will successfully upload. Ensure all columns are present when uploading the CSV.
Duplicate value:
The users from Line 2 and 3 share emails, therefore this upload will not be successful. Each username and email must be unique.
The user doesn't exist:
Here, a User ID on Line 3 was made up and manually entered it into the column. To rectify this issue, remove the ID number in the new user's row. You do not need to input any data here, the platform will autogenerate a user ID when the user is uploaded.
Value already taken:
Here, the user on Line 3 was added, however, that user already exists on the platform. This is probably the most common error you will encounter, if you are adding a lot of users by CSV, you may come across a few that already have accounts. To fix this, delete the user you just added from the CSV or use a different username/email for them.
Invalid input format:
Here, a user was added on Line 3 and "Admin" was entered for their License Type. This is not a valid option for this column. The two options for License type are 'Standard' or 'Student.'
Wrong file type:
Please ensure that your file type is a CSV. Your file name will end with ".csv"
If your file type is not a CSV, the platform will not recognize it and your request will not be completed.
If the platform is happy with the proposed CSV changes, it will appear like the image below.
Will Create appears in place of any errors if you had encountered any errors previously.
