This article will introduce you to the Bulk Student Upload & Update Tool, which allows admin users to create new student users or update existing student users in bulk. This article includes basic step-by-step instructions, an in-depth training video, an FAQ section, a list of error types that may be returned, and a detailed explanation of the basic field inputs to be used. Note that this tool is located in the "Data Uploads" module of your site, and is distinct from the limited Bulk Update feature available via the Student Directory. If you only need to add one or two students, you can do so via the Manage Users page.
Sections
- Training Video
- Accessing the Data Upload Tool
- Step-by-step Instructions (Update Existing Students)
- Clear Attribute Values
- Enhanced Performance and Error Handling
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Error Types
- Fields, Types, and Information
**To ensure data quality on your platform, please review this article in full and watch the introductory video before utilizing the Bulk Student Upload Tool.**
Training Video
If you have not already reviewed the "Data Uploads (Students & Alumni): 12twenty On-Demand Training" video, we highly encourage you to do so.
Accessing the Data Upload Tool
- Select Site Management and then Data Uploads on the left-hand navigation panel.
- Select Download CSV Template to download the "Students" template.
- Add your data into the template, making sure to leave the column headers unchanged. Please refer to the "Student Upload Template Field Types & Information" table below for detailed information on each field and its required format.
- Pro tip: The required fields for new student upload are the same as the required fields to add a new student user via the Manage Users page
- Pro tip: The required fields for new student upload are the same as the required fields to add a new student user via the Manage Users page
- Save the template file as a CSV.
Be sure to keep the "CSV" file format, as the tool does not accept Excel files.
- Upload the document by selecting + New Upload on the bulk student upload page, then select Student for Entity Type, and Add New for the Upload Method.
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The upload will be added to the list of data uploads, and the status will be listed in the Status column. Navigate to the upload detail page by selecting the "date and time" link in the "Created" column, where detailed information about the upload can be found. If the status shows "Pending" or "Invalid" please look into the upload details to view if any errors were detected.
Step-by-step Instructions (Update Existing Students):
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From the Site Management options on the left-hand navigation panel, select Manage Users. Select the Bulk Student Upload button.
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Select the Download CSV Template button to download the Student template.
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Add your data into the template, making sure to leave the column headers unchanged. The unique identifier used by the bulk update tool is Student Identifier (i.e. Email Address or 12twenty ID). This, along with the fields that you would like to update or add data to, are the only columns that need to be completed.
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Save the template file.
Be sure to keep the "CSV" file format, as the tool does not accept Excel files. -
Upload the document by selecting + New Upload on the bulk student upload page, then select "Students" for Entity Type, and "Update Existing" for the upload method.
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The upload will be added to the list of data uploads, and the status will be listed in the Status column. Navigate to the upload detail page by selecting the date and time in the "Created" column, where detailed information about the upload can be found.
Clear Attribute Values
Admins can clear attribute values using the Data Upload Tool! By processing an "update existing" file and using the value "(null)" in your template, you can remove values from records.
For example, to remove a student's Assigned Adviser, the update file might look like this:
| Student Identifier | Assigned Adviser |
|---|---|
| john.doe@email.com | (null) |
Once uploaded, this file will clear the Assigned Adviser for the specified student.
Enhanced Performance and Error Handling
The 12twenty Data Upload Tool has been optimized with faster processing and more intelligent error handling.
Key Updates:
- Row-Level Validation: Instead of validating the entire file before uploading, the tool now validates data row by row. If a row passes validation, it is immediately uploaded.
- Error Skipping: Rows containing errors are skipped, allowing valid rows to proceed without delay.
- Error File Export: At the end of the upload process, skipped rows are provided in an Error File (.csv). This file includes an additional Error column with details of issues needing resolution.
Benefits:
- Streamlined Workflow: Corrected error files can be re-uploaded without additional formatting. The Error column is ignored during processing, so no need to remove it.
- Faster Upload Times: Immediate upload of valid data minimizes wait times.
Example of the Error File:
| Student Identifier | Field with Error | Error |
|---|---|---|
| jane.doe@email.com | Assigned Adviser | Invalid value |
To complete your upload, correct the errors listed and re-upload the error file.
FAQs:
Is there a limit to the number of students we can update/upload at one time?
Yes, the number of records that can be uploaded in a single upload is 5,000.
Does the student upload tool support custom fields?
Yes. The custom fields will appear at the end of the template in the format of "customattr_XXX/NAME OF CUSTOM FIELD." The input and picklists will vary, so please check your site for more information.
Example: 'Favorite Color (Custom)'
Can I leave columns in the template without any data, or do I have to delete empty columns from the template before uploading?
Columns can be left in the template without any data. They do not need to be deleted before uploading.
Which file types are accepted by the upload tool?
.CSV file format only.
I am getting an error that my picklist option does not exist, what do I do?
The picklist option will need to be added to the picklist before uploading. For more information on picklists, please see this article. See "Error Type 2" notes below in the "Error Types" section for information on the error.
HELP!!! I uploaded the wrong students or need to delete the students I just uploaded and start over, what do I do?
Please refer to the "Deleting Multiple Student Users" section of the following article. You can delete up to 500 users in bulk at a time via the Student Directory.
What is a "partial" upload status?
This means that all of the data is correct (no errors with any values in the fields), and users were uploaded, but there were one or more students that could not be uploaded because the student already exists on the platform. For example, if you upload 100 students, and 10 of the students already exist on the platform, you will receive a "Partial" upload status, with 90 being uploaded and 10 being omitted. Check the detail page of the upload for more information.
Which field is used as the unique identifier when updating students in bulk
Email Address or 12twenty ID
I accidentally updated students with incorrect information. Can I reverse the upload?
No, uploads cannot be reversed. You can re-upload the correct file by updating the records with the correct information. If you do not have the original values, the information cannot be restored. The best course of action to restore the data will be to review the Audit Logs of every student that was updated to retrieve the value prior to processing the data upload.
If I upload a file that includes students that already exist on the platform, will it add them twice?
The system will fail the upload if it includes email addresses that already exist in the platform. You will want to remove duplicate records before you upload the document.
One way to find duplicates would be to go to your Student & Alumni directory, select the ellipsis button and "Export All". You can use this spreadsheet to compare your list of new students to your list of existing students and remove the duplicates.
When we do this, we usually concatenate the first and last name values into a new column in Excel and Google Sheets and highlight duplicates so that we can easily remove them. If you do not know how to do this already, there are a ton of resources for using Excel and Google Sheets online!
Error Types:
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Error Type 1 - ST001: The email address you have specified already exists
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A student with this email address already exists on the platform. Student accounts cannot have the same email address.
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Error Type 2 - ST002: The unique id you have specified already exists
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A student with this unique ID already exists on the platform. Student accounts cannot have the same unique ID.
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Error Type 3 - ST003: An email address must be specified for a student
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"Email address" is a required field for the bulk student upload tool
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Error Type 4 - ST005: The last name must contain at least one alphanumeric character
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"Last name" is a required field for the bulk student upload tool
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Error Type 5 - ST011: Active is a required field
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"is_enrolled/Active" is a required field for the bulk student upload tool. Default is "Yes."
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Error Type 6 - Email Address is not valid
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Email address must be in "email@address.com" format
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Error Type 7 - "Missing or Invalid Program"
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The program listed in the "program/Program" column is either an invalid picklist option or is missing from the upload.
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Error Type 8 - "NAME OF ATTRIBUTE: Picklist option 'EXAMPLE' does not exist for picklist 'NAME OF PICKLIST'.
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This error means that an invalid picklist option was input into the template. For example, if you input "Special work auth" into the "consolidated_work_authorization/Work Authorization (Consolidated)" column for a student, you would see the following error as there are only 2 options supported for this field, "Permanent Work Authorization" and "Non-Permanent Work Authorization"
- Error Example - Work Authorization (Consolidated): Picklist option 'EXAMPLE' does not exist for picklist 'Work Authorization (Consolidated)'
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This error means that an invalid picklist option was input into the template. For example, if you input "Special work auth" into the "consolidated_work_authorization/Work Authorization (Consolidated)" column for a student, you would see the following error as there are only 2 options supported for this field, "Permanent Work Authorization" and "Non-Permanent Work Authorization"
Student Upload Template Field Types & Information:
| Column | Required? | Field Type | Sample Input | Notes |
| first_name/First Name | No | Plain Text | Johnny | |
| middle_name/Middle Name | No | Plain Text | Apple | |
| last_name/Last Name | Yes | Plain Text | Smith | |
| email_address/Email Address | Yes | Email Address | johnny.smith@school.edu | |
| unique_id/Unique Id | No | Plain Text (no spaces) | 938758 | |
| graduation_year/MBA Graduation Year | Yes | Number | 2019 | |
| graduation_term/Graduation Term | Yes | Plain Text | Sping 2019 | Must include both the "Term" and the calendar year of the graduation date. For example, for the "Winter" term in the class of 2019, with graduation date of "12/1/2018," the graduation term is "Spring 2018." |
| is_enrolled/Active | Yes | Plain Text (Radio Button) | Yes | Always set this value to "Yes" |
| program/Program | Yes | Plain Text (Picklist) | "FTMBA" "JD" or "Centralized" | Undergraduate/graduate career centers must specify "Centralized" in this field |
| degree_level/Degree Level | Yes (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Bachelors | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| college_1/College/School 1 | Yes (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Bachelors | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| college_2/College/School 2 | Yes (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Bachelors | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| college_3/College/School 3 | Yes (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Bachelors | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| consolidated_undergrad_major_1/Undergraduate Major - Consolidated 1 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Business | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. Options are Business, Technical or Other |
| consolidated_undergrad_major_2/Undergraduate Major - Consolidated 2 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Business | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. Options are Business, Technical or Other |
| consolidated_undergrad_major_3/Undergraduate Major - Consolidated 3 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Business | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. Options are Business, Technical or Other |
| consolidated_undergrad_major_4/Undergraduate Major - Consolidated 4 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Business | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. Options are Business, Technical or Other |
| consolidated_undergrad_major_5/Undergraduate Major - Consolidated 5 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Business | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. Options are Business, Technical or Other |
| undergrad_major_1/Major/Academic Program 1 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | History | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_major_2/Major/Academic Program 2 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | History | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_major_3/Major/Academic Program 3 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | History | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_major_4/Major/Academic Program 4 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | History | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_major_5/Major/Academic Program 5 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | History | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_minor_1/Undergraduate Minor 1 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Communications | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_minor_2/Undergraduate Minor 2 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Communications | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_minor_3/Undergraduate Minor 3 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Communications | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_minor_4/Undergraduate Minor 4 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Communications | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| undergrad_minor_5/Undergraduate Minor 5 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | Communications | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| degree_1/Degree 1 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | BA | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| degree_2/Degree 2 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | BA | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| degree_3/Degree 3 | No (Centralized Only) | Plain Text (Picklist) | BA | For centralized customers only. Not applicable to law or business schools. |
| academic_track/Academic Track | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Section 1 | |
| assigned_advisor_1/Assigned Adviser 1 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Susan Harris | Specify the name of the adviser only, no email address |
| assigned_advisor_2/Assigned Adviser 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Susan Harris | Specify the name of the adviser only, no email address |
| assigned_advisor_3/Assigned Adviser 3 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Susan Harris | Specify the name of the adviser only, no email address |
| assigned_advisor_4/Assigned Adviser 4 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Susan Harris | Specify the name of the adviser only, no email address |
| assigned_advisor_5/Assigned Adviser 5 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Susan Harris | Specify the name of the adviser only, no email address |
| consolidated_work_authorization/Work Authorization (Consolidated) | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Permanent Work Authorization | Options are "Permananet Work Authorization" or "Non-Permanent Work Authorization" |
| consolidated_years_experience/Years Experience (Consolidated) | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | One year or less | Options are: 1) One year or less 2) More than one year, up to three years 3) More than three years, up to five years 4) More than five years |
| country_of_citizenship/Country of Citizenship | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | United States (USA) | |
| date_of_birth/Date of Birth | No | Plain Text (Date) | 9/3/1982 | |
| gender/Gender | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Female | |
| gmat_score/GMAT Score | No | Plain Text (Number | 700 | |
| gpa/MBA GPA | No | Plain Text (Number | 3.6 | |
| include_in_resume_book/Opt In for Candidate Search | No | Plain Text (Radio Button) | Yes | |
| joint_degree/Joint Degree | No | Plain Text (Radio Button) | Yes | Only used if enabled for your site instance. To view this field, go to a student profile Background edit "Education" information |
| joint_degree_type/Joint Degree Type | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | MBA/MD | Only used if enabled for your site instance. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit "Education" information |
| languages_spoken_1/Language(s) Spoken 1 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Spanish | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit Background information |
| languages_spoken_2/Language(s) Spoken 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Spanish | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit Background information |
| languages_spoken_3/Language(s) Spoken 3 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Spanish | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit Background information |
| linked_in_profile_url/LinkedIn URL | No | Plain Text | https://www.linkedin.com/johnnysmith | |
| mba_concentration_1/MBA Concentration 1 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | Only used if enabled for your site instance. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit "Education" information |
| mba_concentration_2/MBA Concentration 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | Only used if enabled for your site instance. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit "Education" information |
| preferred_city_1/Desired City 1 | No | Plain Text (City - ST abrv.) | Los Angeles - CA | Must use "City" + State Abreviation format |
| preferred_city_2/Desired City 2 | No | Plain Text (City - ST abrv.) | Los Angeles - CA | Must use "City" + State Abreviation format |
| preferred_city_3/Desired City 3 | No | Plain Text (City - ST abrv.) | Los Angeles - CA | Must use "City" + State Abreviation format |
| preferred_city_4/Desired City 4 | No | Plain Text (City - ST abrv.) | Los Angeles - CA | Must use "City" + State Abreviation format |
| preferred_city_5/Desired City 5 | No | Plain Text (City - ST abrv.) | Los Angeles - CA | Must use "City" + State Abreviation format |
| preferred_consolidated_industry_1/Desired Industry 1 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_industry_2/Desired Industry 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_industry_3/Desired Industry 3 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_industry_4/Desired Industry 4 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_industry_5/Desired Industry 5 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_job_function_1/Desired Function 1 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Management | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_job_function_2/Desired Function 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Management | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_job_function_3/Desired Function 3 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Management | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_job_function_4/Desired Function 4 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Management | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_consolidated_job_function_5/Desired Function 5 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Management | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_country_1/Desired Country 1 | No | Plain Text (Country) | United States (USA) | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_country_2/Desired Country 2 | No | Plain Text (Country) | United States (USA) | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_country_3/Desired Country 3 | No | Plain Text (Country) | United States (USA) | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_country_4/Desired Country 4 | No | Plain Text (Country) | United States (USA) | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_country_5/Desired Country 5 | No | Plain Text (Country) | United States (USA) | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab Preferences |
| preferred_email_address/Alternate Email Address | Yes | Email Address | johnny.smith@gmail.com | |
| section/Section | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | Consulting | Only used if enabled for your site instance. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit "Education" information |
| student__role/User Role | Yes | Plain Text (Picklist) | Full Access | Default is "Full Access." To see additional user roles, select the "Gear Icon" Manage Users Student/Alumni User Roles |
| student_engagement/Engagement | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | 5 - Highly Engaged | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Admin tab |
| student_group_1/Student Group 1 | Yes if you have CSM modules. No, if you only have ODA (Outcome Survey and Reporting Module) | Plain Text (Picklist) | 1st Year MBA | Only used if your site instance has the CSM modules enabled. To see the list of Student Groups on your site, select the "Gear Icon" Site Settings "General" under "Career Services Management (CSM)" |
| student_group_2/Student Group 2 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | 2nd Year MBA | Only used if your site instance has the CSM modules enabled. To see the list of Student Groups on your site, select the "Gear Icon" Site Settings "General" under "Career Services Management (CSM)" |
| student_group_3/Student Group 3 | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | 3rd Year MBA | Only used if your site instance has the CSM modules enabled. To see the list of Student Groups on your site, select the "Gear Icon" Site Settings "General" under "Career Services Management (CSM)" |
| student_placeability/Placeability | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | 5 - Highly Likely | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Admin tab |
| work_authorization/Work Authorization (Detailed) | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | US Citizen or Permanent Resident | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit Background information |
| years_experience/Years of Experience | No | Plain Text (Picklist) | 2 yr - 1 month | See site for picklist options. To view this field, go to a student profile Background tab edit Background information |
| customattr_XXX/NAME OF CUSTOM FIELD | Varies | Varies | Custom fields can be added to the student background or the "Admin" section of their profile and may or may not be present in your upload template. |