How to: Bulk import event sessions – Civica Learning

You can use a CSV file to import a set of event sessions in a single operation.

The CSV file contains columns for each of the session properties. The properties you must provide are based on the type of session that you want to add. The columns in the import file are detailed in the table below.

Column	Data	Mandatory/Optional	Notes
Event external reference	The external reference of the event to which the sessions should be added	Mandatory	Events must be created prior to importing sessions, and must have an external reference to use the import feature
Start date	The start date for the session in dd/mm/yyyy format	Mandatory
Start time	The start time for the session in hh:mm format	Mandatory
End date	The end date for the session in dd/mm/yyyy format	Mandatory
End time	The end time for the session in hh:mm format	Mandatory
Enrolment deadline date	The enrolment deadline date for the session in dd/mm/yyyy format	Mandatory
Enrolment deadline time	The enrolment deadline time for the session in hh:mm format	Mandatory
Cancellation deadline date	The cancellation deadline date for the session in dd/mm/yyyy format	Mandatory
Cancellation deadline time	The cancellation deadline time for the session in hh:mm format	Mandatory
Available seats	The number of seats for the session	Mandatory
Type	The session type. Must be one of Other, Teams, Zoom Meeting, or Zoom Webinar	Optional	The default value is Other. This column must be left blank, or Other specified unless Teams or Zoom integration is configured
Location	The location for the session	Optional	Mandatory when the Type is Other (or not specified)
CPD learning hours	The number of CPD hours associated with the session	Optional
CPD points	The number of CPD points associated with the session	Optional
External reference	The external reference for the session	Optional	Require is you need to bulk import enrolment or attendance records for the session. Must be a unique value across all events, sessions, and other content items on your Civica Learning
Organiser override	The username of the organiser/host for a webinar	Optional	Only applies when using Teams or Zoom integration, and if not specified, the user performing the import will be the host/organiser for the webinar
Instructor	The username of the instructor for the session	Optional	Where multiple instructors are required you must add multiple Instructor columns. You must specify a single username in each column
Send instructor email	Either yes or no to indicate if the instructors and meeting host/organiser (where applicable) should be sent an email with the session details, after the session is created.	Optional	The default value is no
Send registered interest email	Either yes or no to indicate if any users who have registered interest in future sessions, should be emailed to inform them of this session being added, after the session is created.	Optional	The default value is no

To batch import event sessions

Log in to your Administration portal.
On the NAVIGATION pane, click Catalogue.
In the ACTIONS section, click Import sessions. The Import sessions dialog box appears as shown here.
In the Import sessions dialog box, click the download the template file link. The template CSV file contains the necessary set of column headings, specific to your lms instance.
When the file has downloaded, open the file in Excel, and enter the details for each session on a new row.

INFO: Excel is the preferred software to edit the CSV file, although other software is available.
On the File menu, click Save.
If the Microsoft Excel dialog box appears, asking Do you want to keep using that format?, click Yes.

IMPORTANT: It is very important that you maintain the file format as CSV and do not inadvertently create a native Excel file (.xls or .xlsx). To ensure the CSV file supports all possible characters, your file should be encoded as UTF-8 (UTF-8 is a Unicode format which can encode all possible characters).
Close the CSV file.
In the Import sessions dialog box, either drag-and-drop your CSV file containing the sessions onto the dialog box or click Browse to select the file.

INFO: To verify the CSV file contains valid data, select the Verify import file only check box. This will ensure that the input file is validated and an email containing processing errors is sent to you, but no changes are made to the lms catalogue store. This is a good way to ensure that the file is in the right format and contains valid data, without running the risk of inadvertently creating new sessions in the catalogue with invalid data.
Click Upload. Import processing now starts and you are sent an email which contains a link to view the processing status of the created sessions.
Once the upload is complete, click Close.
Open the email, click the report link, and then correct any identified issues in the CSV file.
In the Administration portal, in the ACTIONS section, click Import sessions.
In the Import sessions dialog box, click Browse.
In the Choose File to Upload dialog box, navigate to the CSV file location, click the file, and then click Open.
In the Import sessions dialog box, click Upload. Import processing now starts and you are sent an email which contains a link to view the processing status of the created sessions.
Once the upload is complete, click Close.

INFO: You cannot use the session import to bulk update existing sessions, this feature only allows you to create new sessions.