Add Bulk Data

Add Bulk Data lets you import multiple students at once using a CSV file. This is ideal for the start of a new academic year, school migrations, or any scenario where you need to enrol dozens or hundreds of students efficiently.

Add Bulk Data — select class section, then upload your CSV file

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Upload Students via CSV

1

Navigate to Students → Add Bulk Data

From the sidebar, expand **Students** and click **Add Bulk Data**.

2

Select Session Year and Class Section

Choose the **Session Year** and **Class Section** from the dropdowns. All students in this CSV will be assigned to the same class section. If you need different class sections, perform separate uploads.

3

Download the Sample CSV

Click the **Download Sample File** button to get a pre-formatted CSV template with the correct column headers.

4

Prepare your CSV file

Open the sample file in a spreadsheet application (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc) and fill in your student data. See the **CSV Columns** section below for details on each column.

5

Upload the CSV

Click **Choose File** and select your prepared CSV (accepted file types: `.csv`, `.txt`). Then click **Submit** to start the import.

6

Review results

After processing, the system shows a **success count** (students imported) and an **error count** (rows that failed, with details about each error).

One class section per upload

Each CSV upload assigns all students to the same class section. If you need to enrol students into different class sections, perform separate uploads for each.

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CSV Columns

Field	Type	Required	Description
first_name	text	Required	Student first name
last_name	text	Required	Student last name
mobile	text	Optional	Student phone number
gender	text	Required	Must be "male" or "female" (lowercase)
dob	date	Required	Date of birth. Accepted formats: DD-MM-YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY
admission_date	date	Required	Admission date in the same format as DOB
current_address	text	Required	Current residential address
permanent_address	text	Required	Permanent home address
guardian_email	email	Required	Guardian email address. If an account with this email exists, the student is linked to the existing guardian
guardian_first_name	text	Required	Guardian first name
guardian_last_name	text	Required	Guardian last name
guardian_mobile	text	Required	Guardian phone number

Custom Field Columns (optional)

Any columns after guardian_mobile are treated as custom form field data. The column header must match the custom field name (with spaces replaced by underscores).

Example: If you have a custom field called "Blood Group", add a column named blood_group after the guardian_mobile column.

Sample CSV Structure

first_name	last_name	mobile	gender	dob	admission_date	current_address	permanent_address	guardian_email	guardian_first_name	guardian_last_name	guardian_mobile	blood_group
John	Doe	+237600000001	male	15-03-2010	01-09-2025	123 Main St	123 Main St	parent@email.com	Jane	Doe	+237600000002	O+
Alice	Smith		female	22-07-2011	01-09-2025	456 Oak Ave	456 Oak Ave	parent2@email.com	Bob	Smith	+237600000003	A-

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How It Works Behind the Scenes

For each row in the CSV, the system:

1. Creates a new user account (using first_name + admission_no as the email/login)
2. Sets the default password to the admission number
3. Creates or links the guardian account (by email lookup)
4. Creates the student record linked to the selected class section and session year
5. Stores any custom field data

Admission number

The admission number is auto-generated from the student's first name and a unique identifier. It serves as the student login credential.

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Common Errors and Solutions

Error	Cause	Solution
"The first_name field is required"	Empty first name cell	Fill in all required fields
"The guardian_email has already been taken"	Guardian email conflicts with a non-guardian user	Use a different email or check the existing account
"The dob is not a valid date"	Date format not recognized	Use DD-MM-YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY consistently
"The gender must be male or female"	Capitalized or misspelled gender	Use lowercase: male or female
Row skipped silently	Completely empty row in CSV	Remove blank rows from the spreadsheet

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Tips for a Smooth Import

• Always use the sample file as your starting template
• Keep the column headers exactly as provided — do not rename or reorder standard columns
• Save as CSV (Comma delimited) — not Excel (.xlsx)
• Remove any formatting, merged cells, or formulas from the spreadsheet before saving
• Test with a small batch (5-10 students) before importing the full list
• Keep a backup of your CSV file for reference

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Related Pages

• Student Admission — Add students one at a time
• Upload Profile Images — Add student photos after bulk import
• Student Details — View and verify imported students
• Custom Fields — Configure the custom field columns for your CSV