Importing Data - File requirements (not SIMS.net)
Andy Larking
Last Update 2 years ago
This guide is for sites looking to import parent data manually (not from SIMS.net). If you are using SIMS.net, please see this guide.
You will need to export the data from your MIS and if required adjust in Excel to exactly match the format below. The file will then need to be saved in a csv file format. For each student you will need a separate row for each parent/subject/class that they are allocated to. The ID columns are important to link the data together and are usually MIS generated and do not change (highlighted in yellow). Typically, for each student you will probably have multiple rows for each subject/class with columns A to N setup identically.
In this example,
Student Ella-Marie Baker has a single parent contact (Julia Baker), and has 5 Classes.
Student Alex West has two parent contacts (Simon West & Jennifer West), and has 2 Classes
Column Headers must match the example file (See sample CSV file download).
| Column | Column Header | Description | Notes |
| A | ID | Student ID | Usually MIS generated. Must be unique for each Student |
| B | Forename | Student Forename | |
| C | Surname | Student Surname | |
| D | ID | Parent ID | Usually MIS generated. Must be unique for each Parent |
| E | (Contact) Priority | MIS Parent contact priority | |
| F | Parental responsibility | Used to identify whether the parental contact is considered a parent | Value either T = True, F = False |
| G | Lives with Pupil | Used to identify parents who do not live at same address as their child (but may have parental responsibility) | Value either T = True, F = False |
| H | Title | Parent Title | |
| I | Forename | Parent Forename | |
| J | Surname | Parent Surname | |
| K | (Contact) Home Email | Parent email address | Can be blank if Column M is used |
| L | Main Telephone | Parent main telephone number | Required if column N is empty |
| M | Primary Email | Parent email address | Can be used if Column K is blank |
| N | Mobile number | Parent mobile number | Can be blank. Essential if planning ‘Phone’ meetings |
| O | ID | Class ID | Usually MIS generated. Must be unique for each class |
| P | (Class) Class Name | Class Name / subject reference | |
| Q | ID | Teacher ID | Usually MIS generated. Must be unique for each teacher |
| R | Title | Teacher Title | |
| S | Preferred Forename | Teacher Forename | |
| T | Preferred Surname | Teacher Surname | |
| U | Subject ID | Subject ID | Usually MIS generated. Must be unique for each teacher |
| V | Subject | Subject desciption |
If you are unsure about your data, please contact our customer services team