Data Import

Prepare Files

To prepare data files:

• Export data from your district or school's student information system (SIS).
• Enter information into a database or spreadsheet program.

When adding certain test scores or alumni data into Naviance, you can import files received from the National Student Clearinghouse, ACT, or College Board. Be sure to import the College Board file in the same format as downloaded.

Prepare separate files for each type of data that you are importing.

Use the Naviance import templates, found in the PowerSchool Community, as a guide when preparing your data files.

• Enter each data field in a separate column.
• Ensure each record is on a separate row.
• Confirm that commas have not been included in any data field when using a CSV file.
• Ensure each application is on a separate row when importing application data. Your data file may include several rows of data for the same student.

Data File Example

Save data files in one of these formats:

• Comma-separated (CSV)
• Tab-delimited (TXT)

If any fields contain special characters such as Ò, ñ, or ë save the file as a CSV UTF-8 to ensure the special characters display correctly in Naviance.

Confirm your data file is:

• Fewer than 15,000 records. If more than 15,000 records, set up an automated import. 
• 5MB or less if importing manually from the district-level.
• 25MB or less if uploading via cURL from the district-level.

Compress files in ZIP format if importing a file that exceeds the size limit for a manual import or cURL. When importing ZIP archives, ensure:

• The ZIP archive contains only one file.
• The name of that file is identical to the name of the ZIP archive.
• The extension is .txt or .csv, not .zip. For example, if you are importing a ZIP archive called students.zip, the ZIP archive must contain students.txt or students.csv.

Understand Import Rules

When importing certain types of data at the school or district level, you may be prompted to set import rules during the data import process.

Student Data

When uploading a student data file at the district level, select the following rules, if desired:

• Update existing records if in your file.
  • Do not select to ignore records that Naviance determines are duplicates.
  • Select to update specified data fields in existing and matching records.
• Make existing records inactive if not in your file.
  • Do not select to keep a class of students active if not included in your import file.
  • Select to inactivate existing student records for students if not included in your import file.
• Remove student groups if not in your file.
  • Do not select to retain student group assignments if not included in your import file.
  • Select to remove student group assignments if not included in your import file.

Parent Data

When uploading a parent data file at the district level, select the following rules, if desired:

• Use Parent ID to uniquely identify records.
  • Do not select to use a combination of parent or guardian names and student ID to identify and update parent or guardian records. Multiple students will not be linked to a single parent or guardian record.

  • Select to use the parent ID number to identify and update parent or guardian records. Multiple student records associated with the parent ID number will be linked.

    

    Parent ID number must be included in the import file if selected.

• Update existing records if in your file.
  • Do not select to ignore records that Naviance determines are duplicates.
  • Select to update specified data fields in existing and matching records.

Scholarship Data

When uploading a scholarship data file at the school or district level, select the following rules, if desired:

• Add new records if in your file and not in Naviance.
  • Do not select if you only want to update existing records, not add new scholarships.
  • Select to add new scholarships and update existing ones.
• Update existing records if in your file.
  • Do not select to ignore records that Naviance determines are duplicates.
  • Select to update specified data fields in existing and matching records.

Student Course Data

When uploading a student course data file at the school or district level, optionally, select the following rules:

• Overwrite existing data for students in file.
  • Do not select to update student course data for the specific grade in the file and to retain student course data for previously imported grades.
  • Select to update student course data for the specific grade in the file and to remove student course data for previously imported grades.

Test an Import File

Test an import file to identify any potential problems in the first fifty records and generate a detailed log listing the errors.

Follow these steps when mapping fields in preparation for automating data with SchoolSync™.

1. Navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, and then choose Data Import.
2. Select the data to import.
3. Enter a Description to identify the data you are updating.
4. Click Choose File to locate and open the data file to import.
5. Select your file extension, either comma (CSV) or tab, then indicate if the first row of your file contains column headers or not.
6. Select Analyze Data Without Loading It.
7. Choose Import Rules, if available, then click Continue.

8. Review and map the data fields in your file to the corresponding Naviance field, and then click Continue.

   

   Ensure Save Settings is selected so your mapping will be saved for future imports of the same type.

9. From Match Field Codes, review and identify codes used in your file to ensure the information is connected accurately, and then click Continue.

   

   If there are no codes in your data file, you will not be prompted to complete this step.
10. Review the results on the Data Import History page.
    • Status - Indicates the normal steps of the process such as the start and end.
    • Error - Indicates a major problem failing to load a record or an entire file.
    • Warning - Indicates a minor problem affecting a certain data field within a record, such as an invalid birthdate.
    • Notice - Indicates situations that could cause problems such as a student missing an address, even though an address was included in the import file.
    • Duplicate - Identifies a record that was not added because it would duplicate an existing record.
11. Rectify any errors in your data file and:
    • Test the import file again.
    • Run the import file.
    • Start the data automation using SchoolSync™.

Run a Data Import

After you have tested your import file, run the import to load data into Naviance.

1. Go to the gear icon, select Setup, then choose Data Import.
2. Select the desired data to import.
3. Enter a Description to identify the data you are updating.
4. Click Choose File to locate and open the data file to import.
5. Select your file extension, either comma (CSV) or tab, and indicate if the first row of your file contains column headers or not.
6. Select Load Data into Naviance.
7. Choose Import Rules, if available, then click Continue.
8. From Select Fields, review and map the data fields in your file to the corresponding Naviance field, if needed, then click Continue.

9. From Match Field Codes, review and identify codes used in your file to ensure the information is connected accurately if needed, then click Continue.

   

   If there are no codes in your data file, you are not prompted to complete this step.

10. Review the results on the Data Import History page.

    Result	Description
    Status	Indicates the normal steps of the process such as the start and end.
    Error	Indicates a major problem failing to load a record or an entire file.
    Warning	Indicates a minor problem affecting a certain data field within a record, such as an invalid birthdate.
    Notice	Indicates situations that could cause problems such as a student missing an address, even though an address was included in the import file.
    Duplicate	Identifies a record that was not added because it would duplicate an existing record.

When importing or updating data at the school level, Naviance reads your import file, creates an output file that is used to load the data, then saves the import and output files in the Document Manager.

Update Data

When importing student and parent data from a school-level account, update the data in your import file to include the parent or student ID number and the fields of data to update.

Blank data fields in your updated data file will remove previously populated data from the associated record.

Navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, and then choose Data Import. Select Update data in existing student records or Update data in existing parent records and then follow the steps to import data.

If you do not need to update data for a large number of students, use Batch Update rather than a manual data import.

To update all other data in a school- or district-level account, prepare an updated data file and follow the steps to import data. The updates in your data file will be applied to existing records.

Review Data Import History

Review Data Import History to download data files, access import logs, and review information such as import date, method, and more.

1. Navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, and then choose Data Import.
2. From Options, select Data Import History.
3. Review the data import information.

Cancel an Import

Use the undo option to return student, parent, or test score data to its previous state.

Undo is only available at the school level for student, parent, or test score data.

1. Navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, and then choose Data Import.
2. From Options, select Data Import History.
3. Click Undo for the desired import.
4. Click OK to display and review details about the import you are removing.
5. Click Continue.

Bulk Import Student Photos

To import student photos to student folders in Naviance:

• Files must be 15MB or less.

  

  If your zip file is over 15MB, create smaller zip files and import each file separately.
• The name of each image must correspond to the student's school ID as it is entered in Naviance.
• The filename extensions for each file within the .zip file must be all lowercase, for example, .jpg not .JPG.

Add or update individual student photos from within the student folder.

Import Student Photos

1. From Naviance, navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, then select Data Import.
2. Select Import Student Photos.
3. Enter a Description to identify the data you are importing.
4. Click Choose File, locate the .zip file containing the photos you want to import, and then click Open.

5. Click Continue. This import may take time to process. While processing, you can navigate away from the import screen and continue working in other areas of Naviance.

To confirm the import has been completed, navigate to the gear icon, select Setup, and then select Data Import. From Options, select Data Import History and verify the import is complete.

You cannot undo a student photo import. To make changes, update the file, confirm the student photo import has finished processing, and then import the new zip file.