The Import Settings control the import 'rules' for both manual and automated imports.These settings will automatically appear when using manual imports but the Course Evaluations Manager can determine what options to apply when the manual imports are being run.  An example of a few settings are overwrite, preserve, and adding additional data.  The settings made here will automatically apply to any files that are brought into the system using Automated Imports.  


IMPORTANT NOTES: 

  • The Import Settings should be determined before any import process (manual or automated) begins.  This will ensure data accuracy populating the system.
  • If an institution has multiple Course Evaluations databases, these Import Settings need to be set up in each one.

Base Import Settings

The percentage set here determines the percentage of errors allowed before the system stops the import process.  Errors can include missing, required data, invalid emails, duplicates, etc. When the error tolerance percentage is met the errors will cause the system to halt the import process.  When the process is halted a red icon will appear in the log.  Halting an import will enable managers to quickly resolve major issues in the files outside of the Course Evaluations system.


IMPORTANT NOTE: These settings will ALWAYS be used for automated imports.  Manual imports will default to the settings selected here and will also utilize the error threshold options and matching on Username or School ID.


Automated Import Settings

The Automated Import Settings allows the CE Manager to determine the settings used for automated imports.

  • Number of days to keep archive files determines how long an archive file will be stored on the server. All auto-import files are kept in an archive folder for review for the number of days the manager sets.  After a file has aged to the number of days set, it is deleted from the server.
  • Number of seconds to wait before importing files determines the age the file must reach before the system processes the file.  This option was added to prevent the premature import of slowly arriving files that may not be completely transferred when the import tries to run. The number of seconds entered indicates how old the file must be before the Course Evaluations auto-import will process the file.  The 'file age' is based on the file creation date and time.

NOTE: The best practice is to create the file and have it dropped into the automated folder right away.

  • File extension for GO file.  A GO file is an additional file named after the actual import file that acts as a catalyst for file processing.  For example, the location of a faculty import file may look something like this: C:\ImportFolders\InstanceName\DatabaseName\Faculty.CSV.  The GO file to push the file into automation would look like this: C:\ImportFolders\InstanceName\DatabaseName\Faculty.GO
  • Email notifications: Managers can choose to be notified by the system for all imports or just those containing errors.

NOTE: The best practice is to have email notifications turned on when using automated imports.

  

Faculty Import Settings

  • Match on Column determines the matching criteria for faculty records.  Data can be matched on User Name or School ID. The matching choices tell Course Evaluations what the unique column is for identifying people in the import.

NOTE: If User Name is not selected, the User Name is still required and the rules set below this section will apply.

  • Allow updates of User Name when not matching on User Name.  If a school is not matching on user name, this option will allow the update of user names of existing records in Course Evaluations.
  • Auto-Resolve Username Conflict.  If a school is not matching on user name and an existing record if found with the same user name, two actions may take place:
    • The imported record will fail if the Auto Resolve box is not checked.
    • When this occurs, any old/existing records found with the same username will be logged as a warning in the import report.  The old record’s username will change to guarantee uniqueness and that record will be set to Not Active.
  • Create non-existent Departments.  Creates any new departments that are brought in via the import.
  • Overwrite all values that are updatable.  These values are things like last name, first name, department, email, etc.
  • Percentage of existing Students allowed in Faculty import. The percentage entered here is the minimum percentage of existing students that are allowed in the faculty import file. If the number of students in the file exceeds the percentage threshold, all records for the Faculty Import will error out.


Student Import Settings

These student settings are handled the same way as they are for faculty (see above).

  • Match on Column determines the matching criteria for student records. 
  • Allow updates of User Name when not matching on User Name.  
  • Auto-Resolve Username Conflict.
  • Overwrite all values that are updatable.
  • Create non-existent Programs.  Creates any new programs that are brought in via the import.
  • Percentage of existing Faculty allowed in Student import. The percentage entered here is the minimum percentage of existing faculty that are allowed in the student import file.  If the number of faculty in the file exceeds the percentage threshold, all records for the Student Import will error out.
  • Minimum allowable graduation year. Graduation years before this year will be ignored and a warning issued.  If the school is using lock-step, the records will error out.


Dual Role Import Settings


These dual role settings are handled the same way as they are for faculty and students (see above).

  • Match on Column determines the matching criteria for student records.
  • Allow updates of User Name when not matching on User Name.
  • Auto-Resolve Username Conflict.
  • Create non-existent Programs.  
  • Create non-existent Departments.  
  • Overwrite all values that are updatable.  
  • Auto-add the T/A role for dual role people. This option will automatically check the role of T/A on the records being brought into Course Evaluations.


Course Import Settings

  • Create non-existent Programs.  Creates any new programs that are brought in via the import.
  • Create non-existent Departments.  Creates any new departments that are brought in via the import.
  • Overwrite all values that are updatable.  These values are Course Name, Active, Department, Designation, etc.
  • For Courses found in this import which contain valid Responsible Faculty:
    • Overwrite the enrollment of Responsible Faculty.  Overwrites all responsible faculty associated with the courses.
    • Preserve the existing enrolled Responsible Faculty and add new Responsible Faculty to the course lists. Adds the 'new faculty' in the import to the existing ones associated with the courses in Course Evaluations.


Course Enrollment Import Settings

  • Overwrite the enrollment of people in the Courses included in this import. Overwrites all students associated with the courses.
  • Preserve the existing enrolled people in the Courses included in this import and add new people to these lists. Adds the 'new students' in the import to the existing ones associated with the courses in Course Evaluations.
  • Synchronize enrollment to surveys under development or active allows the system to update student enrollments on any survey that is not closed.  This function compares the data that is in the enrollment import file to the enrollment data that is attached to courses and surveys.  If the enrollment information has changed, students have dropped the course and others have added the course, the course enrollment list will be updated on both the course list and in the Selected Participants in the Detailed Settings of the survey. This synchronization allows the CE Manager to control the enrollment data updates on non-closed surveys for better participant list accuracy.

NOTE: Students who have completed the survey before the synchronization will not be removed from the course or survey.

  • Remove submissions for withdrawn students. Removes submissions for withdrawn students during the synchronization process. By default, students who have submitted are retained on the survey.
  • Include Rotation surveys when synchronizing to surveys. By default, only Standard surveys are included when synchronizing enrollment to surveys. This option will also include Rotation surveys.
  • Report on Courses in a period that are not in the file. Reports on all the courses that were previously imported with students that no longer are represented in the Enrollment files.  It gives the CE Manager the ability to cross check the missing courses with courses that should be removed from the survey.


Course Survey Availability Import Settings

  • Synchronize start/end dates/times to Standard, Faculty-focused, surveys that are pending or active. Synchronizes any date or time changes on pending or active surveys.


Block Import Settings

  • Overwrite all values that are updatable.  These values are Block Start Month Number, Block Start Day Number, Block End Month Number, Block End Day Number, Block Sort Order, and Block Name.


Course Block Import Settings

  • Overwrite all Blocks for the Courses included in this import. Overwrites all blocks associated with the courses.
  • Preserve the existing Blocks for the Courses included in this import and add new Blocks to these lists. Adds the 'new blocks' in the import to the existing ones associated with the courses in  Course Evaluations.


Course Site Import Settings

  • Overwrite all Sites for the Courses included in this import. Overwrites all sites associated with the courses.
  • Preserve the existing Sites for the Courses included in this import and add new Sites to these lists. Adds the 'new sites' in the import to the existing ones associated with the courses in Course Evaluations.