The Course Evaluations & Surveys SFTP data import Direct into Projects feature allows the transfer of secure files containing course information and corresponding student, instructor, and teaching assistant enrollments directly into pre-existing projects.
SFTP Folder Setup
If sFTP has not already been set up for your organization, log into the Help Center and contact the Support Team to request an SFTP folder setup. Course Evaluations & Surveys will establish a secure directory to deposit files.
Connect to the folder via Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
Locate the two primary directories created within the SFTP root directory for Direct into Projects:
DirectEnrollmentFilesToProcess: Drop files into this directory to upload course and enrollment data.
DirectEnrollmentFilesProcessed: Review this directory to find files that have successfully completed processing.
SFTP File Specifications
Format: Save files in Comma Delimited format with a CSV file extension (.csv).
File Name: Name the file using the format CourseUsers-mmddyyyyhhmm.csv, where MMDDYYYYHHMM serves as the date and time identifier.
Header Row: Include a required header row containing the exact field names listed below.
Content Rows: Ensure each row represents a single enrollment into a course, aligned with the header row fields.
SFTP Fields and Characteristics
Feel free to omit optional fields from the SFTP file if they are not needed. When omitting a field, remove the field name from the Header Row and exclude the data from the Content Rows entirely.
NOTES:
The column header must be an exact match, though it is not case-sensitive (capitalization doesn't matter). For example, the sFTP file will fail if the header is written as 'First Name' instead of 'FirstName'.
A downloadable sample file is provided at the end of this article.
Column Header
Requirements/Limits
Description
ProjectID
Required
The unique project identifier system-assigned to every newly created project. Locate this ID within the specific project on the Project tab UI.
NodePath
Optional
The path value where the course can be assigned to a specific area in the report Hierarchy.
AddDrop
Required
Controls enrollment and course status:
• 1 = Add an enrollment to a course.
• 0 = Drop an enrollment from a course.
• 2 = Remove a course from the Project.
• Note: A null (empty) value defaults to an Add.
Code
Required (Max 512 characters)
The course code displayed to users.
Title
Required (Max 1024 characters)
The course title.
UniqueID
Required (Max 32 characters)
The unique identifier for the course. This value must remain unique over time and across projects.
CrossListUniqueID
Optional
Used for cross-listed courses. Insert the parent course's Unique ID to turn this course into a "child" course. Survey responses roll up to the parent course, and child courses are hidden in reporting.
SurveyStart
Optional
The defined start date for survey access. Recommended if using course-level dates.
SurveyEnd
Optional
The defined end date for survey access. Recommended if using course-level dates.
AdminStart
Optional
The defined start date for administrator reporting access. Recommended if using course-level dates.
AdminEnd
Optional
The defined end date for administrator reporting access.
InstructorStart
Optional
The defined start date for instructor reporting access. Recommended if using course-level dates.
InstructorEnd
Optional
The defined end date for instructor reporting access.
TAStart
Optional
The defined start date for teaching assistant reporting access. Recommended if using course-level dates.
TAEnd
Optional
The defined end date for teaching assistant reporting access.
Each additional row in file indicates either a student, instructor or teaching assistant enrollment into a course following the fields indicated in the Header.
Each additional row in file indicates either a student, instructor or teaching assistant enrollment into a course following the fields indicated in the Header.
File Processing
Once a file is deposited in the SFTP folder, the system/service will detect a new file has been added and immediately process the file. The enrollments contained in the file will accordingly get added or dropped from the specified course within the specified project.
Dropping enrollments is no different than the process described above with the exception that the AddDrop code in the row would be set to “0” to drop the enrollment.
For sake of clarity, the SFTP file may contain enrollments from multiple projects all needing to be added/dropped.
The SFTP files should only contain an enrollment needing to be added or dropped. Enrollments contained in the file to be added, which are already in the specified project for the specified course will be ignored if no changes are detected in any of the row contents for that enrollment.
File Confirmation Email and Error Messaging/Handling
Once a file is deposited into the SFTP folder and processed, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you have listed under Account > SFTP
Confirmation Email Subject Line
Includes – Filename
Includes – File Status (Successful, Some Failures, Failed)
Confirmation Email Contents of Email
Includes – Filename
Includes – File Status (Successful, Some Failures, Failed)
Summary Metrics Organized by Project ID from the file
Courses Added
Student Enrollments Added and Dropped
Instructor or Teaching Assistant Enrollments Added and Dropped
Failed Enrollments
Specific Rows in File That Failed
Additional Error Handling
In the event a file is deposited in the SFTP folder and the Course Evaluations & Surveys service to process the file is halted for any reason (e.g., System Maintenance, etc.), SFTP files will accumulate in the SFTP Folder until the service resumes processing, at which time the service will process any/all files in the folder beginning with the oldest file.
Any files added to the SFTP Folder not conforming to the required format will generate a Confirmation Email indicating a Failure to process the file.
FILE REQUIREMENTS AND SAMPLE
Required file format is Comma Delimited, with CSV file extension (.csv)
Name file CourseUsers-mmddyyyyhhmm.csv
File contains a header row and each additional row represents an enrollment into a course.