To configure the text file import spoke and map files and prepare for import:
- Start with the Text Section Import Client Template.xlsx.
This file is for planning purposes only. The final import file must be a delimited text file. The Default is a tab-delimited format. The import file names generated from the SIS must remain static. Files should not have date indicators or timestamps as a part of the naming convention as the file will be overwritten. Some customers find this helpful as a planning tool for format and content before creating a text file for import.
Default section import worksheet
PeopleSoft section import file worksheet
- Start by populating the columns in this file with the appropriate values from your SIS. See below for column details.
Be sure to populate the “Course” column with *only* the course number (no subject code). Failure to do this can lead to duplicate courses in the future.
| Field | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Section ID | Required | Your campus’ unique section ID. The value will be duplicated if there are multiple section meeting patterns in a single section. This could be a section number or a string containing Dept., Course, Section, and term. This ID should not include punctuation. Example: Section Math 101 A has two meeting patterns: M 8-9am, W 10-11am. Section Id = 201010_12345 on both section meetings. The Section Meeting ID (next column) = 201010_12345_1 and 201010_12345_2. |
| SectionMeeting ID | Required | The UNIQUE identifier for every section meeting pattern. This could be a section meeting number or a string containing Dept., Course, Section, and term. This ID should not include punctuation. |
| Cross List Number (ID) | Required for appropriate sections | Cross-List section group ID. This ID defines a group of section meetings that meet in the same room at the same time. Sections meeting in the same room at the same time should have the same number in the Cross-List field in order for them to be scheduled. |
| Section Title | Required | Section Title. This field must be included in the section file imported into Astra Schedule. |
| Subject | Required | Subject or subject abbreviation. This field must be part of any section file imported to Astra Schedule. |
| Course | Required | Course offering number. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. (*only include the course number) |
| Section | Required | Section number or letter. |
| Meeting Type | Required | Section type name or abbreviation. Examples could be Lecture, Lab, Seminar, etc. |
| Start Date | Required | Start date of section. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. Default in map is "YYYYMMDD". Additional supported formats include "MMDDYYYY, "DDMMYYYY," "MM/DD/YYYY," "YYYY/MM/DD." |
| End Date | Required | End time of section. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. Supported formats listed above. |
| Start Time | Required if it has a value | Start time of section. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. Default in map is: "HHMM". Multiple other formats are supported: "HH:MM", "HHMM ampm", and "HH:MM ampm". |
| End Time | Required if it has a value | End time of section. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. Supported formats are listed above. |
| Days Met | Required if it has a value | Meeting days of section. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. The Days Met must be in the format of UMTWRFS with those characters. |
| Building | Required i it has a value | Building abbreviation should be included if you want to pre-assign the section to a particular room. |
| Room | Required if it has a value | Room number or name should be included in the import file if you want to pre-assign a section into a particular room. |
| Campus | Required | User-defined campus name(s) for one of multiple campuses. |
| Max Enrollment | Required | Maximum Enrollment for section. This field is used to verify adequate room capacity for any section in Astra Schedule. |
| Enrollment | Required if it has a value | Actual enrollment. This field is optional and used primarily for reporting. |
| Instructor First Name | Required | Instructor's first name. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. |
| Instructor Last Name | Required | Instructor name. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule. This must include at least a first and last name. They can be in multiple fields or a single field and should not include quotations around the names. Format: Last Name, First Name |
| Instructor ID | Required | Instructor's campus identification number. |
| Instructor Email | Optional | Instructor Email Address |
| Instructor 2 First Name | Optional | Secondary Instructor Firstname |
| Instructor 2 Last Name | Optional | Secondary Instructor Lastname |
| Instructor 2 ID | Optional | Secondary Instructor's campus identification number. |
| Instructor 2 Email | Optional | Secondary Instructor's Email Address |
| Term | Required | Term code. This field must be part of any section file imported into Astra Schedule, for example, "97Spring," "9901," etc. |
| Section Status | Optional | Section Status. Values need to be "A" (active) or "C" (canceled). Leave column as null if not used. |
| DeleteFlag | Optional | Section Meeting Delete Flag. When set to TRUE, the section meeting will be deleted from Astra via import. Required if doing differential Text imports. |
- The source file must be a delimited text file. The delimiter is configurable (the default is tab), however, CSV is not supported.
- Additional Instructors can be added. Instructor 1 will always be the Primary instructor associated with the Section.
- It is highly recommended to use either the Delete Flag OR the Section status to remove sections/meetings rather than the Delete If Not In Import set system settings.
- Instructor Name columns are not REQUIRED to be in separated First and Last Name columns. This is highly recommended, however. The primary alternative option is <Last, First>. Other custom options may be manageable if necessary.
- Instructor Email will be associated with the Instructor record in Astra, not the Person record by default.
Additional Common Optional Fields
Other columns are available for importing but not in common use. If additional information is desired to be imported, please open a software support ticket.
- Instructor Middle Name
- Course Title (Must be EXACTLY the same between all sections of the course, including capitalization and white space)
- Delivery Method
If not included, the default value is "Standard" - Section Do Not Optimize
- Person Email (Email address associated with the Astra Person record rather than the Instructor record)
Do not import both email addresses as the same value. Typically, only one or the other is imported.
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