Student Import Overview

Table of Contents

Accepted Student Data

Steps for Import

1. Access Template
2. Populate Data
3. Save as CSV
4. Upload and Import
5. Partial Imports

Some Considerations

• Date of Birth Formatting
• Privacy

Primary Positions Accepted

Accepted Student Data

To import your students into CutTime, you’ll first need to complete an import template that follows the required formatting accepted by our system. The screenshot below outlines the available student fields, the types of data allowed, and any restrictions on the information that can be entered.

If you're unsure where to find the student data needed to complete the import template, most Student Information Systems (SIS) include an export feature that allows you to download student information—typically in CSV format, which can be opened in Excel or Numbers. These exports usually include student IDs. Because the process may vary depending on the system, we recommend contacting a colleague or your district’s IT department if you need assistance locating the export option

Steps for Import

Step 1: Access the import template

Click the link below to access our import template. This is a read-only link, so you will need to either make a copy in your own Google Drive (recommended) by selecting File > Make a copy, or download and edit the sheet in Excel or another spreadsheet editor (not recommended) by selecting File > Download.

CutTime Student Import Sheet

Step 2: Populate your data

Insert your student data into your copy of the CutTime import template using the 'values only' paste option (see note below). Be sure not to modify the column headers, as they must remain exactly as provided.

Step 3: Save as a CSV

Once you have finished entering the student data into your import template, you can save the file and upload it to our import helper for verification. The file must be in CSV format to ensure compatibility with our importer.

• In Google Sheets, click File -> Download -> Comma Separated Values (.csv)
• In Excel, click File -> Save As and change the format from Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) to CSV (Comma delimited (*.csv)

Step 4: Upload and Import

Once you have your CSV file saved and ready to import, navigate to the Import Data page and click the "Students" button. Click "Choose File," select the CSV file you just saved, and click "Preview & Clean-up Data" to open the import helper.

The import helper will generate a table displaying the data from the file that you just uploaded. From this screen you can make any final edits necessary before completing the import.

Valid records will appear in the table without any highlighting. These records are ready for import as-is, though you may edit them if needed. For instructions on editing a student record, please refer to the section below.

Invalid records will be highlighted red in the table. These records cannot be imported and must be either edited or skipped before the import can be completed (see below for help editing a student). Any field with an error will display a red help tip in the edit form , indicating the problem so that the necessary adjustments can be made.

Skipped records will be highlighted in dark gray. These records will not be imported, meaning that skipping an invalid record will not prevent valid records from being processed. Both valid and invalid records can be skipped. If a record is skipped by mistake, you can reopen the edit form and select "Unskip" to include it in the import.

How to Edit A Student Record Prior To Import:

1. Locate the student in the table and click on their row to open the edit form
2. Once the edit form is open, you can modify any of the fields that were originally imported.
3. When you're finished editing, click "Save and Close" to save the student's updated record. Even after saving, you can reopen the edit form to make any further adjustments.
4. To exclude a student from the import, click "Skip row." You can reverse this action at any time by selecting "Unskip." For additional information, please see the section above on skipped records.

Once all student records have been reviewed, click the green "Validate" button. Any records containing errors will be highlighted in red, and the total number of errors will be displayed at the top of your screen. Review and correct each error, then click "Validate" again to confirm the updates. When no errors remain, click the "Save" button to proceed. A confirmation message will appear indicating the number of records ready for import. To complete the process, click "OK" to proceed with the import.

Once you click the "OK" button, you're done! Any records that were not skipped will now appear in your Students page. Now that your students have been uploaded you can begin importing their Guardians. For guidance, please refer to the following help document: Guardian Import Overview

Finishing a Partial Import

If you complete an import that has any invalid or skipped rows, you are able to come back and continue editing or unskip the data from that upload, so you can import those rows that were left out the first time!

1. Navigate to the Import Data page, and find the import log that you'd like to continue
2. Click the "Resume" button on the right side of that row.
3. Make any necessary edits to invalid records or unskip any rows.
4. Validate and Import!

You can review the Student Import FAQs before uploading your student information to help ensure a smooth and error-free import process.

Some Considerations

Date of Birth Formatting

The import template is pre-formatted to convert your dates from the format in your export to our accepted format (yyyy-mm-dd), but that pre-formatting can be overwritten. It's important to Paste -Values Only when you copy and paste your Dates of Birth from their original sheet into the import template - pasting normally will overwrite the pre-formatting in the template.

With that said, if you already pasted normally and overwrote the formatting, we can still fix it even if it's too late to undo your original pasting. Here's how to reformat the dates.

• If you're using Google Sheets:
  • Step 1: In the import template, click on the letter F above the column header for Date of Birth to highlight the entire column.
  • Step 2: With the entire column highlighted, click Format from the menu in the top left of your screen. Under Number, click on "Custom date and time" (the second option from the bottom)
  • Step 3: From the list, choose the option that displays yyyy-mm-dd. This appears as "1930-08-05" as of the writing of this help doc. With the proper formatting chosen, click "Apply" and your dates should all be converted to the proper yyyy-mm-dd formatting.
• If you're using Excel:
  • Step 1: In the import template, click on the letter F above the column header for Date of Birth to highlight the entire column.
  • Step 2: Right click the highlighted column and select "Format Cells"
  • Step 3: Under "Category:", click "Custom"
  • Step 4: Under "Type:", there is a text box that will display the current formatting applied to this column. It may say "General" or it may have some other date formatting. Regardless of what is written there, remove the text and type "yyyy-mm-dd" (without the quotations). Click OK to save your formatting. Your dates should now be converted to the proper yyyy-mm-dd formatting.

With the correct yyyy-mm-dd formatting in place, the import helper will accept the dates and you can avoid having to edit them one-by-one.

Privacy

Feel free to peruse our Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and SMS Terms of Service

Each district has different policies, and many districts do require a Data Privacy Agreement (DPA) to be signed in order to authorize uploading student PII (personally identifiable information) to CutTime. If your district requires a DPA, you can send any required documentation to support@gocuttime.com for review.

If you have other questions during the student import process, don't hesitate to reach us at support@gocuttime.com for assistance.

Primary Positions Accepted

This list can also be found in the second worksheet of the import template. Note that the Primary Position column in the import template contains a dropdown list of the available options.