Why This Guide Exists
At Craft, CSV uploads are used to support bulk management of people and programs in Craft's OJL Tracker. While the platform allows for one-by-one data entry, CSV uploads streamline the onboarding and setup process, especially for organizations with multiple employers, education providers, or large learner cohorts.
This guide walks through:
- What templates to use
- What order to upload them in
- How Craft uses the data
- Tips for troubleshooting and reducing errors
Recommended Upload Sequence
For a successful setup, we strongly recommend uploading files in this order:
- Create the Program
- Add People (Admins, Evaluators, Learners)
- Assign Learners to the Program
Each step builds on the last, so uploading out of order can result in validation errors or missing assignments.
Opening the Templates
If you have Microsoft Excel or Apple Numbers installed, you can open our CSV templates directly with those programs.
Don’t have Excel or Numbers? No problem! You can also open the templates in your web browser via Google Sheets. Simply upload the CSV file to your Google Drive. Then, open a new Google Sheet and select “File” > “Import” to load the content into your spreadsheet.
Step 1: Create the Program
Relevant Support Article: Create Program Content
Bulk Upload Template Name: _templates_programtemplate.csv
What This File Does: This file creates the structural program foundation in Craft's OJL Tracker.
Key Columns
Type: Used to define the structure of your program. (Program > Level > Plan > Activity)
Name: The display name of the Program, Level, Plan, or Activity within the OJL Tracker.
Description: The description for your Program, Level, Plan, Activity.
External ID: A unique identifier from your organization’s system used in CSV uploads to match people, programs, or orgs across Craft and external databases. This can be left blank.
Formatting Instructions
- First, download the appropriate template. The template for creating a program can be found by clicking Programs on the left hand side bar, then + Add Program, then Get Template.
- Once you have downloaded and opened the template, begin by typing PRORAM into cell A2. Write the name of your program in cell B2, and the description of your program in cell C2
- Type LEVEL into cell A3. Write the name of your first level into cell B3, and your description in cell C3.
- Type PLAN in cell A4. Write the name of your first plan in cell B4, and your description in cell C4.
- Type ACTIVITY into cell A5, Write the name of your first activity in cell B5, and your description in cell C5.
- Continue to add additional rows outlining the remainder of your Levels, Plans and Activities.
Tips
- External IDs can be left blank for most users. If you do require External IDs, please contact your CSM.
- Type should always be capitalized (PROGRAM vs Program, ACTIVITY vs activity)
- The name of your program, levels, plans, and activities can be modified in the OJL Tracker once the bulk upload is complete.
- Additionally, if needed, descriptions can also be added retroactively in the OJL Tracker if they are not immediately available during the bulk upload process. If this is the case for you, leave the cells under Description blank.
Step 2: Add People to Craft
Support Article: Add and Invite People
Bulk Upload Template Name: _templates_peopletemplate.csv
What This File Does: This file creates user accounts in Craft for everyone involved—administrators, evaluators, and learners.
Key Columns
First Name: Required
Middle Name: Not Required
Last Name: Required
Email: Must be lower case and unique
Secondary Email: Optional
Role: Must be typed in ALL CAPS (e.g., LEARNER, EVALUATOR, ADMIN)
Date of Birth: Optional
Mobile Phone Number: Optional
Address Line 1: Optional
Address Line 2: Optional
City: Optional
State: Optional
Zipcode: Optional
External ID - Can be left blank
Formatting Instructions
- First, download the appropriate template. Navigate to the People tab, then, select + Add People in the upper right corner, then Add in. Bulk. Finally, click Download Template.
- Once you have downloaded the appropriate template and opened it, begin adding your Admin, Learners, and Evaluators information into the template.
Tips
- Craft is case-sensitive: evaluators@example.com is different from Evaluators@example.com.
- Upload errors often result from incorrect role formatting (Evaluator instead of EVALUATOR).
- External ID can be left blank.
Step 3: Assign Learners to Programs
Support Article: Education Provider Admin: Assign Learners and Evaluators to Programs
Bulk Upload Template Name: _templates_learnertemplate.csv
What This File Does: Connects existing learners to the correct program.
Key Columns
Learner Email: Must already exist in Craft (from Step 2)
Learner External ID: Can be left blank
Formatting Instructions
- First, obtain the appropriate template. Navigate to your Program. In the upper right corner of your Program, select Assign and then Assign Learners to Program. Select a start and end date for your program, then select Next. Click uploading a CSV file. Then click Get Template.
- Once you have downloaded the appropriate template and opened it, you can begin populating the template. Add the emails of the Learners you wish to assign to your Program under the column Learner Email.
Tips
- Learners must already be added into the OJL Tracker (Step 2).
- Double-check email spelling as miss-typed emails will cause errors.
- External ID can be left blank.
Errors and Fixes
Template Errors
Most errors with CSV uploads are due to the format in which the data is uploaded. Craft has specific templates you must use to upload your data. If your upload does not follow the template, your data will not load into Craft. To obtain your required template, navigate to the appropriate upload page. You will see the option to download the required template next to the option to upload your CSV.
Import Error
If there is an error with your CSV upload, you will see a red banner at the bottom of the page after uploading your CSV. You can remain on this page, correct the error(s) in your CSV, and then select Try Again to re-upload. Or, you can select Later if you wish to re-upload at another time.
You can hover your mouse over the red exclamation point icon to gain insights on what is causing the error.
In this instance, an error is shown due to learner lacking a last name.
Notes on Collaborative Programs
For programs with multiple EPs or employers, make sure:
- All organizations are created in the system first
- You have all relevant Org IDs, especially if using onboarding templates (Please reach out to your Customer Support Manager for this information)
- People are correctly scoped to each org, or they won’t appear in dropdowns for assigning or inviting
Helpful Tips for Admins
- Save and version each CSV you upload for internal audit or reprocessing
- Always use the latest templates—reach out to Craft Support if in doubt
- If you’re working in a shared org (such as a sponsor organization), coordinate with your CSM on ownership structure and timing
- When in doubt, upload a test row first and verify in the OJL Tracker before bulk uploading
FAQ
Q: Does Craft support any additional file types for bulk uploads?
A: At this time, Craft only supports bulk uploads via CSV.
Q: I’ve followed the steps outlined in this article, but I am still running into trouble. Who do I reach out to?
A: Please reach out to us at support@crafteducation.com and we would be happy to troubleshoot with you.