You can quickly import a large number of users into the Dashboard, if you first place them into a spreadsheet file and save it in CSV format.The upload is fast, but the server is picky and you are likely to be humbled several times till you get every step exactly right! We're glad to help as you learn, including correcting your file if it doesn't work for you. If you prefer not to be bothered, send it to us to do it for you. We'll do it once for free and charge $20 for additional uploads.
1. Enter the Names in a CSV FileYou can use any spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets to put the names in a CSV file. Alternatively, you can use the software used in step two below to put the names in the file.
Remove apostrophes from names that have them. For example, enter O'Neil as ONeil. The server will skip over any names with apostrophes and these people will not receive invitations. In creating the CSV file, it should look like this: firstname,lastname,email Michael,Gerig,MGerig@yahoomail.com Meredith,Jamster,Jamster@goohoo.com Kristina,Logan,LoganK@uol.com
Important: That first line, "firstname,lastname,email", is not just there as a descriptor. It must be present in the first line of the actual file that you upload. Its role is to set the server to properly handle the info that follows. The server rejects any upload that contains the slightest deviation from the above format. No spaces allowed anywhere in any line, no quotation marks, no extra commas or periods. The very first line must have the words firstname,lastname,email exactly as displayed above. When you've entered all the names, Save As a .csv file to your Desktop or other location. In the Save As process, you will probably encounter options. Choose the following: Encoding - choose UTF-8 Line Breaks - choose UNIX (LF)For advanced users: You can add up to two additional categories of info for each name if you want by adding opt1,opt2 to the first line above. In this case, the first two lines in the file would look like this: firstname,lastname,email,opt1,opt2 Michael,Gerig,MGerig@yahoomail.com,ID-54,Orange Team
2. Check the file
If you entered the names with a spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets, you MUST use a code editing program like Notepad++ (for PC, free here) or BBEdit (for Mac; the free version is adequate) to review and re-save the final product. Spreadsheet programs like Excel and Google Sheets insert extra characters not visible to you that cause our server to block upload, so you have to view the file in a non-spreadsheet program to be able to see this. A mistake will not cause damage to our server, but your files won't load properly if you use a program that is adding extra characters.
Here's an example of a common error. You may not see it in your spreadsheet display but in a code editor you may see the lines are placed in quotes like this: "firstname,lastname,email" "Michael,Gerig,MGerig@yahoomail.com" "Meredith,Jamster,Jamster@goohoo.com" "Kristina,Logan,LoganK@uol.com"
In this case, use the Search and Replace function (leaving the Replace field empty so that it simply deletes the ") to find the errant " and delete them. Don't forget to save the file when finished with your edits, following the Save As instructions in step one above.
Another common error is spaces in the line. Make sure there are none, not one - a single space will stop the download.
3. Upload to our server
Now use the upload field at foot of this page to upload the file to our server. Click on the Choose File button, select the file in your computer, and click Submit. Typically it takes 10-60 seconds for the file to upload, but a file with 100 names might take 2-3 minutes. If the upload is successful, you will see a green notice at the top of your screen indicating success. In the event of failure, a pink notice appears that says "Upload failed". If you want to try again (or if you have made a mistake in entering a name and it shows up in the dashboard wrong), archive the names you want to delete, using the global select option in the dashboard. Then delete them from the archive, and do another upload with the names you want to upload. It's a good idea to do a trial upload with just one or two names to make sure you are doing it properly before uploading a complete set.If you get stuck, send us the file with your login info (email or username, plus password). We'll straighten it out, upload it for you, add your name to a list of victims humbled by this finicky server (just kidding!), and reply with some clues about where you went wrong. We usually are able to do this within 24 hours. We'll do the first upload for you at no charge, and thereafter charge $20.4. Send out invitations
Be sure to read the instructions on using the Dashboard (see top menu item in the menu to the left of the dashboard). Especially if you have uploaded a lot of users, there are a few simple things to know about how to navigate lists of users that will save you time.
UPLOAD YOUR .CSV FILE HERE
