Import Historical Training Records

This guide explains how to import historical training records for employees using a CSV file. This feature is useful when migrating from another system or adding training history that wasn't previously tracked in the system.

Before You Begin

  • You must have Training Manager or Administrator access
  • Training records are imported one employee at a time
  • Maximum of 1,000 rows per import
  • Your file must be in .csv format (comma-separated values)

Preparing Your CSV File

Download the Template

  1. Go to Training → Import Historical Training
  2. Click the Download our CSV template link
  3. Open the template in Excel or Google Sheets

Required Columns

Your CSV must include these columns:

Column Description
Course Name The name of the training course (required)
Start Date Date training started (required)

Optional Columns

Column Description
End Date Date training ended (leave blank if same as Start Date)
Hours Number of training hours (decimals OK, e.g., 8.5)
Type Training type category
Sponsor Training provider or sponsor
Location Where training occurred
Budget Budget category
Description Brief description of the training
Notes Additional notes or comments

Date Formats

The following date formats are accepted:

  • 1/15/24   or 01/15/24  
  • 1/15/2024   or 01/15/2024  
  • Jan 15, 2024  
  • 2024-01-15  

Tips for Preparing Your Data

  • Column headers can be named differently — you'll map them in Step 2
  • Types, Sponsors, Locations, and Budgets must match exactly what exists in the system, or new ones will be created
  • Review the Reference Tables on the import page to see existing values
  • Remove any blank rows from your spreadsheet before saving

Step 1: Select Employee and Upload File

  1. Navigate to Training → Import Historical Training

  2. Select the employee from the dropdown. Training records will be added to this employee's training history.

    Review the Reference Tables (click to expand) to see existing Types, Budgets, Locations, and Sponsors. This helps ensure your CSV values match exactly.

    Upload your CSV file by either:

    • Dragging and dropping the file onto the upload area, OR
    • Clicking the upload area to browse for your file
  3. The file will upload automatically and proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Map Columns, Review, and Import

Map Your Columns

The system will display your CSV columns and attempt to auto-detect the correct mapping. Review each mapping and adjust if needed:

  1. For each CSV column, select the corresponding field from the dropdown
  2. Select -- Skip/Ignore -- for any columns you don't want to import

Review Reference Tables

Click Reference Tables to expand and view existing values for Types, Budgets, Locations, and Sponsors. Values in your CSV that don't match exactly will be created as new entries (if the toggle is enabled).

Configure Import Options

Toggle these options on or off based on your needs:

Option Description
Create new Courses Creates course records for training names not already in the system
Create new Types Creates new training types if they don't exist
Create new Sponsors Creates new sponsors if they don't exist
Create new Locations Creates new locations if they don't exist
Create new Budgets Creates new budget categories if they don't exist

Understanding Validation Colors

The preview table highlights potential issues:

Color Meaning
Red border Missing required field (Course Name or Start Date) — must be fixed
Yellow border Invalid date format — review and correct
Green border New value that will be created (if toggle is enabled)

Edit Data Before Import

You can edit any cell directly in the preview table:

  1. Click on any cell to edit the value
  2. Make your corrections
  3. Click Re-Validate Data to check for issues again

Remove Unwanted Rows

To skip a row from import:

  1. Clear all values from the row
  2. Click Re-Validate Data
  3. The empty row will be hidden and excluded from import

Import the Records

  1. Review the validation summary for any errors or warnings
  2. Verify the row count is correct
  3. Click Import X Training Records

After Import

The success page displays:

  • Number of records imported
  • Number of new courses, types, sponsors, locations, or budgets created
  • A table showing all imported records with their details

From here you can:

  • Import Another Employee — start a new import for a different employee
  • View Employee Training — go directly to the employee's training records

Troubleshooting

"Missing required field" errors

Ensure every row has both a Course Name and Start Date value.

"Invalid date" warnings

Check that dates include month, day, AND year. Formats like 1/12   (missing year) are not valid.

Values showing as "new" unexpectedly

The system matches values exactly, including spacing and capitalization. Check the Reference Tables and ensure your CSV values match precisely.

Special characters look wrong

If you see strange characters (â, ’, etc.), your CSV may have encoding issues. Try:

  1. Open the CSV in a text editor
  2. Save as UTF-8 encoding
  3. Re-upload

Import button shows wrong count

Click Re-Validate Data to refresh the count. Empty rows are automatically excluded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import training for multiple employees at once? No, training is imported one employee at a time to ensure accuracy.

What happens if I import the same training twice? Duplicate records will be created. Review the employee's training history before importing to avoid duplicates.

Can I undo an import? Its not easy, but we can assist.  Imported records can be identified by their import date. Contact support if you need to remove imported records.

What's the maximum file size? The maximum file size depends on your agency's settings, but typically allows files up to 10MB.

Can I import custom fields? Yes, if your agency has custom training fields enabled, they will appear as mapping options.

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us