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Session Import - Full

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John MacKenzie
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Session Import Full is used to import a complete set of conference sessions. The import file has multiple tabs, to include all aspects of the session information.  The file must be sent to your Implementation Manager and will take 5 business days to import.

Note- There is also a Session Import Lite used to import a set of basic session information to be displayed in the Mobile App.  Clients are welcome to use the Session Import Lite at their preference but please review the following information.

Session Import works in conjunction with Contact Import: full information on the speakers must be imported first, and then Session Import will connect the existing contacts with their Sessions.

 

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Session Import Form

mceclip0.pngOn the Session Import Full page, located at Events>Conference>Imports>Session Import Full, use the import form to upload the file and import. 

  1. Download and fill in template
  2. Select Event - this will default to the event you last selected from the list of active events, you can switch events by selecting a different event from the drop down. 
  3. Upload File - click the Choose File button, then navigate to the file location on your computer in the upload box. Click Upload once you have selected the file. 
  4. Click Import - When you click import, the file will be processed by the system and a preview page will display 
  5. Preview - proof your import file to ensure that the data is displaying as expected. This is also where you will see Error Messages if your data is not formatted correctly or fields are missing. For more information see the Notes section regarding Error Messages
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  6. Review Master List additions - If there are Session Types, Speaker Types, Tracks, Ability Levels, Formats, Session Dates, Durations, etc. that are included in the sheets and not yet in the master lists, an additional page will appear to alert you. More information in the Notes section on matching logic. 
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  7. Successful Import Screen-
  8. See the Notes below for issues that could cause error alerts and how to resolve them. 

Download the Template

The template can be downloaded from the import form, and contains 3 sheets; SessionData, SessionSpeakers, SessionTrack. Changing the names of the sheets, or the columns in these sheets, will cause the import to fail. 

More information about the sheets in the template:

  • Session Data 
    • The unique session information that is used to create the individual session.
    • Each row in this sheet will be a different session.
      • Child Sessions will be entered as their own session, with their own session number. Once the sessions are imported you can create the parent/child relationship in Session Managment.
    • Sample
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  • Session Speakers -  
    • Enter Speaker Names and Types. Creates the association between Speakers and Sessions. 
    • To import full Speaker Information, use Contact Import before uploading the Session Import file.
    • Add a Row per session, per speaker. 
      • If Sarah Stevens is speaking at 4 separate sessions there will be 4 rows in the sheet for Sarah Stevens. 
    • Sample
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  • Session Track - The unique tracks for the sessions. This sheet is where you can list each session with each track that will be associated with. 
    • Add a row per session, per track
      • if session #111 is part of Track A, B, & C there will be 3 rows for session #111
    • Sample
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Update Template with Session Data 

The session information can be typed, or copied/pasted into the file. Columns that are required have their column header formatted in bold in the file. They are noted below with an asterisk (*). 

Session Data Sheet

  • *SessionNumber (text, 100 characters) - can be a combination of letters and numbers; used to correlate the other parts of the import
  • *SessionTitle (text, 255 characters)
  • SessionType (text, 50 characters) - Enter the name of the Session Type that should be associated with this session. For more information on Session Type read this article
  • *SessionDate - Enter the Date of the Session in MM/DD/YYYY Format (ex. 12/05/2021)
  • *SessionStartTime - Enter the time that the session will begin in HH:MM AM/PM format (ex. 01:30 PM, 11:00 AM)
  • *SessionEndTime - Enter the time that the session will end in HH:MM AM/PM format (ex. 03:30 PM, 10:00 AM)
  • SessionRoomNumber (text, 100 characters) - The room the session is currently assigned to. 
  • SessionRoomCapacity (number) - The attendee capacity of the assigned room
  • SessionPrice (number) - the attendee fee to attend this session. Enter the data in Number Format, with 4 decimal spaces or less. (Ex. 20.50, 2500, 33.3333)
  • SessionCEUCredits (number) - the number of Continuing Education Units that can be earned by attending this session. (Ex. 2, 2.0, 2.25)
  • SessionIntroduction (text, 100 characters) - a short sentence that can appear at the top of the session, used to summarize the following description.
  • SessionDuration (text, 100 characters) - the length of the session. (Ex. Half Day, 90 minutes, Full Day, 1h30m) For more information on Session Duration read this article.
  • SessionFormat (text, 100 characters) - the Format of the session. (Ex. Round table, Panel Discussion, Poster, Hands On Workshop) For more information on Session Format read this article.
  • SessionAbilityLevel (text, 100 characters) - The attendee ability level this session is intended for (Ex. Beginner, Layman, General, All, Advanced) For more information on Session Ability Level read this article.
  • SessionLearningObjectives (text, 2000 characters) - The Learning Objectives for this session.
  • SessionMethodology (text, 3000 characters) - the Methodology the Speaker will use to present this session
  • SessionDescription (text) - the description of the session.
  • SessionNotes (text, 2000 characters) - internal session notes that will only be available to Global Admin users and in Reports. 
  • SessionSponsor (text, 255 characters) - the name of the sponsor of this session
  • SessionSponsorLogo (text, 255 characters) - the URL that hosts the session sponsors logo. Enter the full url, including the http:// 
  • SessionSponsorLogoURL (text, 500 characters) - the URL of the website/webpage that the attendee will be sent to when they click on the session sponsors logo. Enter the full url, including the http:// 
  • SessionSubExpoTitle (text, 50 characters) - Enter the name of the sub expo that this session is associated with. 
  • SessionPublish - to publish this session immediately enter Yes, otherwise enter No. Exceptable alternatives for Yes are Y and yes. Exceptable alternatives for No are N, no, and blank/empty fields.
  • SessionCancelled - to mark this session as Cancelled enter Yes, otherwise enter No. Exceptable alternatives for Yes are Y and yes. Exceptable alternatives for No are N, no, and blank/empty fields.
  • SessionQ&A - to have the Session Q&A display on the Session Description immediately enter Yes, otherwise enter No. Exceptable alternatives for Yes are Y and yes. Exceptable alternatives for No are N, no, and blank/empty fields.

Session Speakers Sheet

  • *SessionNumber (text, 100 characters) - Enter the session number this speaker is associated with
  • SessionSpeakerContactID - Unique contact id for the speaker if they are already a contact in this Global Admin
  • *SessionSpeakerFirstName (text, 100 characters) - First Name of the speaker
  • *SessionSpeakerLastName (text, 100 characters) - Last Name of the speaker
  • *SessionSpeakerEmail (text, 100 characters) - email address of the speaker
  • *SessionSpeakerType (text, 200 characters) - The Speaker Type for this speaker, for this session. (Ex. Speaker, Panelist, Moderator, Author, etc.) For more information on Speaker Types read this article. 

Session Tracks Sheet

  • SessionNumber (text, 100 characters) - Enter the session number that will be associated with the track
  • SessionTrack (text, 100 characters) - Enter the Session Track Name. For more information about Session Tracks read this article.

 

Notes

Error Messages

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The Error Message Banner (above) will appear directly above the data set (Session, Speakers, Tracks) that have data that is causing an error. If the error message banner is displayed, the rows that are causing errors will display and there will be additional columns to the right of the data explaining where the error(s) occured and the nature of the error. 

Errors, and How to Resolve Them:

SessionData Sheet:

  • Sesson Title is Required - You are missing the required data in one or more rows, go back and check your file to find the empty SessionTitle field. 
  • Date must have the format MM/DD/YYYY - One or more of your rows has a date format other than MM/DD/YYYY format. Check your file, and resolve. 
  • Date is required - You are missing the required data in one or more rows, go back and check your file to find the empty SessionDate field. Ensure that you use MM/DD/YYYY format when adding in the missing date. 
  • Start Time must have the format HH:MM AM/PM- One or more of your rows has a SessionStartTime with a time format other than HH:MM AM/PM format. Check your file, and resolve. 
  • Start Time is required - You are missing the required data in one or more rows, go back and check your file to find the empty SessionStartTime field. Ensure that you use HH:MM AM/PM format when adding in the missing time. 
  • End Time must have the format HH:MM AM/PM - One or more of your rows has a SessionEndTime with a time format other than HH:MM AM/PM format. Check your file, and resolve. 
  • End Time is required - You are missing the required data in one or more rows, go back and check your file to find the empty SessionEndTime field. Ensure that you use HH:MM AM/PM format when adding in the missing time. 
  • Price must have format like 0.00 - The SessionPrice field for one or more rows contains numbers that are not formatted as a number, contain additional characters (-,$, etc) or have  more than 4 decimal places (1.12345). Check your file, and resolve by ensuring that the cell format is Number, the decimal spaces allowed are 4 or less, all numbers are positive, and that the only character in the column is the decimal/period (.). 
  • CEU Credit - type - The SessionCEUCredits field for one or more rows is not a positive number with 2 or less decimal spaces. check your file, and resolve by ensuring that the cell format is Number, the decimal spaces allowed are 2 or less, all numbers are positive, and that the only character in the column is the decimal/period (.). 
  • Introduction – size - The SessionIntroduction field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionIntroduction fields are less than or equal to 100 characters. 
  • Learning Objectives - size - The SessionLearningObjectives field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionLearningObjectives fields are less than or equal to 2000 characters. 
  • Methodology - size - The SessionMethodology field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionMethodology fields are less than or equal to 3000 characters. 
  • Description – size - The SessionDescription field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionDescription fields are less than or equal to ____characters. 
  • Notes - size - The SessionNotes field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionNotes fields are less than or equal to 2000 characters. 
  • Sponsor - size - The SessionSponsor field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionSponsor fields are less than or equal to 255 characters. 
  • Sponsor Logo - size - The SessionSponsorLogoURL field for one or more rows exceeds the allowed number of characters. Check your file to ensure that all SessionSponsorLogoURL fields are less than or equal to 255 characters. 
  • Invalid URL - The SessionSponsorLogoURL field for one or more of your rows has an invalid URL. Check your file to ensure that your url is formatted with http:// or https:// AND that the field does not exceed 500 characters.
  • Publish value must be Yes or No - 
  • Canceled value must be Yes or No - 
  • Session Q&A value must be Yes or No - 
  • Duplicate Data - This error will appear to alert you that you have duplicate Session Number or Session Title in your file. Review the file, and resolve the duplicate entries appropriately. 
  • Duplicate in System - This error will appear to alert you that a Session Number or Session Title already exists in the database for this event. Compare your file to the Session Report or Session List BI Report to find the duplicates. 

 

SessionSpeaker Sheet

  • Session Number not found - One or more session numbers on this sheet are not listed on the SessionData sheet. Check the file, and resolve. 
  • Session Number is required - One or more rows are missing a session number. Check the file and resolve.
  • Contact ID not found - One or more Contact ID's do not exist in the database. Cross check the Contact Names and Emails in the file with the Contact records, using the Search option on the Contact Management page, and update the file with the correct Contact ID.
  • First Name is required - One or more rows are missing data in the First Name field. This field must have content and match the First Name already in the data base for this Contact ID.
  • Last Name is required - One or more rows are missing data in the Last Name field. This field must have content and match the Last Name already in the data base for this Contact ID.
  • Invalid Email - One or more rows have Email Addresses that are not of the valid format (something@something.something). Review the file and update the email field with a valid email.
  • Email is required - One or more rows are missing the email address field. Review the file and update the email field with a valid email. 
  • Duplicate Data - 2 or more rows have the same information in BOTH the Session Number and Contact ID. Review the file, and resolve the duplicate entries appropriately. 
  • Duplicate in System - This error will appear to alert you that a Session Number already exists in the database for this event. Compare your file to the Session Report or Session List BI Report to find the duplicates. 

SessionTrack Sheet

  • Session Number not found
  • Session Number is required
  • Session Track is required
  • Duplicate Data
  • Duplicate in System

 

How data is matched

SessionData Sheet:

  • SessionType
    • Check if value entered in SessionType import field matches an existing value in the SessionType table’s SessionTypeDesc column, or allow creation of new SessionType record, and then associate
  • SessionDate
    • Check if value entered in SessionDate import field matches an existing value in the SessionDate table’s SessionDate column and set to display, or allow creation of new SessionDate record, and then associate
  • SessionDuration
    • Check if value entered in SessionDuration import field matches an existing value in the Duration table’s DurationTime column and set to display, or allow creation of a new Duration record, and then associate
  • SessionFormat
    • Check if value entered in SessionFormat import field matches an existing value in the Format table’s Format column and set to display, or allow creation of a new Format record, and then associate
  • SessionAbilityLevel
    • Check if value entered in SessionAbilityLevel import field matches an existing value in the AbilityLevel table’s AbilityLevel column and set to display, or allow creation of a new AbilityLevel record, and then associate
  • SubExpo
    • Check if value is entered in SubExpo import field matches an existing value in the SubExpoLabel field in the SubExpo table and set to display (entered in Floorplan Management Settings section).

SessionSpeakers Sheet:

  • SessionSpeakerType
    • Check if value entered in SessionSpeakerType import field matches an existing value in the SpeakerType table’s Svtype column, or allow creation of a new SpeakerType record, and then associate

SessionTracks Sheet:

  • SessionTrack
    • Check if value entered in SessionTrack import field matches an existing value in the Tracks table’s Track column and set to display, or allow creation of a new Tracks record, and then associate

 

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