A guide to accessing our free bulk import service for Participants, including what info we'll need and how to send it to us.

What we need

We can take a file in CSV or XLS format which we'll then convert and securely upload into your Team account for you. Right now, the details that need to be included in that file are:

  • UPN
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • DoB (dd/mm/yyyy)
  • Gender
  • (Optional) Group(s) - including this information means that we can create your Groups and assign your Participants to them as part of the upload. If your Participants belong to more than one Group, include this information in your file with each Group separated by a pipe, e.g. Year 1|Buttercups
  • (Optional) Participant Tags - if you want to add more than one Participant Tag for a Participant, include this information in your file with each tag separated by a pipe, e.g. Free School meals|ADHD|SEN Support


Please note for updating existing Participants, Groups and Participant Tags will only be added not removed. If in doubt, pop us a message and we'll talk through what's needed in your situation.

How to create it

Most MIS or pupil management software packages will give you an export option, with a few different file type options. Choose the .csv one if it's offered. If you have a spreadsheet you'll be able to save that as a .csv file as well.


How to send it

There are several options for getting the file to us. The best mix of speed and security is to use the file upload in the pink circle. Click on the pink circle (go ahead and try it now - it's just down in the bottom right of your screen), choose new conversation, then you'll see a paperclip icon (you might need to click on the 3 dots first). Click that and you can select a file from your computer or network. This will encrypt it, send it to us, and then we can deal with it very quickly.

You could also use Egress Switch to encrypt the file at your end and then send us the Switch package to support@motional.io. This takes a bit longer for us to do but may give you some extra peace of mind.

We aim to get your Participants uploaded into your Team within two days of receiving the file, but usually it's within hours. If the file is not in the correct format or requires tidying it may take longer (things like separating full name into first name and last name, converting DoB written as text to dd/mm/yyyy, and so on).

We'll send you a quick message to let you know once it's done, and then you're all set to start taking Snapshots and making Programs!