Getting Started
Importing Your Student Roster
Import existing student data via CSV, Excel, or manual entry.
Importing Your Student Roster
Ardent SMS makes it easy to migrate your existing student data. While you can add students manually, we recommend using our CSV import tool for bulk onboarding.
CSV Import Format
Download the template from the School Portal and ensure your file matches the following column structure:
| Column | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
first_name | Yes | Student's legal first name | Kofi |
last_name | Yes | Student's legal surname | Mensah |
date_of_birth | Yes | YYYY-MM-DD format | 2012-05-14 |
gender | Yes | Male / Female / Other | Male |
class | Yes | Must match an existing class | Primary 4A |
guardian_name | Yes | Primary contact person | Ama Mensah |
guardian_phone | Yes | Ghana format (+233 or 0XXX) | 0244123456 |
guardian_email | No | For portal invitations | ama@example.com |
boarding | No | Yes / No | No |
student_number | No | Existing school ID | AD-2024-001 |
Validation Rules
To ensure a smooth import, please adhere to these formatting rules:
- Dates: Must use the
YYYY-MM-DDformat. - Gender: Case-insensitive (e.g., "male", "Male", and "MALE" are all accepted).
- Classes: The class name in your CSV must exactly match a class level you configured in the First-Time Setup.
- Phone Numbers: We recommend the international format (+233) but also accept local 10-digit formats starting with 0.
Field Availability by Tier
Some advanced student profiling fields are only available on higher subscription tiers.
| Features | Starter | GrowthMost Popular | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Bio Data | ||||
| Guardian Linking | ||||
| Medical Records | Limited | |||
| Document Storage | 100MB | 2GB | 10GB | Unlimited |
| Custom Fields | Up to 5 | Up to 20 | Unlimited | |
| Historical Archiving |
Common Import Errors
| Error | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
Unknown Class | The class name doesn't exist in settings. | Create the class in settings first. |
Invalid Date | Date is not in YYYY-MM-DD format. | Reformat columns in Excel as Text or YYYY-MM-DD. |
Missing Required | A required field like last_name is empty. | Ensure every row has all required data. |
After the Import
Once the import is complete:
- Review Report: Check the success/failure summary.
- Assign Guardians: Link students to existing families if they have siblings.
- Verify Enrollment: Confirm students appear in their correct class lists.