Update multiple user accounts in CourseCloud

Note: CourseCloud is a limited-access content delivery platform. If you send course invitations from OpenSesame instead, see the documentation for CourseCloud Legacy.

Email addresses must be updated individually. To update one user, see Update an individual user account in CourseCloud. 

To update CourseCloud accounts in bulk:

1. Add your existing users’ account information to the Bulk User Upload Template (CSV download).
2. Export the spreadsheet as a CSV file.
3. Upload the CSV file to CourseCloud.

Note: CourseCloud can accept CSV files up to 256 MB in size. If you have thousands of learners, we recommend working in batches of 5,000 users to keep processing times fast.

First, download the template and open it with whichever spreadsheet app you prefer.

Add one user per row.

The first three columns are required:

• First name - Can be updated with this spreadsheet.
• Last name - Can also be updated.
• Email address (in lowercase) - Used for identification, and can’t be updated here.

To update a first or last name, enter the new name in the appropriate column.

To change a user’s email address, update their account individually. CourseCloud uses email addresses to identify users, so each address in the spreadsheet must match an existing account. If it doesn’t, CourseCloud can’t apply updates.

The remaining columns are optional:

• Department - Add users to existing departments.
• Suspended - Suspend or unsuspend users.

If you’ve created a department hierarchy in CourseCloud, you can add users to existing departments. When you add someone to a sub-department, they’re automatically added to the parent department. To include more than two departments, add columns after “department2” with the same pattern (“department3,” etc.).

Note: To remove users from departments, use a different tool: Admin Tools > Users > Department Users & Managers.

The suspended column controls whether each user is active. (Users can’t be deleted, as this would remove historical activity.)

• To suspend a user, enter 1 in their row.
• To keep a user active or unsuspend them, enter 0 or leave the cell empty.

When your spreadsheet is ready, save it as a CSV file, Most apps include this option under Save As or Download.

Next, log in to CourseCloud. Select Admin Tools and then the Users tab.

Click Upload users.

Upload your file by dragging it into the File area or by using the Choose a file button.

The only setting different from the steps to create multiple user accounts is the Upload type.

• To create new accounts only, use Add new only, skip existing users. This ignores any row in your CSV that has an email address already in CourseCloud.
• To create new accounts and update existing accounts, use Add new and update existing users.
• To update existing accounts only, use Update existing users only. This ignores any row in your CSV that has an email address not in CourseCloud.

When satisfied with your settings, click Upload users.

A preview of the pending updates appears, along with additional settings. Only the settings that apply to your Upload type can be changed.

All settings:

• Upload type - The type selected on the previous page.
• New user password - Disregard, as no new users will be created.
• Send temporary passwords by email will almost always be set to Yes, as it is not possible to resend user passwords in bulk.
• Existing user details - How CourseCloud should handle the updates.
  
  • No changes - The default, which avoids accidental updates. Existing user details remain untouched.
  • Override with file - Replace existing users' account details (aside from departments) with the information in your CSV.
  • Override with file and defaults - Rarely used.
  • Fill in missing from file and defaults - Rarely used.
• Existing user password - Disregard, as only users can update their passwords.
• Allow renames - To update any first or last names, set to Yes. 
• Select for bulk user actions - Choose which users in your CSV to affect.
  
  • No - The default.
  • New users - Create new accounts only.
  • Updated users - Update existing accounts only.
  • All users - Apply all the data in your CSV.
• Select course to enroll into (optional) - Assign training.
  • Only courses already imported to CourseCloud appear.
  • You can assign courses with the User Enrollment tool later.

When satisfied with your settings, click Upload users. 

A Results page lists the updated accounts. It also shows if any errors occurred.

Finally, click the Continue button to return to the Upload users page.

If you have further questions, our Support team is here to help at support@opensesame.com or via live chat and phone. Reach us at (503) 808-1268, ext. 2 (U.S.) or +44 203 744 5541 (Europe).