Importing Families and Enrollment Opportunities via CSV

Importing families and enrollment opportunities in bulk using a CSV file helps you quickly transfer data into Enrollio without manual entry. You can map fields, create or update records, and monitor the import process to ensure your data is accurate and organized.

This guide walks you through preparing your CSV file, mapping columns to fields, and monitoring the import status.

Prerequisites for Importing Families and Enrollment Opportunities

Before you start importing, make sure you meet these requirements:

  • User Permissions: Only users with Admin access can import families.
  • File Format: Your file must be in CSV (.csv) format.
  • File Size Limit: Keep your CSV file under 30MB. If it's larger, split it into smaller files.
  • Single Sheet Requirement: Your CSV file must contain only one sheet/tab.
  • Header Row: The first row should contain column headers (not be blank). At least one column header must match a field in Enrollio.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Watch out for these issues that can cause import errors:

  • ❌ Mismatched headers: Make sure your CSV headers match Enrollio field names.
  • ❌ Blank required fields: Every row needs at least one required field (Name, Email, or Phone).
  • ❌ Special characters in phone numbers: Remove spaces, dashes, or letters from phone numbers.
  • ❌ Duplicate records within CSV: Clean your list before importing to avoid confusion.

How to Import Families and Enrollment Opportunities

There are two ways to access the import feature in Enrollio:

From the Families Tab

  1. Navigate to Families from the left-hand menu.
  2. Click on the Smart Lists tab.
  3. Click the Import Families button.

[SCREENSHOT: Families page showing the Smart Lists tab with the Import Families button highlighted in the top navigation area]

From the Enrollment Opportunities Tab

  1. Navigate to Enrollment Opportunities from the left-hand menu.
  2. Click the Import button in the top-right corner.

[SCREENSHOT: Enrollment Opportunities page with the Import button highlighted in the top-right corner]

Both methods lead to the same import process, where you can choose to import:

  • Families only
  • Enrollment Opportunities only
  • Both Families & Enrollment Opportunities at the same time

Step 1: Choose What to Import

Select whether you want to import Families, Enrollment Opportunities, or both, then click Next.

[SCREENSHOT: Import selection screen showing three options - Families, Enrollment Opportunities, and Both - with radio buttons and a Next button]

Step 2: Upload Your CSV File

  1. Click Upload File and choose your CSV file from your computer.
  2. After uploading, click Choose how to import families/opportunities to decide whether you want to:
    • Create Only: Add new records only
    • Update Only: Update existing records only
    • Create & Update: Add new records and update existing ones

[SCREENSHOT: File upload screen showing the Upload File button and the import mode options (Create Only, Update Only, Create & Update)]

📌 How Enrollio Finds Existing Records: By default, Enrollio first searches by email address, then by phone number. This means it will look for a matching email first, and if no match is found, it will check the phone number.

Step 3: Map Columns to Fields

This is where you tell Enrollio which column in your CSV corresponds to which field in the platform.

[SCREENSHOT: Field mapping screen showing CSV column names on the left and Enrollio field dropdown selectors on the right, with a sample row of data visible]

Here's what you need to know about mapping:

  • Don't update Empty Values: Check this box if you want to preserve existing data when your CSV has blank cells. Enrollio won't overwrite existing field values with empty ones.
  • Unmapped columns: If you don't want to import certain columns, leave them unmapped and check the box that says "Don't import data for unmapped columns" to proceed.
  • Multiple emails and phone numbers: Enrollio automatically adds additional email addresses and phone numbers as secondary fields instead of replacing the primary ones.
  • Families and Opportunities on the same row: If your CSV has both family and enrollment opportunity data in the same row, Enrollio will automatically link them together.
💡 Pro Tip: Make sure all mandatory fields are mapped before proceeding. Enrollio will prompt you if required fields are missing.

Step 4: Review and Complete the Import

Before finalizing your import, you can take additional actions:

  • Create a Smart List: Automatically add all imported families to a new smart list for easy reference.
  • Add to Automation: Enroll imported families in an automation to trigger welcome messages or follow-up sequences.
  • Add Tags: Apply tags to all imported families for segmentation and organization.

[SCREENSHOT: Review screen showing mapping summary with checkboxes for Create Smart List, Add to Automation, and Add Tags, plus the confirmation checkbox at the bottom]

Check the box confirming you want to import all families/enrollment opportunities, then click Complete Import.

Step 5: Monitor Import Status

After starting your import, you can track its progress in real-time.

  1. Navigate to Families or Enrollment Opportunities.
  2. Click on the Bulk Actions tab.
  3. Find your import in the list and click Show Stats to view details.

[SCREENSHOT: Bulk Actions page showing a list of imports with status indicators (In Progress, Complete, Failed) and Show Stats buttons]

From the stats view, you can:

  • See how many records were successfully imported
  • View any errors that occurred
  • Download an error log with details about what went wrong
  • Check the specific rows that failed and why
🔧 Fixing Import Errors: Download the error log, correct the issues in your CSV file, and re-import just those corrected rows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my CSV file is over 30MB?

Split the file into smaller sections (each under 30MB) and import them separately.

Can I import families with multiple email addresses or phone numbers?

Yes! Enrollio stores additional emails and phone numbers as secondary fields without replacing primary data.

How does Enrollio handle duplicate families?

Enrollio automatically checks for duplicates based on phone number or email. If a match is found, the system updates the existing record instead of creating a duplicate.

Can I update existing families via CSV import?

Absolutely! Just choose Update Only or Create & Update during the import process.

What should I do if my import fails?

Check the error messages in the Import Status page, download the error log, fix the issues in your CSV, and re-import the corrected file.

Why are all my imported families set to DND (Do Not Disturb) for ALL channels?

When you include a DND column in your CSV, Enrollio automatically applies Do Not Disturb for all communication channels (text messages, email, calls, voicemail). If you want to set DND for specific channels only, use an automation with tags instead of the DND column.

Can I import notes for families?

Yes, but you can only import one note per family record, and it must be under 5,000 characters.

What if my phone numbers have parentheses and dashes?

Remove all special characters from phone numbers before importing. Highlight the entire phone column in your CSV, format it as numbers, and remove any parentheses, dashes, or spaces.