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Add multiple children or authorized adults to your roster at once by uploading a CSV file. Child roster page with import options

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Quick start

1

Go to Child Roster

Navigate to Child Roster in the main navigation.
2

Click Import

Click Import Children or Import Adults.
3

Download the template CSV

Click Download template at the bottom of the upload dialog. Open the file in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app.
4

Fill in your data

Follow the column format described below for your import type.
5

Upload and review

Drag and drop your CSV file onto the upload area, or click to browse and select your file.
6

Click Import

Review the preview, then click Import.

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When to use CSV import

SituationRecommendation
Setting up a new facilityUse Roster Import (children + parents in one file)
Adding 5+ children at onceUse CSV import (children or roster format)
Adding children with their parents linkedUse Roster Import
Adding 1-4 childrenUse the manual “Add Child” form
Adding only adults (no children)Use Adults CSV import

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CSV formats

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Children CSV

ColumnRequiredFormatExample
first_nameYesTextEmma
last_nameYesTextJohnson
date_of_birthYesYYYY-MM-DD2021-03-15
age_groupYesinfant, toddler, preschool, or school_agetoddler
first_name,last_name,date_of_birth,age_group
Emma,Johnson,2021-03-15,toddler
Max,Johnson,2019-08-22,preschool
Sophia,Garcia,2020-06-10,toddler

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Adults CSV

ColumnRequiredFormatExample
first_nameYesTextJohn
last_nameYesTextJohnson
phoneYesPhone number+13105551234
relationshipYesparent, guardian, grandparent, family_member, emergency_contact, authorized_adult, nanny, or otherparent
first_name,last_name,phone,relationship
John,Johnson,+13105551234,parent
Jane,Johnson,+13105555678,parent
Maria,Garcia,(310) 555-9012,grandparent
The roster format combines children and parents in a single file. Each row is one child, with up to two parents or guardians attached.
ColumnRequiredFormatExample
child_first_nameYesTextEmma
child_last_nameYesTextSmith
date_of_birthYesYYYY-MM-DD2022-03-15
age_groupYesinfant, toddler, preschool, or school_agetoddler
parent1_first_nameIf parent1 has dataTextSarah
parent1_last_nameNoTextSmith
parent1_phoneIf parent1 has dataPhone number(510) 555-1234
parent1_relationshipNo (defaults to parent)See relationships listparent
parent1_emailNoEmailsarah@email.com
parent2_first_nameIf parent2 has dataTextJohn
parent2_last_nameNoTextSmith
parent2_phoneIf parent2 has dataPhone number(510) 555-5678
parent2_relationshipNo (defaults to parent)See relationships listparent
parent2_emailNoEmailjohn@email.com
Parent 2 columns can be left empty for single-parent entries. If the same parent phone appears on multiple rows, the parent is created once and linked to each child. Parents already in your facility (matched by phone) are automatically reused.

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Phone number tips

The system accepts various phone formats and converts them automatically:
You enterSystem stores
(310) 555-1234+13105551234
310-555-1234+13105551234
3105551234+13105551234
+13105551234+13105551234
International numbers must include the country code (e.g., +447911123456 for UK).

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Importing your data

1

Upload

Click Import Children or Import Adults, then drag and drop your CSV file or click to browse.
2

Review

The preview screen shows:
  • Green checkmark: Valid rows ready to import
  • Red X with error count: Rows with problems (cannot be imported)
If you see errors, hover over the error icon to see what’s wrong. Fix issues in your spreadsheet and re-upload, or proceed with just the valid rows.
3

Select rows

All valid rows are selected by default. Uncheck any rows you want to skip. Use the header checkbox to select or deselect all valid rows.
4

Import

Click Import X Records to start the import.
5

Review results

The results screen shows:
  • Imported: New records added
  • Skipped: Duplicates that already exist
  • Failed: Records that could not be added (rare)

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Handling duplicates

The system automatically detects duplicates:
TypeDuplicate detection
ChildrenSame first name + last name + date of birth
AdultsSame phone number
Duplicates are skipped (not updated). You can safely re-import a CSV that contains some existing records — only new records will be added. To update existing records, edit them individually from the roster.

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After import

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Linking adults to children

If you used the Roster Import, children and parents are automatically linked — no extra steps needed. If you used separate Children + Adults imports, adults are added to your facility’s pool but are not linked to specific children. To link them:
  1. Go to the child’s profile
  2. Click Add Guardian
  3. Select the adult from the dropdown

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Verifying the import

  1. Check the roster list for your new records
  2. For adults, phone verification will show as “Pending”
  3. Adults can verify their phones when they first use the sign-in system

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Limits

LimitValue
Maximum records per import200
File formatCSV only (.csv)
EncodingUTF-8 recommended
For larger imports, split your data into multiple CSV files of 200 records each.

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Troubleshooting

Dates must be in YYYY-MM-DD format:
  • Correct: 2021-03-15
  • Incorrect: 3/15/2021, 15-03-2021, March 15, 2021
Use one of these exact values (lowercase): infant, toddler, preschool, school_age
Ensure phone numbers include area code, don’t contain letters, and for international numbers include + and the country code.
Use one of these exact values (lowercase): parent, guardian, grandparent, family_member, emergency_contact, authorized_adult, nanny, other
Check that your CSV:
  • Has the correct column headers (first_name, last_name, etc.)
  • Uses commas as separators (not semicolons or tabs)
  • Does not have extra blank columns
  • Was saved as CSV (not Excel .xlsx format)