How to Format Files For CSV Imports And Troubleshoot Import Errors

This article outlines how admins should format CSV files that can be used to add or manage users into your Udemy Business account, via our import feature. 

• Learn which functionality is supported through the CSV import feature.
• Learn how to add and manage users via CSV import.

Please note: 

• The CSV import feature is not available to group admins.
• Currently, the CSV template is only available in English.
• The CSV import feature supports multiple delimiters (comma, tab, semi-colon etc.)

Table of contents

• How to encode a CSV in UTF-8 format
• Possible formatting issues caused by region & language settings in Microsoft Excel
• Formatting your CSV file
• Group formatting - Enterprise Plan only
• Additional troubleshooting steps for error notifications

How to encode a CSV in UTF-8 format

CSV files must be encoded in UTF-8 format in order for the import to work. 

In Microsoft Excel (PC):

1. Select “Save as”> “Browse”. 
2. The “Save as” window should now appear. Save as type as “CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)”. 
3. Under the Tools drop-down box, click “Web Options”. A new window for web options will appear.
4.  Under the “Encoding” tab, select “UTF-8".
5. Click “OK” and save the file.

Please note: Excel for Mac does not natively support the import or export of UTF-8 encoded files. As a result, we recommend Mac users open a spreadsheet in Google Sheets and follow the steps below to encode the CSV file in UTF-8 format.

In Google sheets:

1. Click “File”> “Download”.
2. Select “Comma-separated-values (csv.)”. 
3. The sheet will be downloaded in UTF-8 format.

Possible formatting issues caused by region & language settings in Microsoft Excel

Depending on the regional or language settings you’re using in Microsoft Excel, you may need to make some additional formatting changes. More information is available in Microsoft's Support Center. 

The Udemy Business CSV import feature supports multiple delimiters (comma, tab, semi-colon etc.). Therefore, you will not be required to change your region settings if using Microsoft Excel prior to importing your CSV file.

Please note: the two most commonly seen issues related to this are:

• Encoding files with Japanese/Chinese/Korean characters. MS Excel does not encode these files as UTF-8 correctly.

Another way to ensure your CSV file can upload correctly, when encountering these issues, is to save your file in Google Sheets or Notepad and download it as a CSV. 

• Google will automatically correctly encode the file as UTF-8 when downloaded.
• On Notepad, be sure to save the file under the type “Unicode (UTF-8). 

Formatting your CSV file

CSVs can define the email, role, and group(s) for users. There are some standard formatting requirements you need to adhere to for your CSV file to upload successfully.

• The header row of the CSV must contain: email, role, groups and group admin for. 
• The valid roles that you can assign a user to are “user” or "admin". Enterprise plan users can also assign the "group admin" role (see below).
• Any blanks within the role column will be automatically set to “user” if the user is new. If you leave the role column blank for existing users, their role will remain the same, i.e. if the user is an admin, they will still be an admin.
• The "groups" and "group admin for" columns can be left blank.
• The column titles and roles (e.g. group admin, admin) in the role column must be entered in English. The values (terms) in other cells, however, can be localized. Please note that group names can be localized provided they match the group names that have been created in your organization’s account.

Group formatting - Enterprise Plan only

• Group names you assign users to must match existing group names you have already setup in your Udemy Business account through the User Management feature.
• Group names you assign users to must already exist within your Udemy Business account.
• The "groups" and "group admin for" columns can be left blank if applicable.
• Do not add the owner of the account in the CSV file, as you will receive an error message stating that you cannot change the role of the owner. Please contact Support if you would like to change the owner of your account. 
• If you add an email which is in Pending Invitations, that user will not be included in the number of new users added when you receive a successful upload message, because they had been previously invited.
• Group names, license type and email addresses are not case sensitive nor space sensitive.
• You can include multiple group names for each user by separating group names with a semicolon “;” character. Please be sure, however, there are no spaces between the groups and the semicolon that separates them (i.e. Marketing;Sales;New Hires).
• You can assign Udemy Business Pro licenses by indicating that this is a pro user, by adding “Pro” in the license type column. Where this column is left blank, Udemy Business Pro licenses will not be assigned. This column is optional.

Additional troubleshooting steps for error notifications

Invalid email address: Double check any email addresses in the file to make sure they have been entered correctly.

Errors in the “following rows”: Please note that error notifications reporting there are issues with certain rows, do not account for the header row in the file. As a result, the rows that need to be updated are one below the rows reported in the notification.

For example, if the error indicates “Rows 28, 95” need to be updated, you would need to check rows 29 and 96.