FitnessGram accepts traditional CSV imports as well as files in the OneRoster version 1.1 format.
How to Import
Watch a video tutorial and find instructions below.
Step 1: Check Districts & Schools
- Verify School Local Identifiers.
- An import can be completed for the new school year after the month and day of the School Year Start Date has passed.
Step 2: Create a File
Create a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file containing school, student, class, and teacher information. This information provides guidance for SIS vendors and assists District Admins in exporting fields from your school’s Student Information System (SIS).
Note: Refer to state-specific import file instructions if part of a FitnessGram® state implementation (GA, OK, SC, DE) in addition to the following File Requirements.
File Requirements
- For GA and OK SIS vendors only: Headers must match File Field names exactly (see File Fields table below).
- File must be a true Comma Separated Values format (.csv extension).
- File must contain headers.
- File cannot have blank rows.
- All required fields must be populated.
- DO NOT USE Social Security Numbers for any identifiers in the file.
- Include teacher email addresses to help with login.
File Fields
Optional: Download the Sample Import Template_updated file that can be used to help build your file. If using the Sample Import Template, you will need to save the file as a CSV file type before importing and remove rows 2-6 with instructions.
Please review the following File Fields carefully as the data and formatting of fields required for the FitnessGram® software may differ from Student Information System (SIS) data.
Field Name | Field Type (Maximum Size) | Required? | Notes |
SchoolID | AlphaNumeric (50) | Required | Must match the School Local Identifier in FitnessGram |
StudentID | AlphaNumeric (50) | Required | Must be unique to the user within the district. Ensure student IDs remain consistent each year to avoid duplication. |
StudentFirstName | AlphaNumeric (46) | Required | |
StudentLastName | AlphaNumeric (46) | Required | |
StudentMiddleInitial | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | |
StudentNickName | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | |
StudentBirthdate | Date (10) | Required | mm/dd/yyyy (include slash marks) |
StudentGrade | AlphaNumeric (10) | Required | Grades accepted are K-13. Any pre-K or early development grades must be reported as “K” only. Any Adult or post-high-school levels must be listed as 13. |
StudentSexAssignedAtBirth | Alpha (1) | Required | M, F, N. Column header “Gender” still accepted. |
StudentEthnicityCode | Numeric (100) | Optional | Federal Ethnicity Codes |
StudentUsername | AlphaNumeric (60) | Required | Must be unique to the student within the district. |
StudentPassword | AlphaNumeric (100) | Required | Password requirements |
StudentReportEmail | AlphaNumeric (128) | Recommended | School student email account. Useful for resetting password. Only one email address is allowed in this field. |
Student SSO ID | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | This field is only used for districts with FitnessGram® Single Sign On. Contact the FitnessGram® Help Desk for more information. |
StudentPrintBodyComp | AlphaNumeric (1) | Optional | Y, N |
ParentReportEmail1 | AlphaNumeric (128) | Recommended | Useful for emailing student reports. Only one email address is allowed in this field. |
ParentReportEmail2 | AlphaNumeric (128) | Recommended | Useful for emailing student reports. Only one email address is allowed in this field. |
StudentPrintReportInSpanish | AlphaNumeric (1) | Optional | Y, N
Student Reports will be printed/emailed in Spanish for any student identified in this column as “Y”. |
StudentPermanentExemptionCode | AlphaNumeric (1) | Optional | Teachers can also exempt students individually within a test event. |
StudentIsActive | AlphaNumeric (1) | Optional | Y, N
Useful to deactivate students by identifying as “N”. |
ClassName | AlphaNumeric (100) | Required | Unique by teacher, period, and school year. |
ClassID | AlphaNumeric (100) | Required | Unique by district and cannot repeat for different class names, start dates, and end dates. |
ClassDescription | AlphaNumeric (255) | Optional | |
ClassStartDate | Date (10) | Required | mm/dd/yyyy
Cannot fall before the School Year Start Date. |
ClassEndDate | Date (10) | Required | mm/dd/yyyy
Cannot be later than one year from the School Year Start Date. |
TeacherID | AlphaNumeric (50) | Required | Unique per teacher within a district. Ensure teacher IDs remain consistent each year to avoid duplication. |
TeacherFirstName | AlphaNumeric (46) | Required | |
TeacherLastName | AlphaNumeric (46) | Required | |
TeacherMiddleInitial | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | |
TeacherNickName | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | |
TeacherUserName | AlphaNumeric (60) | Required | Email is best practice. |
TeacherPassword | AlphaNumeric (100) | Required | Password requirements |
TeacherEmail | AlphaNumeric (128) | Required | Email must be included in the TeacherEmail field even if being used as username. |
Teacher SSO ID | AlphaNumeric (35) | Optional | This field is only used for districts with FitnessGram® Single Sign On. Contact the FitnessGram® Help Desk for more information. |
TeacherIsActive | AlphaNumeric (1) | Optional | Y, N
Useful to deactivate teachers by identifying as “N”. |
Step 3: Create File Mapping
Note to District Admins in GA or SC: Skip to Step 4: Import File.
In the import screen, find the File Mappings tab.
Click Create New Mapping.
Name the mapping and upload your CSV file to begin the mapping process.
Once the file has uploaded, the selections in the Map To column will populate with the headers from your file.
Some Map To fields may not be recognized automatically if they aren’t spelled or labeled the same as the System Data Field. If a Map To field is not recognized, click Select to select the header in your file that matches the System Data Field.
Once complete, click Save.
You will now see any Saved Import File Mappings you have created on the Import screen. Once created, a mapping can be reused as many times as desired for subsequent imports unless additional fields are added or removed from the file.
Click the Excel icon next to the mapping name to export a CSV file of a saved mapping.
Step 4: Import File
There are two ways to import a File.
Import from FitnessGram®
Import from File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
1. Import a file directly in FitnessGram®.
This option is good for districts that only do data imports occasionally or cannot install a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client for security or protocol reasons.
Find the Settings tab to view/adjust the import settings.
- Update usernames and passwords
- Choose Yes to update usernames and passwords based on what is in the import file, which would override any passwords that have been reset by the user.
- Choose No to not update usernames and passwords. This is the default setting and is recommended to decrease login issues.
- Type of import
- Add/Update Only will add/update any users and classes that are in the import file. This is the default setting and how FitnessGram® imports have worked historically.
- Add, Update, and Remove will deactivate and users and classes that are not in the import file. Note: This type of import can only be done if all schools are in the import file.
Click Update Settings to confirm changes.
Now you are ready to import! Click Choose File and select your CSV import file, then click Import.
The name and background of the file should appear green if the mapping is correct. If the name and background of the file are red, open the mapping and correct discrepancies.
A preview screen will appear and display any errors. Click “View Next Error” and find the exact cell with the error. A message at the top of the preview screen will also display the reason for the error.
An export of errors is available for large files and contains each error by row.
Correct the file and try again. When all errors have been corrected a message will display in the preview screen with an import button to click.
A message will display providing an estimate of time required for the data to process.
An email notification will be sent to the person who completed the import informing that the import has fully processed. The email will include any error messages if detected.
An entry will appear in the Import History tab once the import has processed.
The student, class, and teacher information from your file will appear in Manage Users and Manage Classes.
If you need to reverse or roll back your most recent import for any reason, click the counter-clockwise arrow next to the file name. This will begin the roll back process and revert the classes and users in FitnessGram® back to what they were before the import. Note: Only the most recent import can be rolled back.
2. Import via File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
Note: When importing data using FTP, FitnessGram leverages the SFTP protocol with 256 bit AES encryption. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest throughout the import process.
This option is recommended for districts that will be doing frequent data imports. This option would allow you to schedule files to be automatically processed (outside of the FitnessGram system).
Watch a video tutorial and find instructions below.
Find district-specific FTP credentials by selecting the “View FTP credentials for automated imports” link.
Use credentials to automate imports on your local FTP program.
TLS Encryption requires ports 1025-1035 to be open.
Note: Each District Admin found in Districts & Schools will receive an import notification email if an import is completed via FTP. To stop receiving the FTP emails, District Admins go to Settings and select My Account to find the check box to turn off FTP import emails:
Top FTP troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you entered the correct FTP address (ftp.fitnessgram.net), username, and password from the FitnessGram Import page.
- Note only CSV files can be imported.
- Adjust the connection/timeout settings to increase the amount of time allowed to process.
- Ports 1025-1035 must be open because of TLS encryption.