Uploading Students or Applicants Using Excel

Written By: iSIMS Support

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Overview

The Student/Applicant Excel Upload feature allows authorized users to add student or applicant records to iSIMS using an Excel spreadsheet.

To ensure the upload is processed correctly, the Excel file must follow the required format and contain the specified columns.

Important: The Excel file should be reviewed carefully before uploading. Incorrect information may result in records being created or updated incorrectly.

Excel File Requirements

Before uploading your file, ensure that:

• The file is saved as an Excel Workbook (.xlsx).
• The worksheet is named exactly Sheet1.
• The column headers are located in the first row.
• The column names match the required names exactly.
• There are no additional columns.
• There are no blank rows before the header row.
• There are no merged cells.
• Do not include totals, summaries, or other information outside the student/applicant records.

Required Columns

The Sheet1 worksheet must contain the following columns in the specified order:

* Depending on the institution's business rules, TRN or email address may be optional.

Column Details

ID

Enter the unique identification number for the student or applicant.

Example:

20260001
20260002
20260003

Each record should have the correct ID. Avoid unnecessary spaces.

FirstName

Enter the student's or applicant's first name.

Example:

John
Jane
Michael

Do not include the middle name in this field.

MiddleName

Enter the student's or applicant's middle name.

Example:

Peter
Ann
David

If the person does not have a middle name, leave the field blank.

LastName

Enter the student's or applicant's surname/last name.

Example:

Brown
Williams
Campbell

TRN

Enter the person's Taxpayer Registration Number.

Example:

123456789
987654321

Excel Recommendation

Set the TRN column to Text format to prevent Excel from changing the value or removing leading zeroes.

DateOfBirth

Enter the person's date of birth.

The recommended format is:

YYYY-MM-DD

Example:

2002-05-14
1998-11-27
2005-01-09

Use the same date format for all records.

ContactNumber

Enter the primary telephone number.

Example:

8765551234
8765556789

It is recommended that the column be formatted as Text to prevent Excel from changing the number format.

EmailAddress

Enter the student's or applicant's email address.

Example:

john.brown@example.com
jane.williams@example.com

Ensure that the email address is valid and does not contain unnecessary spaces.

Gender

Enter the gender using the values configured and accepted by iSIMS.

For example:

Male
Female

Important: Do not use variations such as M, F, male or female unless those values are specifically configured as valid values in iSIMS.

Campus

Enter the campus assigned to the student or applicant.

Example:

Main Campus
Kingston Campus
Montego Bay Campus

The campus name should match the campus configured in iSIMS.

ProgrammeName

Enter the exact programme name as configured in iSIMS.

Example:

Bachelor of Information Technology
Diploma in Business Administration
Certificate in Early Childhood Education

Important: The programme must already exist in iSIMS and the name must match the configured programme name.

Year

Enter the student's year of study.

Example:

1
2
3

Use the format configured by the institution.

Status

Enter the student's or applicant's current status.

Examples may include:

Applicant
Active
Training
Graduated

Important: Only use statuses configured and accepted by the institution's iSIMS environment.

Example Excel File

The completed Sheet1 should look similar to the following:

Preparing the Excel File

Before uploading the file, complete the following checks.

Step 1 – Verify the Worksheet

Confirm that the worksheet is named:

Sheet1

Step 2 – Verify the Headers

The first row must contain:

ID | FirstName | MiddleName | LastName | TRN | DateOfBirth | ContactNumber | EmailAddress | Gender | Campus | ProgrammeName | Year | Status

Do not change the spelling, capitalization, or spacing of the column names.

Step 3 – Verify the Data

Check that:

• Each student/applicant has the correct ID.
• Names are correctly entered.
• TRNs are correct.
• Dates of birth are valid.
• Contact numbers are correct.
• Email addresses are valid.
• Gender values are valid.
• Campus names match iSIMS.
• Programme names match iSIMS.
• Year values are correct.
• Status values are valid.

Step 4 – Save the File

Save the file as:

Excel Workbook (.xlsx)

Uploading the File to iSIMS

Once the Excel file has been prepared:

1. Log in to iSIMS.
2. Navigate to the Student/Applicant Excel Upload function.
3. Select the appropriate upload option.
4. Select the prepared .xlsx file.
5. Start the upload.
6. Wait for iSIMS to process the file.
7. Review the upload results.
8. Correct any records reported as unsuccessful.
9. Re-upload corrected records where necessary.

Common Upload Issues

Important

Always verify your Excel file before uploading it to iSIMS.

The upload process can create or update records based on the information provided in the spreadsheet. Users are therefore responsible for ensuring that the information is accurate and that the correct ID, TRN, Date of Birth, Campus, Programme, Year and Status are supplied.

iSIMS Support: If you encounter an error that cannot be resolved using this guide, contact your institution's iSIMS administrator or support team and provide the Excel file and the upload error message.