How to Import Users into Blackboard Using a Tab Delimited File

Overview

This procedure will enroll users into a course and Miller Hall (Blackboard) at the same time.

1. Create a new blank spreadsheet  with columns for Username, Last Name, First Name, Email Address, Password, and Class Role.  The password value, if  left blank, will be Password. The username value will be the first part of your email address, which is before the @. For example, mine is andersonr.  The value for role will be S for Student, T for Teaching Assistant, or P for Instructor.  Your spreadsheet should look like the picture below.
   
   
    
2. Enter information into the appropriate fields, then save the spreadsheet as an Excel file with a title that is meaningful to you, like your Blackboard Class ID. 
    
3. After you save it, you will save it again, but this time with the File and Save As command from the file menu.  When the menu comes up, use the same name, but choose Text (Tab Delimited). Click Save.
   
   
   
   
    
4. After you click save, there will be a message box about the selected file type not supporting multiple sheets. Click OK to acknowledge the message and continue.
   
   
    
5. You will receive another message from Excel stating that this document may contain features that are not compatible with this file type.  Click Yes to acknowledge the message and finish the saving process.
   
   
   
    
6.  Logon to Blackboard at http://blackboard.morningside.edu, or through the Morningside webpage.  Go to your courses.  Open the desired course that needs to have the user(s) imported to.  When the class is open, click on the course Control Panel.
   
   
   
    
7. After the Control Panel opens, click on Batch Create Users from the right side of the window.
   
   
   
    
8. After you click Batch Create Users, scroll down the page and find File Upload.  Click Browse for the student information text file from Excel .
   
   
    
9.  After you click browse, the following screen will appear. Use the drop down box next to "Look in" to navigate to the approximate location of the file.  When in the approximate location, click inside the bigger box to enter any subfolders.  When you find the file, click on it to Open.
   
   
    
10. When your file is selected, click Tab as the delimiter type.  Press Submit.
    
    
     
11. Once the submission is complete, you will receive the following confirmation from Blackboard.
    
    
     
12. Users are now officially enrolled in Miller Hall (blackboard) for present and future classes.