Bulk Manager App - CSV Template

Modified on Mon, 11 Sep 2023 at 07:16 PM

Description: The purpose of this article is to provide a detailed overview of the CSV Template that should be used to operate with the Bulk Manager App.

The Bulk Manager App, an integral component of the Ooma Enterprise system, serves as a powerful tool designed to quickly onboard hundreds of users. Its main objective is to facilitate the creation of Seats in a fast and efficient manner: this app streamlines the process by allowing administrators to create a significant quantity of Seats quickly and efficiently by using CSV files.

Upon logging into the Bulk Manager App, users will be presented with the app’s interface that has the following appearance as the default view.

CSV Template. General Information

By pressing the "Download Template" button, you will initiate the download of the CSV Template file, which is the recommended format for preparing bulk Seats to be uploaded via the app.

The CSV template file provided through this button is regularly updated and maintained by Ooma Enterprise.

You can conveniently modify the CSV template file obtained from the app by using any suitable software such as Microsoft Excel.

When you open the CSV Template file in any editing application (specifically, Excel in our case), it will have the following appearance:

The CSV Template file is structured in a specific manner to arrange information in a tabular format, where each row represents a collection of parameters filled into a series of columns, which will be explained in detail below.

The parameters provided in this file represent the fields that a user completes when creating a Seat through the Seats tab of the Phone System app. However, rather than creating a single Seat individually, employing CSV Templates enables the creation of multiple Seats in bulk.

The file comprises 20 columns of parameters:

Parameter	Rules for CSV	Is it obligatory to fill out this parameter?
firstname	Set the first name of the configured Seat’s user. If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error.	yes
lastname	Set the last name of the configured Seat’s user. If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error.	yes
email	Input an email address of the configured Seat’s user. If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error. The same email address can be used for several Seats.	yes
seat_type	In this section, you are required to specify the seat type of a Seat from a selection of 15 values: - Courtesy/Basic - Essentials/Standard - Advanced/Enterprise - Call Center - ATA/Analog/SIP Device - Call Forward - Conference - Demo - eFax - SMS - Voicemail Only - SIP Trunk - Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams Virtual Receptionist - Admin If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error.	yes
extension	Set the extension number of the configured Seat. The value can be 3-4 digits long. Only numeric values are valid. If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error.	yes
password	Set the password of the configured Seat. The value can be 4-6 characters. Only numeric values are valid. If you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error. This password can be the same as vmpin.	yes
VM_Box	Input the "yes" value if you want a VM Box to be created for the configured Seat	no
vmpin	Set the VM Pin of the configured Seat’s VM Box. The value can be 4-6 characters. Only numeric values are valid. If VM_Box = yes and you leave this field blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error. This pin can be the same as password.	yes if VM_Box = yes
phone_number	Set the phone number of the configured Seat. The value can be entered with or without the international "country" code. Only numeric values are valid. If you leave this field blank, the Seat will be created without DID (Direct Inward Dialing).	no
caller_id_number	If this field is empty, the default caller id of the account will be used.	no
caller_id_name	If this field is empty, the default caller id of the account will be used.	no
timezone	Specify the time zone for the configured Seat in this field. The value of the selected time zone must adhere to a specific format. Please indicate the time zone according to the list of available time zones.	no
locationid	Specify the location ID for the configured Seat in this field. Location IDs become accessible once administrators have established or created site locations. The default location is assigned a location ID of "default".	yes
email vm notification	This parameter must be specified by either "yes" or "no", the field cannot be left blank.	yes
email fax notification	This parameter must be specified by either "yes" or "no", the field cannot be left blank.	yes
failover	Input the "yes" value if you want this feature to be enabled for the configured Seat.	no
redirect calls to	If failover = yes then Redirect must be specified. If failover = yes, redirect = blank, the app will display a "Create failed" error.	yes if failover = yes
faxes module	Input the "yes" value if you want a enable this feature for the configured Seat.	no
myday module	Input the "yes" value if you want a enable this feature for the configured Seat.	no
meetings module	Input the "yes" value if you want a enable this feature for the configured Seat.	no

Updating Seats. General Information

The Bulk Manager App lacks a direct feature for editing Seats. Instead, there are two options of how to do it:

using the CSV file.
using the CSV template.

Let’s explore each of these options separately and in details.

Updating Seats by using the CSV File

First, you should export the CSV file containing the current Seats. To do so, simply press the "Export CSV" button.

Open then the downloaded file using a compatible program, such as Microsoft Excel.

Make then the desired changes to the fields, and save the file. Afterward, within the Bulk Manager App, select the "Update by CSV" button and navigate to the file's location using your PC's file system to upload it.

After uploading the updated CSV file into the Bulk Manager App, it is possible to encounter backend or validation errors. If such an issue occurs, you will receive an error message indicating the problem, and you will need to make the necessary corrections in the file accordingly.

Updating Seats by using the CSV Template

To do so, download the CSV template by pressing the "Download Template" button.

To simplify the updating procedure, it's designed so that you don't have to input all the fields of the Seat you want to update in this file. In addition to the fields of a particular Seat you want to modify, you are only required to fill out  two fields: 
- extension.
- any field from this short list of options: firstname, seat_type, VM_Box, caller_id_number, or caller_id_name.

Entering an extension along with any other field from the list is the minimum amount of information the Bulk Manager App needs to recognize the specific Seat registered in the system and update it with all the new data you have included in the CSV template.

Open then the downloaded file using a compatible program, such as Microsoft Excel.

Add the required fields, make the desired changes, and save the file. Afterward, within the Bulk Manager App, select the "Update by CSV" button and navigate to the file's location using your PC's file system to upload it.

After uploading the completed CSV template into the Bulk Manager App, it is possible to encounter backend or validation errors. If such an issue occurs, you will receive an error message indicating the problem, and you will need to make the necessary corrections in the file accordingly.