Map SIS roster exports with student import presets

A school roster export is usually close, but rarely perfect. One office calls the name column "Student." Another sends "Pupil Legal Name." A third has a familiar PowerSchool or Skyward report that nobody wants to rebuild during placement season. Shibutz now keeps a reusable mapping for that translation work.

Map SIS export columns and save a preset

The student import dialog has two import helpers for schools working from SIS exports.

• Adjust the column mapping in the preview, save it as a named preset, then load or update that preset on a later import.
• Open quick export guides for PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Skyward, Alma, Aeries, Gradelink, or a generic spreadsheet path before uploading a roster.

This is still spreadsheet import, not live SIS sync. The point is simpler: export the roster you already trust, upload it to Shibutz, and save the mapping if the same headers will show up again.

Keep student numbers as text when leading zeros matter. Review the preview after loading a preset: it maps columns, not the meaning or accuracy of every value. If the export headers change, adjust and update the preset before saving the roster. Presets are saved with your signed-in account.

Why it matters

Most placement work happens under time pressure. A principal may import the first roster in March, refresh it in May, and then pull one final spreadsheet after late enrollments. Mapping presets make those repeat imports less fussy, especially when the export uses district-specific column names.

The export guides are deliberately plain. They tell staff which report shape to look for and which columns are useful: names, gender, school, support flags, notes, and local IDs when the office uses them. After the import finishes, Shibutz points users back to the next placement work: review assessment scales, add friend preferences, check classrooms, and generate the placement.

Getting started

Open your dashboard, choose a class list, and go to Students. Click the import action, choose your CSV or Excel file, and review the preview. Adjust any fields that need help, give the mapping a name such as "PowerSchool Grade 5 export," and save it for next time.

Next, review possible duplicates and update choices before saving. Afterward, use roster filters and cleanup to check the saved data.

For the full walkthrough, see Managing Students. New to Shibutz? Sign up free and start a placement from the roster your school already has.