Here's how it works
uConnect sets up a dedicated Amazon S3 Bucket and access credentials for each school. The school will upload the student list as a CSV file (the file should follow the RFC 4180 standard) using an S3 client or HTTP PUT commands to the assigned bucket. Values should be separated by a comma, and fields containing a comma must be quoted (with double quotes).
Once the first file is uploaded, uConnect will review and then enable the auto sync for them. The file needs to be in CSV format, and must include the following headers:
FIRST_NAME
LAST_NAME
EMAIL
USER_ID or USER_LOGIN
GRADUATION
(Please see the charts below for more information on optional and required fields)
Additional Considerations
Our team will need to use a unique identifier that matches with an attribute we receive through the SSO integration, so when someone authenticates via SSO we can match it with the users who were preloaded to uConnect through the SIS sync using that identifier.
The unique identifier can be the EMAIL field. In some cases, EMAIL is not provided in the attributes we receive via SSO, but only the SSO login name/username, or another unique identifier. When this occurs, we'll need that attribute also available in the SIS sync, under USER_LOGIN or USER_ID. Subsequent uploads of the .csv file must overwrite the existing file. uConnect can only process a single file, and if your platform serves different populations (e.g. undergrads, grads, and alumni) and you'd like to upload them into your platform, each should be combined into a single list and a USER_TYPE field should be added, identifying the user type.
A user (with a unique email address, user ID, or login name) can only have one record in the file. (e.g. you cannot have a user with the same ID or email address listed both as a current student and an alumni).
Note that if you plan on including multiple types of data, for example graduate and undergraduate data, this will need to be added into a single list, with a column added (e.g. study_level) that includes fields indicating Graduate or Undergraduate for each user. The uConnect team will then map it to those user types in your uConnect platform. All additional information you wish to provide should be included in one additional column, with multiple values separated with a ';' (for information like affinity grouping, majors, etc.) for us to map upon import.
With the SIS integration, if a student has opted out of receiving emails previously, or has customized their email preferences, they will remain unchanged.
Additionally, the .csv file must have a header record, and at least 1 data record- otherwise it will be ignored and not processed. (this protects users from getting deleted).
You can use any tool of your preference to upload the file to your assigned Amazon S3 Bucket and automate it, but here is an example of how to do it in a Linux environment.
Please note that the sync is weekly (currently every Saturday night).
If you already have an SIS integration and would like to ask some follow up questions, or if you don't already have an SIS integration and are interested in setting up one, please contact us at support@gouconnect.com.
Field Overview
Below is a list of all standard fields uConnect can utilize as part of an SIS integration. Please review the linked notes for each field to determine whether or not the are pertinent to your integration.
Field Name | Status (Link to Details) | Example Data |
FIRST_NAME | Required |
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LAST_NAME | Required |
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USER_ID or USER_LOGIN |
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GRADUATION |
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USER_TYPE |
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EMAIL_OPT_OUT |
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DELETE |
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PROGRAM |
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AFFINITY |
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Field Specifics
EMAIL Notes:
Records with an invalid or blank value for EMAIL are ignored.
USER_ID or USER_LOGIN Notes:
If EMAIL cannot be used as a persistent unique identifier, or if the one provided in the list upload does not match the one passed via SSO, then one of the USER_ID or USER_LOGIN is required and they serve two purposes:
As an identifier to match an authenticated user (via SSO) with a preloaded user account (via list upload/SIS Bridge). In this case, USER_ID or USER_LOGIN must match the user login attribute that is passed via SSO
As a unique identifier that will persist from the time that they are students through when they are Alumni and will never change.
Therefore only if EMAIL can be used as a persistent unique identifier AND it matches the email passed via SSO attributes, USER_ID and USER_LOGIN can be ignored.
PROGRAM Notes:
The PROGRAM field is expected to be the primary community mapping field for used by uConnect to associate programs of study with Career Communities.
The values of this field are typically fed from each client's list of unique program codes and will require additional coordination between the client and uConnect to ensure the correct associations are mapped to the appropriate Career Community.
For more guidance on how community mapping works, please read the following section on community fields.
Community Fields:
AFFINITY is an example of a community field. This type of community would exist to allow subscribers to be associated with any additional designation that's useful to the uConnect platform owner. The column header name is arbitrary for these columns but should be descriptive of the intended community group.
Because community groups are unique to each client, there is not a strict field naming convention for these within the SIS import process, however SIS integration for mapping these communities is available using the following rules however.
There is a 1:1 mapping between the extra fields and your uConnect Community Groups:
You may include only 1 extra column for each one of your uConnect community groups.
An extra field can be used to populate tags of only 1 of the community groups.
There is a many:1 mapping between the field values and the communities under the target community group of the extra field:
You can have multiple individual values mapped to a single community.
You cannot map a combination of multiple values to a single community.
If the header name does not match your target uConnect community group, or the field values do not match the communities under the target community group, you need to provide a supporting document describing the mapping.
Fields containing multiple values/communities for a community group must separate the values by a semicolon.
For example, if your uConnect platform included 3 additional community groups named Industry, Affinity, and Academic College, it would be appropriate to include 3 additional columns in the SIS file named INDUSTRY, AFFINITY, and ACADEMIC_COLLEGE. Each row would then contain the appropriate mapping values for each user. Example:
INDUSTRY | AFFINITY | ACADEMIC_COLLEGE |
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GRADUATION Notes:
Required only if a Class Year tags is used, and you'd like to send messages to users based on their class year.
This should be provided as a 4-digit value, e.g. 2025, and that is how the graduation value is stored in uConnect. If provided as a full date, uConnect uses 8/31 as the cutoff date to map them to a graduation year.
USER_TYPE Notes:
If you have separate uConnect communities for different study levels and user types under the People/Audience community group (e.g. Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, and Alumni), then providing a USER_TYPE field is required to have users assigned to the right communities. You may only provide one user type/study level for a user.
EMAIL_OPT_OUT Notes:
An option flag to opt out a user from all email communications. Can be set to 1, YES, or TRUE, any other values are interpreted as NO (case-insensitive)
DELETE Notes:
An option flag to delete an existing user. Can be set to 1, YES, or TRUE, any other values are interpreted as NO (case-insensitive)