SFTP Learner uploads
We offer an SFTP service to assist with the automation of learner uploads as an alternative to uploading learners directly in the platform. To gain access to this service please contact support here. This document assumes you have an understanding of how SFTP works and are familiar with your preferred SFTP client.
Upload Template
Learners can be uploaded via SFTP using one of the below templates depending on whether you are an Apprenticeships and Education client or an Enterprise client. Additionally, the data fields table below shows a description for what you need to put in each field of the upload template.
Apprenticeships and education learners template
Data Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| First Name | There are no set rules for a learner's first name, only that the field is not left empty |
| Last Name | There are no set rules for a learner's last name, only that the field is not left empty |
| Gender | Please enter either male or female or leave blank if you do not wish to disclose, or consider it to be a different value |
| Date Of Birth | The learner's date of birth must be provided in one of the following formats, DD/MM/YYYY, DD/MM/YY |
| Email Address | The learner's email must be a valid email address, following the standard formats for email. For example 'example@email.com' |
| Post Code | The learner's postcode must be in a standard valid UK format. The separate elements of the postcode must be separated by a space |
| Client Reference | This is your personal reference for this learner. This is mandatory, but can be in any format you desire |
| Programme Level | The current programme level for your learner. This field is mandatory and must be the corresponding number for the correct level of education or AEB for Adult Education Budget (Apprenticeships and Education customers only) |
| Tutor Email Address | This email must follow the same formatting guidelines laid out above. In addition to this, the email must belong to a currently registered tutor within your organisation currently registered on the Cognassist neurodiversity platform as using a Tutor account |
| Mobile Number | Optional. The learner's mobile number, ignoring any international dial codes. This must be either 11 digits and starting with '07' or 10 digits, ignoring the first '0' and beginning with a 7. |
| End Date | Optional. If known, this is the learner's fixed end date of their course. This must be entered in one of the following formats, DD/MM/YYYY, DD/MM/YY (Apprenticeships and Education customers only) |
| Programme Type | Optional. If you choose to assign your learner a programme type, please enter either Internal or External, otherwise leave blank. This will only be used if your administrator has chosen the option to show programme types |
Providing files over SFTP
Once your request for access has been processed, you will be provided with the credentials described below. These can be used to securely connect to the Cognassist file server using an SFTP client of your choice (e.g. WinSCP or Filezilla) or other means (e.g. from a command shell).
Do not share these credentials with anyone outside your organisation or anyone within your organistion who should not have access to create learners in the Cognassist platform.
- Connection: This is the value to use as the "Host name" in your connection
- User Name: Maps directly to the "User name" setting in your client or the username portion of a connection request via the command shell of the form
username@hostname - Password: Should be adjacent to the "User name" in your client, or if using a command shell you will be prompted to provide this after submitting your connection request
If your credentials are lost or compromised please inform Cognassist as soon as possible and we will be able to re-supply the connection/user name values, or change and provide a new password if necessary.
Once initiated, the connection will open at a root directory where you can place correctly formatted csv files of learners to upload. No further action is required beyond transferring the file to this root directory. The upload of learners will be triggered automatically as soon as the file transfer completes. You can view the status of the upload from the "Learner import history" page of the Cognassist platform.