Importing Organization Partition Preferences

The preferences.xslx import template allows you to import the partition preferences of organizations for use with the Schedule25 Optimizer. It can be used to add preferences to an organization that has none, or to supplement any preferences that are already there.

For convenience, you can also use this template to define new location partitions in the same way that you would add them with the location import template.

A partition can only be added to one preference level per organization. If you attempt to add it to a new level, it will be removed from the first. You may encounter validation warnings if this would result in an organization with "empty" preference levels.

Using the Partition Import Template

The template has two tabs:

  • Partitions functions identically to the tab with the same name on the location import template. Anything listed here will be uploaded to 25Live as a campus partition master definition.
  • Preferences lets you associate partitions with organizations as preferences. An organization listed on this tab must already exist in 25Live.

On the Preferences tab, there are three columns to fill out:

  • Organization Name must exactly match an existing organization.
  • Level is an integer from 1 to 4 representing the priority of a preference.
  • Partition Name must exactly match an existing partition in 25Live or one defined on the Partitions tab in the same import. There are also two special keywords that can be used in this column:
    • %ALL_UNSPECIFIED for all partitions not mentioned in the template. This is commonly used to add a large number of partitions as low-priority preferences without having to explicitly list them. If any unmentioned partitions have been previously added to an organization that already exists, this may move them to a different level.
    • %ALL_UNUSED for all partitions not mentioned in the template and not already used by the organization in 25Live. This has the same use case as the previous keyword, but without moving any existing partitions. If an organization has no preferences already defined, the keywords are identical.

Add one partition preference per line, indicating its organization and level. This means that you will likely have the same organization and level listed multiple times as you add multiple partitions to it at various levels.

Keep these things in mind as you fill out the template:
  • Partitions can only be used once per organization! Only list a partition once per organization at any level. If you are updating an existing organization and specify a partition that is already on that organization, the partition will move to whichever level you indicate in the template.
  • Don't leave empty levels! Organizations must start with partitions at priority level 1, then 2, and so on. There shouldn't be any "skipped" levels. If you attempt to import an organization with partitions at levels 1, 2, and 4, for example, you will receive a validation warning that level 3 is missing.

Sample Import

Here's an example sheet from the partition preferences template...

Organization NameLevelPartition Name
ENGL1Admin Annex
ENGL2Baker Building
ENGL3Classroom Complex
MATH1Baker Building
MATH1Classroom Complex
MATH1Admin Annex
PHYS1Admin Annex
PHYS2Baker Building
PHYS2Classroom Complex
PHYS3%ALL_UNSPECIFIED
THTR2Baker Building
THTR3Classroom Complex

...and its import results.


ENGL gets these preferences:
  • Admin Annex at level 1
  • Baker Building at level 2
  • Classroom Complex at level 3
MATH gets these preferences:
  • Admin Annex, Baker Building, and Classroom Complex at level 1
PHYS gets these preferences:
  • Admin Annex at level 1
  • Baker Building and Classroom Complex at level 2
  • Dupont Dormitory and Education Edifice at level 3 (these are extra partitions that weren't mentioned on the template)

THTR gets a validation warning because there are no level 1 preferences.