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Adding Student Nodes

With the Student node type created, the next step is to populate it with your students. Each student you add becomes a node in the platform — a named entity that can participate in surveys, appear in network visualisations, and be tracked across reports.

There are two ways to add students: entering them one at a time manually, or importing your full student list from a CSV file. This tutorial covers both methods.

Navigation

Open a Project → Select a Panel → Click Nodes → Select the Student tab

Before You Begin​

Make sure the following are in place before adding students:

  • The Student node type has been created with all required fields and respondent mode set to Self-report (this node). See Creating a Student Node Type if you have not completed this step.
  • You have a ProjectAdmin, DesignManager, or DataOwner role on the project.

Option A: Add a Student Manually​

Adding students one at a time is useful for small cohorts or for adding an individual student after the main list has already been imported.

  1. On the Nodes page, click the Student tab.
  2. Click Add Student — the Add New Student dialog opens.
  3. Enter the Student Title — this is the student's full name and is the mandatory primary identifier for the node.
  4. Under Attributes, complete the relevant fields for the student:
    • Id — A unique numeric identifier for the student.
    • Category — Enter student.
    • Year Level — Enter the student's year or grade level (e.g., 9).
    • Classroom — Enter the student's class group (e.g., 7A).
    • Achievement Score — Enter the student's academic achievement score if available.
    • Additional fields (K6 Overall Score, PWI Wellbeing Score, Growth Mindset, Bullying Indicator, Isolation Indicator) can be left blank at this stage and populated later once survey data has been collected.
  5. Click Add Node to save — the student appears in the list under the Student tab.
note

Attribute fields displayed in the dialog are generated automatically based on the fields defined in the Student node type. If you added or removed fields from the node type, the dialog will reflect those changes.

caution

If Email Required was enabled on the Student node type, a Respondent section will also appear in the dialog with Nick Name, Email, and Phone Number fields. These must be completed before the student can receive survey invitations.

Option B: Import Students from a CSV File​

Importing from a CSV file is the recommended approach when setting up a full student cohort. The platform guides you through a three-step import wizard.

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File​

The CSV file must follow the structure defined by the Student node type. The import dialog lists all required and optional fields when you open it. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

For the Student node type configured in this tutorial, your CSV file should include the following columns:

ColumnRequiredDescription
titleYesStudent's full name
idNoUnique numeric identifier
categoryNoSet to student for all rows
year_levelYesYear or grade level (e.g., 9)
classroomNoClass group (e.g., 7A)
achievement_scoreNoAcademic achievement score
k6_overallNoK6 psychological distress score
pwi_wellbeingNoPersonal Wellbeing Index score
growth_mindsetNoGrowth mindset indicator
bullyingNoBullying indicator (0 or 1)
isolatedNoIsolation indicator (0 or 1)
note

If Self-report respondent mode is enabled and Email Required is toggled on, the following respondent columns must also be included: respondent_title (student's first name), respondent_email (email address for survey invitations), and respondent_mobile (mobile number for SMS invitations).

tip

You can download a pre-formatted CSV template directly from the import dialog. Click Download Student Template at the bottom of the first step to get a file with the correct column headers already set up.

Step 2: Upload Your File​

  1. On the Nodes page, click the Student tab.
  2. Click Import Students — the CSV Import dialog opens, showing the Prepare Your CSV File step with the required field structure.
  3. Review the listed fields and confirm your file matches the structure, then click Next.
  4. Upload your CSV file by dragging and dropping it onto the upload area, or click to browse and select the file from your device.
  5. The system automatically validates the file:
    • If errors or warnings are detected, they are displayed above the list. Click Download Issues Report to review the problems, correct your file, and click Retry to upload the corrected version.
    • If no issues are found, a preview of all student records is displayed. Review the data to confirm it looks correct.
  6. Click Next to proceed.

Step 3: Verify and Confirm​

  1. Review the File Summary & Verification step — this shows a summary of the records to be imported.
  2. Check the confirmation checkbox to approve the import.
  3. Click Import — all student nodes are added to the Student tab on the Nodes page.
caution

Importing a CSV file does not replace or update existing nodes — it adds new records. If you need to update existing student data after import, use the Update Students option instead.

Verifying Your Students​

Once students have been added or imported, they appear as rows in the table under the Student tab on the Nodes page. You can use the Search bar to find a specific student and click Open on any row to view that student's full node profile, including their attributes, survey participation status, and relationships.

What's Next​

With your student nodes in place, the next step is to set up the survey that students will complete. The following tutorial covers creating a survey workspace and designing a network nomination survey for Maplewood Primary School.

SNA User Manual Reference​

  • Nodes Management — Full reference for adding, importing, updating, and deleting nodes.
  • Node Type Management — How to configure and edit the node type and its fields.
  • Node Profile — How to view and edit an individual student's details after import.