Bulk Import Questions

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The Import Questions feature lets you upload multiple questions at once using CSV or Excel files. This saves time when creating large question banks for your quizzes.

Import Processing

Bulk imports are processed through a queue. You'll be notified once processing completes, along with a summary of successfully imported questions and any failed imports. Failed import records are automatically purged after 7 days.

Before You Start

File Format Requirements

• File types: CSV (.csv) or Excel (.xlsx)
• Encoding: CSV files must be UTF-8 encoded
• Header row: First row must contain column names
• Column order: Can be in any order, but names must match exactly

Unicode CSV Conversion (For Non-English Content)

If you're using non-English text, follow these steps to ensure proper encoding:

1. Fill your data in Excel using the provided format
2. Save as Unicode Text (*.txt)
3. Open the .txt file in Notepad
4. Replace Tab spaces with commas (,)
5. Save with .txt extension and change encoding to UTF-8
6. Change file extension from .txt to .csv
7. Upload the converted .csv file

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Quiz Zone Questions

Standard multiple-choice questions with single correct answers, supporting both regular and true/false formats.

Category & Content Type Relationship

You won't find a content_type_id column in the import template — it's not something you provide directly. Instead, it's derived automatically from the category you specify, since each category is directly linked to a specific content type (Quiz Zone, Multi Match, Contest, etc.) in the system. Selecting the correct category automatically assigns the matching content type to the imported questions.

Required Columns

Column	Description	Example Values
category	Category ID (number)	63
subcategory	Subcategory ID (number)	97
question_type	Question format	1 for multiple choice, 2 for true/false
question	Question text	"What is the capital of France?"
option 1	First option	"Paris" or "True"
option 2	Second option	"London" or "False"
option 3	Third option	"Berlin" (blank for true/false)
option 4	Fourth option	"Madrid" (blank for true/false)
option 5	Fifth option (optional)	"Rome" or blank
answer	Correct answer	"a", "b", "c", "d", or "e"
level	Difficulty level	1, 2, 3, etc.
note	Additional notes	"Geography basics" or blank

Sample Data Format

category,subcategory,question_type,question,option 1,option 2,option 3,option 4,option 5,answer,level,note
63,97,1,What is the capital of France?,Paris,London,Berlin,Madrid,,a,1,Geography basics
63,97,2,Is water H2O?,True,False,,,,a,2,Chemistry fact

Multiple Choice Example

category,subcategory,question_type,question,option 1,option 2,option 3,option 4,option 5,answer,level,note
63,97,1,Which planet is closest to the Sun?,Mercury,Venus,Earth,Mars,,a,1,Solar system
63,97,1,What is 5 × 7?,30,35,40,45,,b,2,Basic math

True/False Example

category,subcategory,question_type,question,option 1,option 2,option 3,option 4,option 5,answer,level,note
63,97,2,The Earth is flat,True,False,,,,b,1,Basic science
63,97,2,Water boils at 100°C,True,False,,,,a,1,Physics

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Multi Match Questions

Matching questions where users connect left items to right items. Supports multiple selection and sequence ordering.

Required Columns

Column	Description	Values
category	Category ID	63
subcategory	Subcategory ID	97
question_type	Question format	1 for multiple choice, 2 for true/false
answer_type	Answer format	1 for sequence, 2 for multi-select
question	Question text	"Match countries to capitals"
option 1 to option 5	Answer options	Various options
answer1 to answer5	Correct answers	"a", "b", "c", etc.
level	Difficulty level	1, 2, 3
note	Additional notes	Optional

Sample Format

category,subcategory,question_type,answer_type,question,option 1,option 2,option 3,option 4,option 5,answer1,answer2,answer3,answer4,answer5,level,note
63,97,1,1,Match elements to symbols,Hydrogen,Carbon,Oxygen,Nitrogen,,a,c,b,d,,1,Chemistry matching

Contest Questions

Questions for timed contests and competitions.

Required Columns

Column	Description	Values
contest_id	Contest identifier	1, 2, etc.
content_type_id	Content_id identifier	1, 2, etc.
question_type	Question format	1 for multiple choice, 2 for true/false
question	Question text	Full question
option 1 to option 5	Answer choices	Various options
answer	Correct answer	"a", "b", "c", "d", "e"
note	Additional information	Optional notes

Sample Format

contest_id,content_type_id,question_type,question,option 1,option 2,option 3,option 4,option 5,answer,note
2,1,1,Which is the largest ocean?,Atlantic,Pacific,Indian,Arctic,,b,Geography contest
1,2,2,Mount Everest is the tallest mountain,True,False,,,,a,Physical geography

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Common Issues & Solutions

Upload Errors

Error	Solution
"Invalid file format"	Ensure file is .csv or .xlsx with proper encoding
"Missing required column"	Check that all required columns are present and named correctly
"Invalid answer value"	Answer must be "a", "b", "c", "d", or "e" (lowercase)
"Category not found"	Create the category first or use correct category ID

Data Validation Tips

• Answer values: Use lowercase letters (a, b, c, d, e)
• Question types: Use 1 for multiple choice, 2 for true/false
• Empty cells: Leave cells blank rather than using "N/A" or spaces
• Special characters: Ensure proper UTF-8 encoding for non-English text
• File size: Large files may timeout; split into smaller batches if needed

Best Practices

• Test with a small sample file first
• Keep backup copies of your data
• Use consistent formatting throughout your file
• Validate category and subcategory IDs exist before import
• Review imported questions after upload to ensure accuracy

Important Notes

• Categories and subcategories must exist in your system before importing questions
• Option 5 is only available if enabled in System Settings
• Question types determine which options are required (true/false uses only options 1-2)

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Need Help?

If you encounter issues during import:

1. Download the sample file for your quiz type
2. Compare your format with the sample
3. Check error messages for specific row/column issues
4. Ensure all required fields are filled
5. Verify file encoding is UTF-8 for CSV files

For large imports, consider breaking your data into smaller batches to avoid timeouts.