Event Import Processes and Procedures for KCSourceLink and MOSourceLink

KCSourceLink and MOSourceLink have two separate running calendar systems on each website. They both use the same software, The Events Calendar.

Automatic Event Import from KCSourceLink to MOSourceLink

There is an automatic import routine that has been created and is active to import all events from KCSourceLink and copy them as Pending Events to the MOSourceLink Events Calendar. The MOSourceLink staff will need to periodically check and approve any Pending Events form KCSourceLink and set them to Published in order for them to show. There is no duplicate event check when the import runs, so each event will need to be evaluated and set to published if it looks good.

The import will run every Sunday at 11:00pm and will copy all future events (regardless of tags or other settings) from the date that the import begins to one month into the future. Across all SourceLink affiliates, we have a limit on the number of imports that can happen on each 24 hour basis, so we try to balance the frequency and the number of days in the future each import we create will run.

Please contact us at [email protected], if we need to adjust any of these settings, so that we can balance this import with the other routines we have established and can update the documentation here.

Importing Events to The Events Calendar

Please keep in mind that all events added to KCSourceLink will automatically be imported on a weekly basis to the MOSourceLink calendar system. As such, it may only be necessary to import events that need to go on both websites one time to KCSourceLink, then Publish the events once they are copied over as part of the automtatic import process.

KCSourceLink and MOSourceLink regularly need to import events using Excel spreadsheets to The Events Calendar. Use the guidance below to populate an Excel spreadsheet with event information that can then be easily uploaded to The Events Calendar to show to website visitors.

Please also note that both teams also maintain spreadsheets of all external calendars that need to be monitored for events, and where embedded/iframe versions of the KCSourceLink and MOSourceLink calendars have been placed. Please inquire with the KCSourceLink director for additional information on the process there.

The Events Calendar supports three types of data: Events, Organizers, and Venues.

• Events data includes the name of the event, the description, and date/time.
• Organizers data can be understood as the Resource Partner, and would include the name of the hosting Organization (Resource Partner), the Organization (Resource Partner) phone, email, etc.
• Last is Venue data. This is where will be physically held. For example, with a UMKC SBTDC QuickBooks Course, the Event data would be QuickBooks Course, the Organizer name would be UMKC SBTDC, and the Venue would be the UMKC Innovation Center.

While you could pull together and upload in the correct sequence three separate spreadsheets with Venue (CSV Template), Organizer (CSV Template), and Event data (CSV Template), our recommendation is to ensure all Venues and Organizers are already in The Events Calendar system, so that you only need to populate one spreadsheet with Events data that will include references to existing Organizers and Venues to make this process as seamless as possible. The Events Calendar also maintains excellent documentation on the CSV import process which can provide additional insight.

In order to get started, download the Event data CSV Template and populate it with the correct event information. Before beginning the upload, manually add any new Venues or Organizations to The Events Calendar.

When saving using Excel, there are multiple CSV file types you can pick. If you pick the wrong type of CSV file, upload errors will result. It is critically important that you select the version that says “CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)“ and DO NOT pick the CSV UT-8 type which will show BEFORE the CSV version you need to use.

Add New Venues (physical locations of events)

• Latest Guidance Here

Add New Organizations or Resource Partners (event host information)

• Latest Guidance Here

Upload Event Data

1. Update and save the Events CSV Template file with event data
   • Ensure all Organizations and Venues in your CSV Template have already been created and match exactly what is in Column C & Column D
2. Log in to SiteConnex
3. Click on Events from left menu
4. Select Import from the list of options
5. On the New Import tab, select the following
   • Import Origin: CSV File
   • Import Name: Name of Import (whatever you would like)
   • Content Type: Events
   • Choose File: Pick the file from your computer
6. Click Upload button

Once the file is uploaded, it can take a while for the import to complete. You can refresh the import page to see the progress at the top of the Events Import page. It should give you a count of the events created and/or updated as it goes along.