When uploading student data using Cialfo's bulk upload feature, it's important to ensure that date of birth (DOB) values are correctly formatted to avoid data errors.
Known issue: Day and month values may be swapped
For dates where both the day (DD) and month (MM) values are 12 or below — for example, 03/05 (3rd May or 5th March) — the system may interpret the date differently depending on the date format selected during upload. This can result in the day and month being swapped in the student's profile.
For example, a DOB of 05/03/2008 (5th March) could be saved as 3rd May if the upload format is set to Month-Day-Year instead of Day-Month-Year.
How to avoid this issue
During the Upload Settings step (Step 2), carefully select the correct date format that matches your data file: Day-Month-Year, Month-Day-Year, or Year-Month-Day.
If your file uses an ambiguous format (e.g. numeric dates with values ≤ 12 in both DD and MM positions), consider reformatting the dates to use a named month (e.g. 05-Mar-2008) to eliminate ambiguity.
After uploading, spot-check a sample of student DOBs — particularly for students born on days and months both ≤ 12 — to confirm the data was read correctly.
Correcting an incorrect date of birth
If a student's DOB has been incorrectly entered, counselors can update it directly on the student's profile. If the issue affects multiple students, a corrective bulk re-upload may be needed.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to us using the 'Chat with Cialfo' feature.