Zello Work - Channel Import

Zello Work networks can manage large amounts of channels through the Channel Import tool. This will allow multiple channels to be created or edited at one time through the import of a .csv file through the web management console. This import can also assign roles and tags to those channels for additional management options. This can allow a network to expand faster or to completely alter their network channel structure quickly and easily. 

Creating an import

In order to create an import file, you will first need either a fresh template or to export your current list of channels. When logged into the web management console as an admin or as a user with console access, you can click on the link at the top of the screen labelled "Channels." 

On the right side of the Channels screen, you can see buttons for "Import channels" and "Export channels."

You can click on Export channels and a download of a spreadsheet with all of your current channels will be automatically downloaded through your browser as a .zip file. This will contain a spreadsheet in .csv format that you can also use as a template for editing your current channels and/or adding new channels. 

You can click on Import channels to be taken to the page that allows you to upload a new .csv file to manage your channels. On this screen, you can download a blank template to fill out, or you can export your current channels to use as a template. 

Editing the template

Regardless of if you use  the blank template or an export of your current channels, the headers on the file should be the same. These headers are - name, type, tags, delete, default_channel, emergency_channel and roles. The only required columns are "name" and "type." Any column that you include must have the exact header name but you can have these columns in any order. 

When creating a new channel, the fields for Name and Type are required. Attempting to import a new channel without these fields entered will fail to create the channel. However, when updating an existing channel, the type field can be left blank and the channel will remain the same type as it was before the import. 

If you are importing a channel with a set of tags, these tags can be separated by semi-colons. 

For the "Delete" column, entering a value of "1" in that field will delete the channel from your network. If you do not wish to delete a channel, just leave this field blank.

Creating User Roles 

When creating channels via the channel import feature, you have the option to use the tool to create channel roles. Under the roles column in the channel import CSV, you can assign roles using the following parameters: 

• Speaks_to: defines which users in the channel will receive messages from users in this role. The parameter can be defined as one of the following: 

• anyone: users in the role will be able to send messages to all users in the channel 

• No_roles: users in the role will only be able to send messages to other users without a role assigned.

• Listen_only: Users will not be able to send messages. 

• Another role in the channel: name role, for example, Dispatcher. If you want the users in the role to speak to multiple other roles, list all separated by a comma(s). User roles being created at the same time can be assigned to talk to each other. 

• Priority: high, medium, or low. Higher priority users will be able to interrupt any voice message from a lower priority user. Learn more here. 
• Disconnects: on or off. Choose whether or not to allow users in this role to disconnect from the channel. Learn more here. 
• Alerts: on or off. Choose whether or not to allow users in this role to send channel-wide alerts. Learn more here.

The only required field when assigning a user role is speaks_to. All other parameters are optional. 

The correct formatting for user role creation using the channel import feature is as follows: 

• Separate distinct roles using a semicolon ;
• Define parameters using parentheses ( )
• Capture all parameters for a single role within curly brackets { }
• Separate parameters within each user role with commas ,

Example: Dispatchers{speaks_to(anyone),priority(high),disconnects(on),alerts(on)};Drivers{speaks_to(Dispatchers),priority(high),disconnects(off),alerts(off)}

Uploading the import

Once your file has been properly filled out, edited and saved, you can import the .csv document through the same import page in the web management console. At the bottom of the screen, there is a button labelled "Choose a file."

This will bring up a file explorer window where you can find and select the .csv file that you wish to import. Clicking on the "open" button in that window will begin the import process.

Once the file is selected, you can click on the green "Preview" button. Note that this does not begin the import. The preview button will take you to a page that shows the initial results of importing the selected file, specifically showing the number of changes that are being made in various categories, such as how many new channels are being created. Verify that these change counts match your expectations. If something appears off, you can edit your original .csv file, save the changes, and upload it again using the button labelled "Choose another file." Otherwise, you can click the "Import" button to proceed. 

Once you click the "Import" button, changes will be made and committed to your Zello Work network. If these changes affect any of your users, the changes will take effect as soon as the import completes. 

Once the import begins, a new screen will appear showing you the progress of the import as it completes to 100%. Once the counter reaches 100%, it will show that the import is completed, and provide you with a summary of changes made in different categories. The channel import can take a significant amount of time to complete when there are a large number of changes to be made in a single file, so please be patient. 

Questions? Contact us or submit a new ticket for support-related inquiries.