What is a batch?

Members of a language team can submit multiple words or phrases in batches via a spreadsheet format (.csv), allowing many entries to be uploaded to their language site at one time. Alphabets are also uploaded in a spreadsheet format.

The spreadsheet format allows you to work offline to prepare your content, and once you are familiar with the process it can save you a lot of time.

Overview and video tutorial

To upload text-based information, for example a word, its definition, and notes, then you only need to submit a spreadsheet (.csv file) as part of your batch.

To upload media files, such as audio recordings or images, then you will also need to submit your media files to FirstVoices alongside the spreadsheet. Media files submitted to the batch upload process have strict file name requirements which you will need to review carefully.

Overall preparation steps

1. You will work offline to prepare a spreadsheet containing the details of all your entries, and to organize all of your media files. There are very specific requirements for how your files and data should be formatted into this spreadsheet so please carefully look over the preparation instructions.

2. Once you're ready, double-check the instructions, your spreadsheet, and all of your files to make sure they are in the correct format. If you are including media files, collect them into a single folder.

3. Then you'll submit your spreadsheet and media files to FirstVoices by email and/or via upload to Sharepoint. Once the files are submitted, inform us via email. For help getting started with this, or if you need an alternate solution due to internet speed issues, please email hello@firstvoices.com.

4. As long as there are no errors in your documents, the FirstVoices team will then upload your files and send you a confirmation email once it has been completed.

Preparing and submitting your batch

At this time, FirstVoices accepts the following content to be uploaded in a batch:

• Alphabet characters (as part of initial site set-up)

• Dictionary words and phrases

1. Before you start

As a team, decide on what information you want to include as part of your batch upload. In general, the more information you can provide, the more useful the language site will be in the future, but the longer the batch may take to prepare.

For example:

• Just the basics:

  • word/phrase in your language, and its translation (for words/phrases)

  • alphabet characters and their order (for alphabet characters)

• Sample audio file for each word, phrase, or alphabet character

• Categories or a grammatical part of speech

• Reference to a contributor or citation from a source document

2. Review file-naming requirements

If you plan to submit media files such as audio recordings, you will need to prepare your files in a specific way so that they can be accepted by our uploader. Our batch uploader is not as flexible as the FirstVoices website, and has more restricted file name requirements.

3. Create your CSV spreadsheet

The batch spreadsheet captures the metadata and documentation about your files and is required for the batch upload. You'll need a spreadsheet application to proceed with this step.

1. Review the specific preparation instructions for the kind of batch you are working on:

   • Set up your alphabet via a batch spreadsheet

   • Upload words and phrases via a batch spreadsheet

2. From the “Resources” section of the instructions page, download a template spreadsheet and save it on your computer.

3. Open the template spreadsheet on your computer. If you are using Open Office, ensure that ONLY the box next to "Comma" is checked before clicking OK.
   
   

   Open

   

   Under “Separator options”, only “Comma” should be checked

4. Add, remove, or hide columns in the spreadsheet to match your anticipated workflow and the information you plan to upload.

   • If there are extra columns in the template that you do not plan to use, you can delete or “hide” them. For example, you can delete columns relating to image files if you are not using them.

   • You can add additional columns to the template if you wish. Your additional columns will not be uploaded unless the header matches a column listed in the preparation instructions.

5. Enter your data into the appropriate columns below the headers.

   • Take great care to avoid typos. Any errors you make in the content of this spreadsheet will be uploaded to your FirstVoices language site or may affect the success of the upload.

   • For example, the Categories you enter in the spreadsheet must exactly match a Category on your FirstVoices site.

6. When you are finished and ready to save, save your spreadsheet in CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv) file format.

   • Give the file a practical name with no spaces or special characters, following the rules in step 2.
     Example: denekeh_september_2019_words.csv

   • Do NOT save as an Excel file (.xlsx) or a regular Comma Separated Values (.csv) – these cannot be processed and may break special characters in your data.

4. Prepare media files

1. To include media files in the upload, copy all the included audio, image, and video files together into one folder on your computer.

2. Give this folder a practical name related to your batch. The name should follow the rules in step 2 (e.g. NO SPACES.)
   Example folder: denekeh_september_2019_words_audio

3. Ensure the names of all media files follow the rules in step 2. (e.g. the only special character should be the period before the file type, such as .mp3 or .wav). 
   Example filename: 2018_harry_sally_word1.mp3

4. Ensure the exact filenames of the media files are entered into your spreadsheet where it belongs, along with information such as the title.

5. Zip the folder to compress it for easier submission.

5. Double-check all your files and the spreadsheet

It's important to make sure your files, metadata and documentation are correct before you submit them. Take particular care to match the filenames in your spreadsheet exactly as they have been named in your folder. Any typos in filenames, categories, parts of speech, speakers, or links may affect that row being successfully uploaded.

Work with your language team to double-check and proofread all entries before sending them in. You may wish to send it to another team member, who can open it up and make sure it saved correctly.

6. Send to the FirstVoices team for processing

Format your spreadsheet and media folder as such:

If your upload is large and cannot be attached by email, you can upload these files to FPCC’s custom Sharepoint in a folder designated for your team. To set this up or get access to the link, email hello@firstvoices.com.

Once the upload is complete, email batch@fpcc.ca with your files attached, or by letting us know that you uploaded them to Sharepoint. The subject of the email should match the name of your spreadsheet – so for example, if the spreadsheet you uploaded was ktunaxa_august_2_2021_words.csv, that should be your email subject.

7. Review uploaded content

Once FirstVoices staff has uploaded your content, we will notify you by email.

Then, you should review the new content to make sure it uploaded correctly. For words/phrases, the entries will be visible only to your language team by default until you approve them.

Congrats, you have uploaded a batch!