CSV File Setup

Your CSV provides the data Snapizzi uses to create Camera Cards and organize your project. Start with correctly labeled name columns and, if you’re photographing groups, identify which group each subject belongs to.

Use one row per subject, with a header at the top of each column.
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For names, use either:

Separate first and last name columns are a useful starting point. If your file contains both but no Full Name column, Snapizzi automatically creates one by combining them.
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Here’s an example of a CSV for school portraits:

Use clear name headers so Snapizzi can recognize your fields. Incorrectly formatted name headers can trigger a Searchability warning in Diagnose & Remedy.
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The table below lists alternative header formats that are also accepted.

Tip 1: To combine data from two separate columns into one, see Combine CSV Data from Separate Columns.
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Tip 2: To separate data from one column into multiple columns, see Split CSV Data into Different Columns. This is useful if you have a Full Name column and want separate First Name and Last Name columns.

If you’ll be photographing groups, include a column that identifies the group each subject belongs to.
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For example:

Enter the appropriate group value in each subject’s row. Use consistent spelling for everyone in the same group—for example, use Ms. Garcia throughout rather than mixing Ms. Garcia, Garcia, and Mrs. Garcia.
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Choose the column that represents the groups you’ll actually photograph. A Grade column may describe your subjects, but Teacher may be the appropriate group column if you’re photographing each class separately.
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Add an asterisk (*) to the group column header before uploading—for example, Teacher* or Team*.
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The asterisk tells Snapizzi to use that column for groups. If you leave it off, select the column under Choose Groups during CSV field mapping.
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A column named “Teacher” or “Team” does not automatically define your groups. You must mark it with an asterisk or select it during field mapping.
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Snapizzi generates a unique code for each group. Photograph that group’s code before taking its group photos so Snapizzi can place them into the appropriate subject galleries.
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If subjects belong to more than one group, follow the instructions for multi-group projects.
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Snapizzi generates Camera Cards in the same order as the rows in your CSV. Arrange your subjects in the order you want to print the cards.
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You can skip this step if you’re using Snapizzi Paperless.
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Your CSV can also include other useful information, such as student IDs, grades, or divisions.
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To require a password to view photos, include a Password column and enable passwords in your project’s Privacy Settings.
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Enter custom passwords in the column, or leave the values blank for Snapizzi to generate them. Avoid confusing characters such as the letter O and the number 0.
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You can always edit passwords later.
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By default, each subject’s remote gallery is named using the nine-digit code from their Camera Card. To customize gallery names, add a column titled Gallery and enter the desired name for each subject.
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For example, you could use Maya Johnson or Johnson, Maya.
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You can also add or edit this column later using Snapizzi’s CSV editor.
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By default, Snapizzi indexes subject data fields, such as names and codes, for customer searches.
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To use a specific identifier instead, add a column with the header exactly Search. This header is case-sensitive.
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This is useful for student IDs, order IDs, or custom search codes.
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When a Search column is defined, Snapizzi uses only that column for customer searches. Names, codes, and other fields will no longer be indexed.
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Most searches require at least four characters. If a name itself contains only two or three letters, customers can search using that shorter name.
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For example:

Snapizzi matches first and last names independently. A search for anna may return Anna, Joanna, or Annabelle.
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Entering John Smith searches the two names separately. Results may match John or Smith rather than requiring both names to match the same subject.
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Create your spreadsheet in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet program, then save or export it as a CSV file with UTF-8 encoding.
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If your program asks you to choose an encoding, select UTF-8.
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Confirm that: