The Parse File setting is an import feature that, when properly executed, modifies the contents of the original data file and integrates these modifications into the Test History import process. This is achieved without the need of manual manipulation of the file contents using text editors or other third-party programs.

Parsing is contingent upon the existence of a File Parser, which is a SQL statement that is executed against the initially uploaded data in the File Source import step. Therefore, a File Parser with all required rules and conditional statements must be created and saved before it becomes a selectable option in the Import File settings.

With a File Parser, various procedures can be executed against the original data, such as:

• Formatting date values
• Formatting year values
• Filtering out unnecessary data for importing student test scores
• Adding columns or defaulting data values required but not provided in the original source file
• Restructuring the file to standardize the data

The SQL statement in a File Parser can range from generic to complex, depending on the format of the original file. However, it should always reference the source file at least once. Below is a basic example of structuring the SQL statement in a File Parser:

Where the values enclosed in braces are variables. In this example:

• {source_file} is required at least once and references the temporary table storing the data contents of your file.
• {col_x} represents the columns of the {source_file} table, where x denotes the total number of columns in the file. These act as generic column placeholders, accommodating any title changes in the column headers. If the file includes a header row, the elements of the SELECT statement can also be a list of the file's original column names.

Alongside these variables, any other valid SQL functions and operators can be included in the File Parser definition.