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CLO & PLO Files Validation

This article provides details on the data needed for the CLO and PLO import files and will guide you through the process of reviewing your institution's data files to ensure that everything is in the correct format and contains the proper data.

File Specifications

The following is a list of the import files and their detailed file specifications.

Course Learning Outcomes File Validation

Required Fields

The header row of the file should be (required fields):

"MatchType","SubjectCode", "CourseNumber", "CourseUniqueId", "CLODescription","ProcessDate"

If the optional fields are needed (i.e all of the optional fields are added below):

"MatchType","SubjectCode", "CourseNumber", "CourseUniqueId", "CLODescription","ProcessDate",”CLOCode”,”SortOrder”,”CourseLearningObjectiveType”

Validation Logic

  • MatchType Field

  • CLO Code Field (Optional) - Course Learning Outcome Code. If left blank in file, we will use our unique internal codes that is created with the import process (i.e “C1”, “C2”, “C354”).

    • Add this field, if the matching of the records with what is already in the system and data files will be according to “CLOCode”, edit the “MatchType” field value to “code” (default for “MatchType” is “description” which relates to “CLODescription” field)

  • CLO Description Field (Required) - Course Learning Outcome Description.

    • This field is required, if the matching of the records with what is already in the system and data files will be according to “CLODescription”, edit the “MatchType” field value to “description” (default for “MatchType” is “description” which relates to “CLODescription” field)

Changes to the Course Learning Outcome Data file may invoke the system's Course revision process. It is important to review and understand the how our revision processes works, and how it impacts other areas of the system. Read the article below for more information.

Validation with Other Data Files

  • Check “CourseUniqueID”s and verify that they exist in the Course Catalog file. If a “CourseUniqueID” exists in CLO file and not in Course Catalog file, the CLO record won’t be imported.

  • Check “SubjectCode”s and “CourseNumber”s matches with what’s provided in the Course Catalog file. You can combine both fields for easy check.

Validation Logic for Courses

Be sure to include all current CLOs with every file import to ensure the system does not does not remove them.

  1. MatchType = “code” (“CLOCode” must be included in the file)

    1. If “CLOCode” is new

      1. Auto Revise Course and Add CLO (same as “Add CLO” when revising the course in UI). If the Course/Activity is already “In Revision” or “Draft” status, no status change will be made prior to addition.

    2. If “CLOCode” is the same and the “CLODescription” or “CourseLearningObjectiveType” (if provided) is different

      1. Update wording of the CLO Description without changing the status of the Course/Activity

      2. https://heliocampus.atlassian.net/wiki/s/-505230918/6452/267b0663176c4f8787189805bf0a33b7c6d3998e/_/images/icons/emoticons/warning.png This will impact all historical versions on the course in which that CLO exists.

    3. If “CLOCode” is removed (not existing in the next file)

      1. Auto Revise Course and Delete CLO from the most recent version of the course (same as “Delete CLO” when revising course in UI). If the Course/Activity is already “In Revision” or “Draft” status, no status change will be made prior to deletion.

When MatchType = “code”, be sure to keep CLO codes consistent. Slight variations or changes in codes will result in new CLOs being added and missing CLOs being deleted.


  1. MatchType = “description”

    1. If “CLODescription” is new

      1. Auto Revise Course and Add CLO (same as “Add CLO” when revising course in UI). If the Course/Activity is already “In Revision” or “Draft” status, no status change will be made prior to addition.

    2. If “CLO Description” is removed

      1. Auto Revise Course and Delete CLO (same as “Delete CLO” when revising course in UI). If the Course/Activity is already “In Revision” or “Draft” status, no status change will be made prior to deletion.

    3. https://heliocampus.atlassian.net/wiki/s/-505230918/6452/267b0663176c4f8787189805bf0a33b7c6d3998e/_/images/icons/emoticons/warning.png Updating/Editing a CLO Description is not possible while the match type is “description” (“CLODescription”).

    4. If “CLO Description” is same and “CLO Code” is new (if sent), the Code value will be updated without versioning course/co-curricular-activity

    5. If CLO is manually added from UI and it does not match any record in the file (File is source of truth)

      1. Auto Revise Course and Delete CLO (same as “Delete CLO” when revising course in UI). If the Course/Activity is already “In Revision” or “Draft” status, no status change will be made prior to deletion.

    6. If Course/Activity is “ARCHIVED” the import process will NOT apply any changes (only checks “DRAFT”, “PUBLISHED,” and “IN REVISION” statuses)

i. If “DRAFT” or “IN REVISION” logic automatically apply the changes without changing status

ii. If “PUBLISHED”, import will auto-revise the course/activity to apply additions and removals. Edits will NOT auto-revise the course/activity.

When Matchtype = “description,” be sure to keep CLO descriptions consistent. Slight variations or changes in description will result in new CLOs being added and missing CLOs being deleted.

  1. Sort Order: If providing the optional sort order value, ensure that each CLO within a Course/Co-Curricular Activity has a unique value. It is recommended that you use standard numbering to define your order (i.e. 1, 2, 3, etc.). If not provided, we will assume the order based on order of records provided in the file.

Validation logic for Co-Curricular Activities

  • Same logic as above

Program Learning Outcomes File Validation

Required Fields

The header row of the file should be (required fields):

"PLOCode", "PLOName", "PLODescription", "ProgramCode", "ProgramName", "CollegeCode", "DepartmentCode", "ProcessDate"

If the optional fields are needed (i.e all of the optional fields are added below):

"PLOCode", "PLOName", "PLODescription", "ProgramCode", "ProgramName", "CollegeCode", "DepartmentCode", "ProcessDate","DegreeCode","Active"

Validation with Other Data Files

  • Check “CollegeCode”s and verify that they exist in the Course Catalog file. If a “CollegeCode” exists in PLO file and not in Course Catalog file, the PLO record won’t be imported.

  • Check “DepartmentCode”s and verify that they exist in the Course Catalog file. If a “DepartmentCode” exists in PLO file and not in Course Catalog file, the PLO record won’t be imported.

Validation Logic for Programs

Changes to the Program Learning Outcome Data file may invoke the systems Program revision process. It is important to review and understand the how our revision process works, and how it impacts other areas of the system. Read the article below for more information.

  1. If Program Code is new

    1. Create New Program w/ new PLOs

  2. If Program Code is same and PLO Codes are new

    1. Auto-revise Program and Add new PLOs

  3. If Program Code is same, PLO Codes are same, and PLO Name/Description is new

    1. Auto-revise Program, Create new PLO, and Delete old PLO

  4. If Program Code is currently exists in the system but rows that contain previously sent PLO Codes are removed from file

    1. Auto-revise Program and Delete removed PLO

  5. If Program Code is removed in file

No change, import system does not delete the program

  1. If program code exists and Program Name is new

    1. Update Program Name (no need to auto-revise program)

  2. For College/Admin Division Code

    1. If College/Admin Division Code exists, auto-revise program and update existing/create new programs aligned to that code

    2. If doesn’t exist/blank, no change to existing program

    3. If doesn’t exist/blank, do not create new program

  3. Department/Admin Unit Code

    1. If Department/Admin Unit Code exists, auto-revise program and update existing/create new programs aligned to that code

    2. If doesn’t exist/blank, no change to existing program

    3. If doesn’t exist/blank, do not create new program

  4. Academic Degree

    1. If Academic Degrees exists, auto-revise program and update existing/create new programs aligned to that codes (formed from the combination of “MajorCode”+underscore+“DegreeCode” fields in Degree File)

    2. If doesn’t exist/blank, no change to existing program or add to newly created program

  5. If program code exists and “Active” (optional field) column is false

    1. If marked true, no change to current program status

    2. If marked false, archive the program