FAQ

How to Upload Schedules

Bulk Loading and Bulk Updateing have not been tested. Anticipate some glitches till testing is complete.

There are two techniques involving the bulk manipulation of data to the Matches Table

1. Bulk Update of existing schedule

   For example adding the Field and Times to existing matches or changing characteristics of a subset of existing matches.

2. Bulk Load of new matches

   For example adding Tournament or Playing League matches to the system to take advantage of match field scheduling.

Bulk Update

You will need to download, modify and then upload Matches

1. Via the Administrator or Staff segment visit Manage:Matches
2. Using the Match Criteria, select the subset of Matches that you wish to modify.
3. Make sure that all the records you want are displayed.

   You should change the number of records displayed (default is 10 ) to a number that is larger than the number of records you expect.

4. Make sure that all the data elements that you need are displayed.

   Use the box in the Match Criteria to display other data elements. You MUST have the check mark in front of the Key box. It is best NOT to select the in front of the Action box.

5. Click on 'Show'
6. Click on the download symbol

   This will generate a csv (comma separated value) file on your desktop. What it is named, where it appears, and where it might be stored is different depending on the browser you are using on your desktop.

7. Open the csv file in a desktop application. Microsoft Excel works well.
8. Make your desired modifications to the displayed Matches.

   It is okay to delete rows and/or columns that you do not need. Do not delete the header row. Do not delete the Key column. (The Key column might be shown as the Match column. Change the heading from 'Match' to 'Key'.) See below for permissible modifications. As a practical manner, you should be modifying at least 20 matches via the bulk update functionality. Less than 20 matches can be done one at a time via Manage-Matches in about the same time.

9. Name and save your file in csv format.

   At this time send your file to the Administrator / Webmaster for uploading. Note some applications on a MacIntosh use a slightly different csv format. If given the option, save your file in PC or Microsoft csv format.

Bulk Load

You will need to generate a csv file and then upload the Matches

1. Generate a csv (comma separated values) file

   CSV files can be generated from spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel. When you save the file you will have to select the csv file format. (MacIntosh computers can have a non-compatible csv file format.)

2. The csv file must have a header row

   For new matches you must have Club as a minimum. As a practical matter, the more information you can bulk upload via a spreadsheet, the less keystrokes and mouse clicks you will have later in manipulating the Matches. See below for a complete description of the possible column headings and format criteria.

3. Save the csv file.

   Be sure to save your work as a csv file.

4. Send the file for uploading.

   At this time only the webmaster and site Administrator can upload data files. Bulk upload and bulk update bypass the normal data validation and error checking routines. Mistakes in the bulk loading or bulk updating of data can not be undone. There is no record of the data before the bulk operation. Mistakes are often irretrievable.

Column Headings

Column headings are not case sensitive. However they MUST be spelled exactly. Note that these values can be used in Options-Methods, Options-Fees and Options-Ranks to establish the default referee assigning method, the default referee match fees and the default match difficulty ranking. Consequently, it is important to include many of these headings when uploading matches. Technically, none of these headings are mandatory. From a practical matter, you want to include as many of them as possible. Consider, Gender, AgeLevel, Club, TimeSlotsClub,UseStandings, Home, Date, PlayingLeague, Season, Class as required data.

• Gender - Required
  Current options are
• AgeLevel - Required
  
• Club - Required
  Must be exactly the same as a Club as specified in the Clubs table. See a pulldown in Manage-Matches Match Criteria for a correctly formatted value. The Club column in the Matches table is used to identify the Club Officers that have responsibility for the Match.
• TimeSlotsClub - Required
  Must be exactly the same as a Club as specified in the Clubs table. See a pulldown in Manage-Matches Match Criteria for a correctly formatted value. The Club column in the Matches table is used to identify the Club Officers that have responsibility for the Match. Specifies which Club will be responsible for obtaining the TimeSlot
• UseStandings
  0 = No and 1 = Yes. Should this Match be used to calculate standings? Currently (Fall 2012) not being used. Set to 0 for tournaments, and other playing leagues.
• Home - Required
  The name of the Home team. The name is NOT linked to other parts of the database. So you can put anything you want here, including 'TBD' or 'Unknown Opponent'. The name IS USED to check if a referee has worked the same team recently.
• Away - Required
  The name of the Away team. The name is NOT linked to other parts of the database. So you can put anything you want here, including 'TBD' or 'Unknown Opponent'. The name IS USED to check if a referee has worked the same team recently.
• HomeID
  The team ID number provided by SFYS.
• HomeKey
  The team Key number in the database. It is via this number that Matches are linked with team records, coaches, managers, club records, etc. If the Match is to be modified or viewed by a Coach or a Manager, the Key number must be in place and correct.
• AwayID
  The team ID number provided by SFYS.
• AwayKey
  The team Key number in the database. It is via this number that Matches are linked with team records, coaches, managers, club records, etc. If the Match is to be modified or viewed by a Coach or a Manager, the Key number must be in place and correct.
• Source
  This is the name of an external source of the matches, used primarily in database to database communication. The current list of Source (from Options=Source) is GotSoccer,GotSport,GotSportUpload,Manual Import . If the Match is generated within timeslots.sfyouthsoccer.com the Source = SFYS TimeSlots .
• SourceKey
  This is a Match number from the Source . Examples can be GotSoccer Leagues or Tournaments. If the other League uses a Match number, we can store that number here for future cross referencing or lookups.
• Date - Required
  The preferred format is MM/DD/YYYY. CRITICAL, if one record has a date, all the records must have a date. Other date formats and a complete discussion of acceptable date formats can be found at Reference: Tools-Dates and Times
• Time - Required
  The preferred format is HH:MM AM or HH:MM PM or HH:MM in a 24 hour clock. CRITICAL, if one record has a time, all the records must have a time. Other time formats and a complete discussion of acceptable date formats can be found at Reference: Tools-Dates and Times
• Field - Required
  The name of the field MUST be identical as listed in the database. Punctuation, spelling, spacing and capitalization have to be the same. Do not include '(Grass)' or '(SyntheticTurf)' in the Field name. You can put in '0' (zero) for an unknown field. It will appear in the database as 'unspecified'. Note - be sure you are checking the Field Name and not the Location Name. Use the pulldown in Match Criteria to see the appropriate Field names. You can also put in the TimeSlots.SFYS Fields Table Key Number. (Not the RidgeStar Field Number.)
• Bracket
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the Match Criteria or Assignment Criteria pulldown. Current options are Bronze,Copper,Gold,Premier,Silver
• PlayingLeague - Required
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the Match Criteria or Assignment Criteria pulldown. Current options are CCSL Coast,CCSL State Premier League,ECNL,ECNL Regional,Girls Academy,MLS Next,NorCal NPL,NorCal Premier
• Season - Required
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the Match Criteria or Assignment Criteria pulldown. Current options are Fall,Spring,Summer,Tournament,Winter
• Class - Required
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the Match Criteria or Assignment Criteria pulldown. Current options are Competitive,Premier,Recreational
• RefMethod
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the pulldown. Typical values are None and Pensra. If not specified, a value will be looked up from the Options-Methods Table. Pensra means that the referee position will be requested.
• AR1Method
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the pulldown. Typical values are None and Pensra. If not specified, a value will be looked up from the Options-Methods Table. Pensra means that the referee position will be requested.
• AR2Method
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the pulldown. Typical values are None and Pensra. If not specified, a value will be looked up from the Options-Methods Table. Pensra means that the referee position will be requested.
• 4thMethod
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the pulldown. Typical values are None and Pensra. If not specified, a value will be looked up from the Options-Methods Table. Pensra means that the referee position will be requested.
• MtrMethod
  This must be identical to one of the options offered via the pulldown. Typical values are None and Pensra. If not specified, a value will be looked up from the Options-Methods Table. Pensra means that the referee position will be requested.
• MatchReport - Required
  Set to "1" if Referees will be required to submit a MatchReport. Set to "0" if no Referee MatchReport is desired.