# Importing & Exporting Questions When you have hundreds or even thousands of questions you want to put on Synap, you can use the import / export functionality to upload and make changes in bulk via a CSV. {% hint style="danger" %} 🚨 All existing questions on Synap are given a unique Synap ID. When you are adding questions to an existing quiz via the importer, you **must include** the existing questions and IDs or they will be deleted overridden on import. {% endhint %} [Download the full Synap question template ](https://synap-content.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/general/synap-quiz-importer-template.xlsx) [Download a simplified question template](https://synap-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Synap+Simplified+Questions+Import+template.xlsx) (Simple single choice and multi correct fields only) [Download the Synap EMQ template](https://synap-content.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/general/synap-emq-importer-template.xlsx) {% embed url="" %} ### Importing best practices Synap's full import template provides a range of columns to configure your questions. If you're only using a few question types you don't need all the columns, we'd recommend creating one question on platform using the question editor. Then exporting that quiz to a CSV so you can see the fields you're actually using for importing. Learn more about formatting your sheets ready for import in the guide below {% content-ref url="importing-and-exporting/importing/questions" %} [questions](https://academy.synap.ac/doc/quizzes/importing-and-exporting/importing/questions) {% endcontent-ref %} #### **HTML Formatting** Text and images need to be HTML formatted in order to import correctly. When you export questions from platform you'll notice they are HTML formatted, for example, they will have had `

` tags added to paragraphs. You will need to add formatting as HTML to questions in a CSV. This is most important for questions with images and image answer options. #### **Images** To upload images via the importer, you must have them saved in a repository such as AWS or Wasabi. From there you will need a public link which you will include in the question or option image columns. This will also need HTML formatting If you are unfamiliar with HTML formatting, particularly when working with images within questions or answer options, it may be easier for you to utilize the importer tool to import the entire text of a question, and then use the available formatting and editing tools on the platform to adjust the formatting and insert the images. {% hint style="warning" %} 🚨 Images in cells will not be imported into Synap, you must use permalinks and`` tags {% endhint %} ![](https://3316915154-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MkgvUeCmTPeNouRxGPC%2Fuploads%2FRhXRTY2WENK2iMLCn3gD%2Fhtml_in_questions.png?alt=media\&token=3467ec14-5840-41d3-ab47-9509b245315c) {% content-ref url="importing-and-exporting/html-formatting" %} [html-formatting](https://academy.synap.ac/doc/quizzes/importing-and-exporting/html-formatting) {% endcontent-ref %} {% hint style="warning" %} If you are using Excel you must ensure that you are exporting your csv in the UTF-8 file format. To do this go to **File > Save As** and select UTF-8 from the drop down box before you download the spreadsheet as a csv {% endhint %} We are aware of users based in the Netherlands being unable to use csv's exported from Excel. We are working towards a resolution for this but in the meantime please use Google Sheets to export your csv's. If this is not an option available to you, please contact your account manager. #### Sections and EMQs If your quiz uses sections remember to create these first so that you can include the section external id on the question importer sheet. Similarly, if you have EMQs in your quiz, import these before the questions so you can include the EMQ ids on the question importer sheet #### Updating questions The importer is not only useful for creating new quizzes but also for making bulk updates to existing quizzes. Follow the export process outlined below and then re-import the edited sheet. This process is useful for making bulk updates to multiple questions, such as adding tags. You can also use spreadsheet formulae such as `=(SUBSTITUTE)` to help speed up changes. If you are adding new questions, do not remove the old questions from the sheet. On importing, the quiz will be updated to reflect what is on the sheet, so if you remove old questions and only have new ones on the sheet, the old questions will be deleted. {% hint style="info" %} 🧠 Questions with the same ids cannot exist in multiple quizzes. If you want to move questions from one quiz to another, you must delete the Synap IDs {% endhint %} #### Validation Imports will be validated before adding questions to platform. You'll be emailed the reasons why an import has failed as well as a reference to the row. ### 👇 Exporting Look for the `Export to CSV` button on Questions and EMQ groups to export you content with all the ids. Content made on platform will be exported as HTML. When your export is complete you'll get an email with the content. ![](https://3316915154-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MkgvUeCmTPeNouRxGPC%2Fuploads%2FBs9RZx1q8OTVNF4Vks3o%2FScreenshot%202021-12-21%20at%2015.43.59.png?alt=media\&token=c14e07d5-ef53-4af8-ac23-92aafaa648e6) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://academy.synap.ac/doc/quizzes/importing-and-exporting.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.