Bulk Offline Upload – Business Challenge and Meritto’s Solution

Bulk Offline Upload – Business Challenge and Meritto’s Solution

Overview 

Educational institutions often encounter scenarios where application forms are submitted outside the standard online channels. From campus walk-ins and education fairs to third-party lead generation and offline outreach programs, the admissions team must frequently handle data that isn't captured through the digital application form.

This presents several operational challenges:
  1. Manual data entry for each applicant is time-consuming and prone to errors.
  2. Updating existing applications collected offline (especially partially filled or pending ones) adds administrative burden.
  3. Lack of integration between offline and online workflows leads to fragmented applicant data.
To solve this, Meritto has introduced the Bulk Offline Upload Application feature an efficient solution built for managing large volumes of application data without compromising accuracy, speed, or system consistency.

Plan & Permissions

This feature is introduced for the Application Automation Platform: Upload Bulk Applications
  1. The feature must be activated in the institution’s plan.
  2. User roles must have appropriate access levels to manage workflow settings 

Feature Utilization for Problem Solving

Manual data entry slows down processing

Admissions teams previously had to input each offline application individually. With bulk upload, multiple application records can now be submitted simultaneously through a CSV file saving time and minimizing repetitive work.

Updating existing applications was error-prone

For applications already present in the system (especially those in payment pending or approved status), it was difficult to make consistent updates without risking data integrity.
  1. Payment Pending: Bulk updates allow editable field changes using Application No., Email ID, or Lead ID.
  2. Payment Approved: Only hidden or disabled fields can be updated, ensuring the integrity of approved data.

Risk of duplicate records during offline uploads

Without validation logic, institutions often created duplicates when uploading offline applications. The "Both" mode solves this by first checking if a record exists (based on Email ID). If found, it updates the data; if not, it creates a new application entry, ensuring no duplication.

One-size-fits-all upload tools lacked flexibility

Institutions need to handle various use cases—from fully new applications to updating existing records. Meritto’s feature provides three upload modes:
  1. Upload New: Create fresh applications using unique email addresses.
  2. Upload Existing Only: Update already submitted applications.
  3. Both: Update if a record exists, or create new if it doesn’t.

Expected Outcomes & Benefits

By using this feature, institutions can expect faster processing of offline applications, reduced manual errors, and improved operational efficiency. It helps unify offline and online data into one streamlined workflow, enhances team productivity, and supports high-volume admission campaigns without sacrificing accuracy or control.

Conclusion

Meritto’s Bulk Offline Upload Application feature streamlines the handling of offline and hybrid application processes. It helps institutions maintain accurate, up-to-date applicant data while dramatically reducing manual workload.
With flexible upload modes and smart validation logic, this tool is essential for institutions seeking to improve data consistency, scale admissions efficiently, and offer a unified applicant experience.