QMS Import | Tianidesigns

Bulk Certificate Import for Efficient Data Management

Overview

QMS tracks certifications and qualifications for crew and staff.

Managing certification data often requires updating large numbers of records at once, especially during onboarding, audits, or system migrations. Before this work, there was no way to import user certificates in bulk, so administrators had to enter or update records manually.

This made the process slow, repetitive, and difficult to scale.

Lead Product Designer

Designed the user certificate import workflow in the Qualification Management System (QMS), enabling administrators to upload and manage certification data at scale.

Collaborators

Product, Business, Engineering

The Challenge

Bulk import for user certificates did not exist.
Administrators had to manually enter or update records, which became inefficient as data volume increased. Introducing bulk import required more than adding file upload.

Users needed a reliable way to prepare data, submit it, and understand what happened after the upload. At the same time, the system had to handle real conditions such as multiple users uploading at once, network interruptions, and partial processing.

Without a structured approach, uploads could result in unclear failures, incomplete data, or repeated work. There was no clear way to track progress, review results, or correct errors efficiently.
The challenge was to design a system that users could trust when working with large and critical datasets.

Approach

The feature was designed as a complete workflow, not just an upload interaction.

Focus was placed on supporting users at each step:

preparing the file
uploading it
tracking progress
reviewing results

Each part of the process was designed to reduce uncertainty and make outcomes clear, even when uploads fail or are interrupted.

Key Solutions

Providing a clear structure for data preparation

A downloadable CSV template defines the required fields and format for import.

This ensures users start with a valid structure and reduces the likelihood of errors before the upload begins.

Supporting a simple and flexible upload interaction

Users can upload files through drag-and-drop or manual selection.

This keeps the process intuitive and reduces friction when starting an import.

Allowing background processing with persistent progress visibility

Imports can take time, especially with large datasets.

Uploads run in the background, allowing users to continue working in other parts of the system. A persistent progress indicator shows the current state of the import, and users receive a notification once it is complete.

This removes the need to stay on the page and monitor the process.

Handling real-world outcomes with explicit status definitions

Each upload is processed and assigned a clear status.

The system distinguishes between:

successful imports where all records are processed
failed imports where processing does not complete
partially completed imports where only some records are processed
interrupted uploads caused by connection loss

This ensures users understand exactly what happened and what action is required.

Managing concurrent uploads through a controlled queue system

Multiple users can initiate uploads at the same time.

Instead of processing them simultaneously, uploads are placed in a queue and processed in sequence. While one file is being processed, others wait and begin automatically once the previous upload is complete.

This prevents system conflicts while allowing users to submit files without delay.

Providing detailed visibility into import results

All uploads are listed in a table that includes file name, creator, import date, status, and messages.

Selecting a file opens a detailed view where users can see which records were successfully imported and which failed. This allows users to correct only the failed records instead of repeating the entire upload.

Ensuring access to uploaded files for validation and reuse

Uploaded files can be downloaded directly from the system.

This allows users to review the original data, make corrections, and re-import without recreating files from scratch.

Outcome

Bulk certificate import is now a structured and reliable process that supports real-world usage.

Users can upload large datasets, track progress in real time, understand the outcome of each upload, and correct issues without repeating unnecessary steps. The system handles multiple users, interruptions, and partial processing while maintaining clarity at every stage.

The value of this work was not in enabling file upload.

It was in creating a system that supports the full lifecycle of bulk data management, giving users confidence that their data is processed correctly and that any issues can be identified and resolved quickly.

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