Bulk Creating and Updating Motion Tiles with CSV Files

Create and update multiple Motion Tiles at once by downloading CSV templates, uploading completed files, and exporting existing tile configurations for bulk edits.

Bulk Tile Creation

Bulk Tile Creation allows Administrators and Managers/System Owners to create or update multiple Motion Tiles at one time using a CSV file.

This is useful when adding a large number of similar tiles, configuring point-based tiles across many devices, or updating existing tile settings without configuring each Motion Tile one at a time.

Bulk Tile Creation supports CSV templates for different tile and point types. The available template options may vary depending on the type of Motion Tile being created.

When to use Bulk Tile Creation

Use Bulk Tile Creation when you need to:

1. Create multiple Motion Tiles at the same time

2. Add similar point-based tiles across one or more Motion Devices

3. Update existing Motion Tile configurations in bulk

4. Export current tile configurations, make changes in a CSV, and upload the updated CSV back into Motion

Permissions

Bulk Tile Creation is available to:

1. Administrators

2. Managers/System Owners

If you do not see the bulk creation options described below, contact your Motion account administrator.

Step 1: Navigate to the Tiles view

Steps

1. Navigate to Controls

2. Click Tiles

3. Click Add Tiles

Step 2: Open Bulk Tile Creation

In the Add Tiles view, locate the Bulk Creation section.

Steps

1. Find the Bulk Create tile

2. Click Bulk Create

3. The Bulk Tile Creation window will open

Step 3: Download the correct CSV template

In the Bulk Tile Creation window, download the CSV template that matches the type of Motion Tile you want to create.

There are separate template options for Numeric Tiles and Toggle Tiles. Within each tile type, select the point source or tile source that matches the tiles you are creating. Examples include BACnet, Modbus, LoRaWAN, and Formula where applicable.

Steps

1. Under Download CSV Templates, choose the correct template type

2. Select the point source or tile source from the dropdown

3. Download the CSV template

Step 4: Complete the CSV file

Open the downloaded CSV template and complete the required fields.

The CSV template is the source of truth for the required headers for that tile type. Do not remove or rename CSV headers.

For the most up-to-date definitions, accepted values, and formatting rules, use the tile term glossary linked from the Bulk Tile Creation window.

Common fields include:

1. Motion Device ID

2. Point configuration fields

3. Tile Name

4. Display Name

5. Tile Writability

6. Color

7. Icon

8. Linked App IDs

9. Linked Super Tile IDs

10. Alarm settings

11. Tags and facets

The exact fields will depend on the tile type and point source selected.

Step 5: Upload the completed CSV file

After completing the CSV file, return to the Bulk Tile Creation window.

Steps

1. Under Upload CSV File, click the upload area

2. Select your completed CSV file

3. Confirm that the file has been uploaded

4. Click Create Tiles

The maximum CSV file size is 5MB.

Step 6: Review processing results

After the CSV is uploaded, Motion will process the tile rows in the file.

The processing window shows the results of the upload, including:

1. Total tiles

2. Queued tiles

3. Processing tiles

4. Completed tiles

5. Warnings

6. Errors

Motion also displays tile details such as Display Name, Type, Color, Icon, linked Apps, and linked SuperTiles.

If the CSV cannot be processed, Motion will display row-level error messages to help identify what needs to be corrected in the CSV.

Steps

1. Review the processing results

2. If errors are shown, correct the CSV file

3. Upload the corrected CSV file again

4. Click Done when processing is complete

Updating existing Motion Tiles with a configuration CSV

Motion also allows you to download a configuration CSV from existing Motion Tiles. This is useful when you want to edit tile settings in bulk instead of configuring each tile individually.

You can download the existing configuration, edit values in the CSV, and upload the CSV through Bulk Tile Creation.

Step 1: Select existing tiles

Steps

1. Navigate to Controls

2. Click Tiles

3. In the My Tiles tab, select one or more existing Motion Tiles

After one or more tiles are selected, additional bulk actions will appear.

Step 2: Download the configuration CSV

Steps

1. Select the Motion Tiles you want to export

2. Click Download Configuration CSV

3. Open the downloaded CSV file

The downloaded CSV includes the current configuration values for the selected Motion Tiles.

Step 3: Edit the configuration CSV

Update the values that you want to change.

Do not remove or rename CSV headers.

Be careful when editing Tile ID values. Tile ID is the unique identifier for the Motion Tile.

Motion uses Tile ID to determine whether a CSV row updates an existing tile or creates a new tile.

1. If a row includes an existing Tile ID, Motion updates that existing Motion Tile.

2. If a row includes a new Tile ID, Motion creates a new Motion Tile.

If you are only trying to update existing Motion Tiles, keep the existing Tile ID values unchanged.

Step 4: Upload the edited configuration CSV

After editing the configuration CSV, upload it through the Bulk Tile Creation workflow.

Steps

1. Navigate to Controls

2. Click Tiles

3. Click Add Tiles

4. Click Bulk Create

5. Upload the edited configuration CSV

6. Click Create Tiles

7. Review the processing results

Best practices

1. Download a fresh CSV template before creating a new set of tiles.

2. Use the tile term glossary for the latest accepted values and field definitions.

3. Do not remove or rename CSV headers.

4. When updating existing tiles, keep the Tile ID values unchanged.

5. Make a copy of the exported configuration CSV before making large edits.

6. Upload a small test file first when making a large or high-impact change.

7. Review warnings and errors before considering the upload complete.

Troubleshooting

CSV upload fails

If the CSV upload fails, review the error message shown in Motion. The error message may identify the row and field that needs to be corrected.

Common causes include:

1. Missing required values

2. Invalid Motion Device ID

3. Incorrect point configuration

4. Invalid accepted value

5. Missing Tile ID when updating an existing tile

6. Removed or renamed CSV headers

Tiles were updated instead of created

Check the Tile ID column. If the CSV row includes an existing Tile ID, Motion will update the existing Motion Tile.

New tiles were created instead of existing tiles being updated

Check the Tile ID column. If the Tile ID does not match an existing Motion Tile, Motion will create a new Motion Tile.

Values are not displaying as expected

Check the tile term glossary for the accepted format of display units, decimal places, transformation formulas, multiplier, calibration offset, alarms, tags, and facets.