Account admins can add new users or update existing ones in bulk by uploading a CSV file on the Import tab of the Manage People page.
Before You Begin
- You must have account admin access to the Manage People page.
- Your CSV file must be saved in UTF-8 CSV format.
- Confirm which Employee Identifier your organization uses — email or employee_id — before preparing your file.
Steps
- Click People in the left-hand navigation.
- Click the Import tab in the top navigation.
- Review the field table and formatting rules on the bulk import page before building your CSV.
- Click Download current structure to export your existing employee data.
- Save two copies: one to edit and one as a backup in case changes need to be reversed.
- Open your editable copy and make your additions or updates.
- Confirm the Employee Identifier shown at the bottom of the page matches the identifier column in your CSV.
- Click Choose file at the bottom of the import page.
- Select your UTF-8 CSV file.
- On the Preview import screen, review all pending changes.
- If anything looks incorrect, click Start over in the bottom-left corner to cancel and return to the import page.
- To send invite emails immediately, check Send invite email to all in bulk import.
- Click Finish import.
- Wait up to 15 minutes for the import to complete.
After the import finishes:
- Users invited via email appear under Pending invitations in the Invited tab of the Manage People page.
- Users added without an invite appear under Created people. Send invites to them when you are ready.
If Something Goes Wrong
| Issue | Check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Import fails immediately after upload | Confirm the file is saved as UTF-8 CSV, not standard CSV or Excel format | Re-save the file as UTF-8 CSV and re-upload |
| Employee Identifier mismatch error | Check whether the identifier at the bottom of the import page matches the column header in your CSV | Update your CSV column to match the organization's configured identifier, or change the default identifier in company settings |
| Unexpected changes appear on the Preview screen | Compare the preview against your backup copy of the original structure | Click Start over, correct your editable CSV, and re-upload |
| New users do not appear after 15 minutes | Check the Invited tab and Created people section of Manage People | Contact 15Five Support with the date, time, and CSV row count of your import |
Not Covered Here
This article covers CSV-based bulk import only — for integration-based user management (HRIS Connector, SCIM, SFTP, SSO), see the relevant integration articles.
Related Articles
- Add People to 15Five — Overview of Methods
- Add a Person One at a Time
- Update Your Organization's Default Employee Identifier
- Customize the Content of Invite Emails
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