Bulk import CSV fields — rules, identifiers, and supported columns

The bulk import page in 15Five lists every field manageable via CSV. Review these rules before building your file.

What fields can I manage via CSV import?

Direct Answer: The bulk import page in 15Five is the authoritative source for all supported column headers and formatting rules.

Key Rules:

  • Visit People > Import tab to see the full field list before creating your CSV.
  • Fields not listed on that page cannot be imported via standard CSV — see Bulk update custom attributes for custom attribute fields.

What identifier does 15Five use to match records?

Direct Answer: 15Five uses either employee email or employee ID as the unique identifier for each person.

Key Rules:

  • Your CSV must include either the email column or the employee_id column — not necessarily both.
  • Your account's default identifier is set in your company's import settings. The identifier in your CSV must match that setting.
  • If you are adding new users, you must always include an email address, even if your account uses employee_id as the identifier. All 15Five accounts require an email address.
  • To update a single field (for example, job title), your CSV needs only the identifier column plus the column for that field.

Common Misunderstanding: You do not need to include all columns to update one field. Include only the identifier and the specific column you want to change.

If I omit a person or field from my CSV, will that data be deleted?

Direct Answer: No — omitted people and fields are not changed.

Key Rules:

  • 15Five updates only the rows and columns present in your uploaded CSV.
  • Any person or field not included in the CSV remains exactly as it was before the import.

How does the due_day column work for Check-in frequency?

Direct Answer: The due_day column updates Check-in due days only for users on a weekly Check-in cadence.

Key Rules:

  • due_day does not support bi-weekly or monthly reporting periods.
  • To change Check-in due day for users on non-weekly cadences, use the manual steps in Change the frequency of Check-ins.

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