Managers not syncing via Google Workspace SCIM

Ben Pemstein Ben Pemstein
· Updated

The manager field appears blank in 15Five, or manager assignments set in Google Workspace do not carry over after a SCIM sync.

Diagnose

Work through these checks in order. Stop when you find the cause.

Check 1: Sync Managers setting → In 15Five, go to Settings > Features > Integrations and open your SCIM configuration. Look for the Sync Managers toggle. → If disabled, enable it and trigger a sync. → If already enabled, continue to Check 2.

Check 2: Manager exists in 15Five → Confirm the manager has an active account in 15Five before the direct report is assigned in Google Workspace. → If the manager account does not exist yet, provision the manager first, then re-assign the direct report. → If the manager account exists, continue to Check 3.

Check 3: managerId or managerEmail attribute mapping → In Google Workspace, open the 15Five app's attribute mappings and verify that either managerId or managerEmail is mapped to the correct source attribute. → If unmapped or mapped to the wrong source, correct the mapping and trigger a sync. → If mapping looks correct, continue to Check 4.

Check 4: Manager attribute field is populated → In Google Workspace, open a direct report's profile and confirm the manager attribute contains a value. The value must be either the manager's email address or their 15Five ID. → If the field is empty, populate it and trigger a sync. → If the field is populated, continue to Check 5.

Check 5: ID passed from downstream software → If a downstream system (such as an HRIS) feeds data into Google Workspace, confirm the ID it sends is one that 15Five recognizes. 15Five matches individuals in this order: SCIM ID → User ID → Email → Employee ID. An unrecognized ID causes the manager field to appear blank. → If the ID does not match any recognized type, update the downstream mapping to send a recognized ID and trigger a sync. → If the ID matches, continue to Fix.

Fix

Apply the fix that corresponds to the cause you identified above.

Cause: Sync Managers was disabled

  1. Go to Settings > Features > Integrations in 15Five.
  2. Open your SCIM configuration.
  3. Enable Sync Managers.
  4. Save changes and trigger a sync from Google Workspace.

Cause: Manager did not exist in 15Five at assignment time

  1. Provision the manager's account in 15Five via SCIM or manual creation.
  2. In Google Workspace, un-assign the direct report from the 15Five application.
  3. Re-assign the direct report to the 15Five application.

> Note: Re-assigning an individual triggers a "Welcome Back" email to that person.

Cause: Attribute mapping incorrect or missing

  1. In Google Workspace, open the 15Five app's Attribute Mappings.
  2. Locate or add the mapping for managerId or managerEmail.
  3. Set the source attribute to the field that holds the manager's email or 15Five ID.
  4. Save and trigger a sync.

Cause: Manager attribute field empty in Google Workspace

  1. Open the direct report's profile in Google Workspace.
  2. Enter the manager's email address or 15Five ID in the manager attribute field.
  3. Save and trigger a sync.

Cause: Downstream software sends an unrecognized ID

  1. Identify which ID the downstream system sends to Google Workspace.
  2. Confirm it matches one of: SCIM ID, User ID, Email, or Employee ID in 15Five.
  3. Update the downstream field mapping to send a recognized ID type.
  4. Trigger a sync in Google Workspace.

Cause is identified but manager field still blank after sync

  1. In Google Workspace, make a minor edit to the direct report's profile (for example, update State or Zip).
  2. Save the change to force a sync event for that individual.
  3. Confirm the manager field updates in 15Five.

What Resolution Looks Like

After a successful sync, the direct report's profile in 15Five shows the correct manager name under their reporting structure. The manager field is no longer blank on the person's profile page.

If It Still Fails

Contact 15Five Support at support@15five.com. Include the following:

  • The direct report's email address and their manager's email address
  • The attribute mapping configuration (screenshot or export)
  • The ID type your downstream software sends to Google Workspace
  • The date and time of the most recent sync attempt

Not Covered Here

This article covers only manager attribute mapping failures. For general provisioning failures, group sync issues, or disconnecting SCIM, see the related articles below.

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