Add new people from a CSV file
For Admins
You can add new people to HR Tools by importing a CSV (comma separated value) file.
Follow these general steps:
1. Review the required information for each new person
3. Import the CSV file into HR Tools
1. Review the required information for each new person
There is a minimum required set of information for each person that you add. Each new person will receive an email with a link to create their account in HR Tools and complete their profile.
We strongly recommend that you add all the company addresses you will need before importing people. Otherwise, you will need to manually adjust this information in each person's profile. See Add a company address.
Although the Job Title, Department, and Employment Status columns are optional, we strongly recommend that you include these in the CSV file. Otherwise, you will need to manually adjust this information for each person later. (Only an Admin can set these values in a person's profile.)
Required columns
Import (specify Yes to import this record, or No to ignore it)
First Name
Last Name
Work Email
Reports To
This is the work email of the employee's direct manager.
This work email must already exist in HR Tools, or it must be the work email of a new person in this same CSV import file, and the record for this new person must be selected for import (the Import column must be set to Yes).
Hire Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Office Location
This is the Office Name field for a company address. We strongly recommend that you add all the company addresses you will need before importing people. Otherwise, you will need to manually adjust this information for each person later. See Add a company address.
Position Type (W2 or 1099)
Pay Type (Salary - No overtime, Salary - Eligible for overtime, or Hourly)
Compensation (in USD, no currency symbol)
Compensation Period (Per Hour, Per Week, Per Month, Per Year)
Optional columns, but highly recommended to include
Job Title
A job title is added if it does not already exist in HR Tools.
Department
A department is added if it does not already exist in HR Tools.
Employment Status (Full Time, Part Time)
Optional columns
Middle Name
Preferred Name
Social Security Number
Gender (Male, Female, Non-binary)
Marital Status (Unmarried, Married, Common Law, Domestic Partnership)
Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)
Personal Email
Work Phone
Personal Phone
2. Create the CSV file
We provide two options for creating the CSV file:
Recommended: Create a CSV file using HR Tools's Google Sheet. The Google sheet contains basic data validations as well as dropdown values that will help you fill out the information for each person correctly.
Open the Google Sheet. This file contains three tabs: example data, a blank spreadsheet tab for adding your own data, and validation information.
Create a CSV file by downloading a CSV template from HR Tools. If you choose this option, ensure that you are familiar with the data validation requirements and valid values for each field. Use this option only if you are unable to use the Google Sheet.
The download links will save the files to your computer's default Downloads location.
Download the example data CSV file (view the example data in this file).
Download the validation information CSV file (review information about validation for each field).
Download a blank template CSV file (use this file to add information for each person).
See Create a CSV file by downloading a CSV template from HR Tools
Create a CSV file with HR Tools's Google Sheet
Review the example data on the Example Data tab.
If desired, select the Column Validations tab to review data validation information.
Select the Import People Template tab.
Select the down arrow next to the tab name, and then select Copy to > New spreadsheet.
Select Open spreadsheet to open your new copy of the Import People Template tab.
Add information for each person as needed.
Where provided, use the dropdowns to select valid options.
The blue highlighting indicates required fields; the orange highlighting indicates optional fields.
Invalid data will be indicated by a small red triangle in the upper right corner of a cell.
When you are done adding your information, download it as a CSV file. This is the file you will import into HR Tools.
Select File > Download > Comma Separated Values (.csv)
Create a CSV file by downloading a CSV template from HR Tools
Use this option only if you are unable to use the Google Sheet.
Download and review the example data CSV file.
Open the downloaded file from your default Downloads location on your computer. You may want to keep this file open for reference as you add information for each person to the blank template CSV file.
Download a blank template CSV file.
This is the file that you will use to add your information.
Open the blank template CSV file from your default Downloads location on your computer.
Add information for each person.
Do not remove the first row, which contains the column headers for each field.
Add one row for each new person.
For optional fields, you can leave those fields empty in the CSV file, but do not remove the column from the CSV file.
Make sure that you are providing information for all required fields.
Save the CSV file. This is the file you will import into HR Tools.
3. Import the CSV file into HR Tools
You must be an Admin to do the following steps.
If there are any validation errors in the CSV file, you will have an opportunity to correct them as part of the import process.
Import the CSV file into HR Tools
Ensure that you have created a CSV file in the proper format. See Create a CSV file with HR Tools's Google Sheet.
Log in to your HR Tools account.
On the
People page, select Bulk Import People. 
Drag and drop your CSV file onto the upload area; or select choose file to open a file browser window to select the file.
The file is uploaded and the data in the file is validated.
Select Continue.
On the Step 2 - Review People screen, select Review for each person with an issue to review. Scroll down to see the issues that were identified.
Select a valid value from the dropdown list, or use the -Add New- option to add and save a new value. Type the new value and then select Save.
When done, scroll to the bottom of the Review Issues form and select Save.
Select all people whom you want to add right now, and then select Add Selected (n).
If you didn't select everyone to import, a message informs you of that, and you can either select Continue to keep going; or select Back to return to the previous screen where you can select more people from the CSV file to import.
On the Step 3 Preview & Send screen, select the Send Date for the welcome email, and then select Send. The import may take several minutes to complete. A message at the top of the page indicates the status of the import.
Last updated: June 21, 2022
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