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Import your employees via a CSV file

If you don't use synchronisation (Google, Microsoft, Slack or Okta), you can add your employees in bulk by importing a CSV file. This article explains how to prepare that file and what to do if the import fails.

❶ When should you use a CSV import?

  • You have no active synchronisation with Google, Microsoft, Slack or Okta.

  • You want to add a large number of employees in one go.

  • You want to fill in additional information (language, department, manager, groups) at the time of import.

👉 To add just one or two employees, adding them manually is quicker (see "Add a new employee manually").

❷ How to import your employees

  1. 👉 Step 1: go to the Team tab, then Employees.

  2. 👉 Step 2: click the "…" menu (three dots) at the top right, then select Import via CSV.

  3. 👉 Step 3: in the import window, first download the blank CSV template so you start from the correct structure.

  4. 👉 Step 4: fill in the template (see section ❸), then drag and drop your .csv file into the import window.

👍 Good to know: you can switch to synchronisation (Google, Microsoft, Slack or Okta) at any time. This makes it much easier to keep your workforce up to date and to import your groups automatically. See "Sync my employees".

❸ Preparing your file correctly

The downloadable template contains the following columns, in this order:

  • First Name (required)

  • Last Name (required)

  • Email Address (required)

  • Locale — the employee's language (optional)

  • Department — department / team (optional)

  • Manager Email (optional)

  • Groups (optional)

To avoid any import error, follow these few rules:

  1. Always start from a freshly downloaded blank template — don't reuse an old file you've already edited.

  2. Keep the header row exactly as it is: don't rename, delete, reorder or add columns.

  3. One row = one employee. Don't leave an empty row at the bottom of the file.

  4. Keep the template's separator unchanged. [TO CONFIRM: state the separator explicitly? The template sent to Veolia uses a semicolon ";".]

  5. When saving, make sure you choose the CSV (.csv) format — not .xlsx — in UTF-8 if you're offered the option (to preserve special characters and accents).

👍 Good to know: if you re-import a file later, employees are matched by their email address. An email that already exists updates the existing record; a new email creates a new employee. A re-import lets you add or complete information, but not remove it.

❹ What to do if the import fails?

The message "Something went wrong – Your CSV file wasn't properly formatted" means the file you uploaded couldn't be read in the expected structure. In the vast majority of cases this comes from an unintended change to the file. Check the following:

  • The file is saved as .csv (and not as .xlsx).

  • The template's header row is intact (no column renamed, deleted or added).

  • The separator hasn't been changed from the template.

  • The file is encoded in UTF-8 (helpful if accents display incorrectly).

  • No empty rows or extra columns have been added.

👉 The most reliable fix is to start again from a blank template, copy your data into it, and retry the import.

If the error persists, contact us and attach the .csv file in question: we'll review it to pinpoint exactly what's blocking the import.

Key takeaways

  • CSV import is done from Team › Employees › "…" › Import via CSV.

  • Always start from the blank template and keep the header row and separator unchanged.

  • Save as .csv UTF-8, never as .xlsx.

  • If you get a formatting error, start again from a fresh template — otherwise, send us the file.

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