Managing Users via CSV Import (Create, Update & Suspend) Overview

You can use the CSV Import tool to bulk import and manage users in Thrive, making it easier to handle large volumes of users at once. This feature is especially useful when you don't have an integration set up with a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) or Identity Management System (IMS), but still need to import users efficiently. Here are some common scenarios where the CSV import tool is typically used:

  • Bulk creating users when there is no integration with an HRIS or IMS platform.

  • Pre-provisioning users during the implementation phase before an integration is enabled.

  • Importing a manager hierarchy, especially when using Okta for user provisioning.

  • Bulk editing users when you do not have an existing integration in place.

Before importing users, it's important to ensure that your CSV file is properly formatted for the import tool. The column headers in your CSV must match the field references (Refs) in the system exactly, and they are case sensitive. This ensures the correct mapping of data during the import process.

*Required

Field/Column

Description

Format

Character Limit

*ref

The unique identifier for the user. This must be unique and can be made up of letters and numbers and can contain special symbols (does not accept @ or spaces and is case sensitive).

Alphanumeric

113

*firstname

The first, common or known as name for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*lastname

The last, family or surname for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*email

The user's email address. This must be a unique email address and if you are not using SSO, the user will need access to the email address in order to activate their account

Email address

320

language

This must be in the format of the ISO code for a support language enabled in your site. Click here for a list of languages and codes.

Text

5

timeZone

This should match the exact name of a time zone that exists in the THRIVE platform.

Text

N/A

jobTitle

This standard field can be used to capture the user's job title or role.

Alphanumeric

80

startDate

This can be used to capture the date the user started at your organisation. If left blank, it will default to the date the user account was created.

Date

(YYYY-MM-DD)

10

managerRef

In order to create a manager hierarchy, you need to enter the Ref for the user's manager. The managerRef must contain the Ref for an enabled user on the platform.

Alphanumeric

113

suspended

Whether or not the user is suspended (deactivated). Set to TRUE if you wish to suspend the user account. Set to FALSE or leave blank if you wish to keep the account active.

TRUE or FALSE

5

loginMethod

This determines whether users will use their email or reference value when they log into the site.

ref or email

N/A

domain

If your site uses multiple domains for different users then you can enter the domain you want the user to belong to e.g. website1.learn.link, website2.learn.link

URL

N/A

sso

Determines whether users will use SSO or username/password when they log into the site.

Set TRUE to enable SSO or FALSE for users who should use a username and password.

Note: To disable SSO for users after it has beeen enabled, run a user upload with the "sso" column set to FALSE for all affected users.

TRUE OR FALSE

5

Custom fields are specific to your organisation and can be used to store additional user information that is not included in the default system fields. While these fields are not required to create a user, it is recommended that you complete them for most organisations to ensure that all relevant user details are captured.

Field/Column

Description

Format

Character Limit

customfields 

You can create as many custom fields as you like. The Ref for custom fields will always be in lower case and must match what is in the platform.

Note:

See more: How to Create Custom Fields

Alphanumeric

N/A

  • Case sensitivity: Both the ref and managerRef fields are case sensitive. It's important to maintain a consistent casing approach when populating the ref field to avoid import errors.

  • Non-email users: If you're creating users who will log in using ref (not email), the email column header is still required in the CSV, but it can be left blank if the LoginMethod is set to 'ref'.

  • Character restrictions for ref: When the LoginMethod is set to 'ref', the ref field cannot contain "@" or spaces. Ensure that the ref value follows these guidelines to avoid import issues.

When updating users via CSV, you must include the following:

  • Required column headers: Always include the essential column headers, such as ref and any other mandatory fields, to identify the users being updated.

  • Standard or custom fields: Include any standard or custom fields you wish to update. Only the fields specified in the CSV will be updated for the corresponding users.

*Required

Field/Column

Description

Format

Character Limit

*ref

The unique identifier for the user. This must be unique and can be made up of letters and numbers and can contain special symbols (does not accept @ or spaces and is case sensitive).

Alphanumeric

113

*firstname

The first, common or known as name for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*lastname

The last, family or surname for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*email

The user's email address. This must be a unique email address and if you are not using SSO, the user will need access to the email address in order to activate their account

Email address

320

+ any custom or standard fields

  • Ref cannot be updated: The ref field cannot be updated via CSV.

  • Blank custom fields: If a blank custom field is included, it will overwrite any existing data associated with the user.

  • Blank standard fields: Including a blank standard field will not overwrite existing data associated with the user.

  • Login method for 'ref' users: For users with their loginMethod set to 'ref,' the ref field must be included in the CSV when updating. If it's missing, their loginMethod will automatically change to 'login with email.'

  • Case sensitivity of ref: The ref field is case sensitive.

  • Restrictions on ref: The ref cannot contain "@" or spaces if the loginMethod is set to 'ref.'

  • SSO consideration: If you're using SSO, the SSO field must be included in the CSV when updating. If it's omitted, users may manually activate their accounts and no longer be able to log in via SSO.

When a user leaves your organisation or no longer needs access to the Thrive platform, you can deactivate their account by suspending it. In Thrive, this process is referred to as "suspending" the user account.

You can suspend users manually, or if you need to suspend multiple users at once, you can use the CSV import tool to deactivate them in bulk. This allows for efficient management of user access across the platform.

*Required

Field/Column

Description

Format

Character Limit

*ref

The unique identifier for the user. This must be unique and can be made up of letters and numbers and can contain special symbols (does not accept @ or spaces and is case sensitive).

Alphanumeric

113

*firstname

The first, common or known as name for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*lastname

The last, family or surname for the user

Alphanumeric

40

*email

The user's email address. This must be a unique email address and if you are not using SSO, the user will need access to the email address in order to activate their account

Email address

320

*suspended

Whether the user is suspended (deactivated). Set to TRUE when you wish to suspend the user account.

Text

5

loginMethod

This determines whether users will use their email or reference value when they log into the site. If the user doesn't have an email address.

ref or email

N/A

To suspend a user via CSV, set the suspended field to TRUE for the users you wish to deactivate. Each row should include the user's ref, first and last names, and email address. Other columns are optional, and you can use the same CSV file to create or update other users if needed.

Suspending users can help manage your available licenses. Each active user counts towards your user license limit. However, when you suspend a user, you free up that license for another user. For example, if your platform has 1,000 user licenses and 1,000 active users, suspending 100 users allows you to create 100 new users, keeping your license usage at 1,000.

  • CSV Import Limits: The CSV import tool can process up to 15,000 rows of data, but to minimize the risk of timeouts and simplify error review, it is recommended to upload files with a maximum of 5,000 rows.

  • CSV Import Errors: The platform will check the CSV file for errors before initiating the import. If errors are detected, the import will fail. The platform will display detailed error information, including the affected rows and the nature of the errors, to help you resolve them. After fixing the errors, you can re-upload the corrected file.
    error

  • You can view logs of previous imports to track which users were created or updated, as well as when the import was executed.

  • To access the log for a specific import, navigate to Dashboard > Users > Upload Users > UPLOAD HISTORY > View Log.
    error

  • "A user already exists with this email - email needs to be unique": This error typically occurs when a user already exists on the platform with either a missing reference (ref) or a mismatched ref, often due to case sensitivity.

  • "This manager ref cannot be found": This error means that the manager reference (manager ref) does not correspond to an existing user in the CSV or on the platform. Ensure that the manager ref is correct and matches an active user.