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Bulk User Import

Add, update or archive many users at once with the Bulk User Import tool

Joanna Brenneman avatar
Written by Joanna Brenneman
Updated over a year ago

In This Article



Locate the Bulk User Import Tool

The Bulk User Import tool can be found in the admin menu, represented by a gear icon in the upper right corner of the Seismic Learning interface.


Bulk User Import Overview

On the Bulk User Import page you'll find an import template in CSV format and instructions for adding your teammates to Learning. Carefully follow these directions to ensure your file is correctly formatted.

πŸ“ Important! The column names in your CSV file must match those found in the template or the file won't upload successfully. These names, given on the Bulk User Import page, are pictured below.

Once the list of users has been formatted correctly, select Upload CSV. Files must be saved in CSV format.


Bulk User Format

The three key columns are Name, Email (or Username), and Role. Additional columns such as hire date, manager name, or custom fields are recommended but optional.

πŸ“ Note: If the Role field is not included or defined, users will be added as learners.

If the file is not formatted correctly, Learning will display an error message and indicate the rows that contain errors. Here are some reasons why a row might have errors:

  • A field contains illegal characters

  • The hire date is incorrectly formatted (it must follow this pattern: YYYY-MM-DD)

  • Users lack an associated email address or username

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If both Role and Role ID columns are included, Role ID takes precedence.


Create and Update Users

After formatting the file with the user's information, depending on if users are already in the account the upload will create or update users as listed in the file.

If this is the first import, all users will be created in the account. If the user is listed as an admin, manager, creator, or custom role they are notified by email of their new account and prompting them to sign in to Learning.

The user can decide whether learners will receive invitations when they are assigned their first assignment or immediately.

When creating new users, these columns are required:

  • Email

  • Name

  • Role

πŸ“ Important! When custom roles are included, the Role ID column is required. If the role is not included, users are set to learners.

To update existing users, include an Email column. If users' custom roles are being updated, the Role ID column is required. This only updates the user's personal record. It does not affect content completion or assignments.


Create Custom Groups and Add Users to Groups

To create a new custom group include a column titled Group: NAME OF GROUP. The system notifies you when the new group has been successfully created.

To add users to custom groups, include the column Group: NAME OF GROUP and enter Yes in the column identifying that the user should be in this group. If a user does not belong in a group, the field can be left blank.

πŸ“ Important Notes

  • When restoring archived users, they cannot be added to a brand new group listed in the same file. They must first be restored, then added to the new group.

  • Smart Groups cannot be created through the Bulk User Import.

  • Users cannot be removed from Custom Groups through the Bulk User Import.


Update User Email Addresses

The Bulk User Import tool can update email addresses for existing users. This may come in handy if a company changes its name or is acquired, and needs to update all user emails.

To update email addresses, make sure the file contains both an Email column and a New Email column.

  • The Email column must contain the existing email address for an existing user in the account.

  • The New Email column needs to contain the updated email address replacing the existing one.

If the New Email column is left empty for an existing user, the existing email address will not change.


Archive or Restore Users

You can archive or restore users via bulk user import by inserting a column titled Archived, and entering a value of TRUE (archive) or FALSE (don't archive or restore).

πŸ“ Note: You can't automatically add restored users to new groups. You must manually assign such users to groups on the user's overview page after their accounts are restored.


Include Custom Roles

Custom Roles can be set via the bulk user import tool. For more information on custom roles, check out this article.

The Bulk User Import accommodates custom roles by using the column titled Role ID.

The Role column only supports the four standard roles: admin, manager, creator, and learner. The Role ID and Role columns are not mutually exclusive, meaning they both can be included for the same user and it won't cause an error.

When information is supplied in both columns, for a single user, the Role ID is used.

When the Role ID and Role columns are left blank, the user is set to the learner role.

The following guidelines should be followed to avoid failures during the import process:

  • The supplied Role ID for a new or existing user must be a valid ID of an existing role.

  • If 'custom' is supplied in the Role column then a valid Role ID must also be supplied for that user.

The Role ID can be found by selecting the gear icon > select "Settings" > select Roles > select "View/Edit Permissions" next to the role name.


Set Passwords and Usernames

To set users' passwords in bulk include a column titled "Password."

Passwords can be set to one custom password or different passwords for each user.

Important Note

  • The parameters are that the password must be at least 10 characters long and cannot contain the user's name.

  • Passwords can only be created and not updated with the bulk user importer.

To create users with a username include a column titled "Usernames."

Important Note: This feature must be turned on by your Account Manager or a member of Support. If unsure, please reach out to Support at support@lessonly.com or your Account Manager.

When setting users with usernames, it is recommended to also set a password for these users. This helps new users with logging into their account for the first time.

For more information on Usernames, check out this article.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I bulk add content distributors?

A. Not at this time.

Q. If I leave the "Role" or Role ID" fields blank will existing users' roles remain intact and unchanged?

A. Yes, they won't be affected. Only the "Email" field is absolutely necessary for updates to be made; all other fields are optional.

Q. Do users receive email notifications if their information is updated?

A. Only if their role is changed. Other updates will not trigger notifications.


Questions? Contact the Support team at support@lessonly.com

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