Import users with a CSV file

As an admin, you can easily import multiple users simultaneously by uploading a CSV file (comma-separated values) into Showpad. Most user management systems allow you to export your users as a CSV file, which can cut down on your efforts.

As an admin during the implementation stage, this feature can be handy to get volumes of users imported into Showpad. To verify the upload you initiated, as the admin who uploaded the CSV file, you will receive an email that outlines the users that were successfully imported and the ones that were not. 

Note: We support CSV files in UTF-8 encoding.

Key features

• Create and manage Showpad users with a CSV file
• Export your users from another management system
• Use our templates at the bottom of this article 
• It is not possible to update a user's email address via bulk upload

You need this to succeed

• Properly formatted CSV file of users to import, template provided in this article 
• A CSV file with columns separated by semicolons
• Showpad admin access or promoted member with user management permissions
• The .csv file should not contain more than 1000 rows of data (users)

The quick way to awesomeness

1. Properly format your user CSV file 
2. Navigate to the user tab
3. Select Add and choose Import via CSV

Do this step by step 

1. Navigate to the Users tab. 
2. Click Add, then select Import csv file...

   Note: If you do not see the option to import a CSV under the Add menu, you can do so by replacing /list with /import in your browser's address bar. Your URL should look like this: https://organizationname.showpad.biz/users/import. From there, continue to step four. This process will not trigger the email summary.

3. If you'd like to use the Showpad template, click the link to download an example file. This will help you understand how to correctly format your file.

   Note: The header row needs to be included in the CSV, and provide all the required fields. If you use commas, use quotes so it's detected as one field.

   
   • The first column in the .csv is the action field, which determines what to do with the user row. It is automatically set to create, but it can be replaced with update or delete for each user row, depending on if you are creating, updating, or deleting a user.
   • The user first and last name fields have a max of 32 characters. 
   • In the password field, if not specified, new users will receive an invitation email that prompts them to choose a password and sign in. If the Hold Invitation Emails settings is on, this field will not be saved and an invitation will not be sent.
   • External id is an external reference number you might use at your company. (e.g. dept. ID).
   • Within the role field, the User and Manager roles are supported.
     Admins need to be created manually. If left blank, the user will be created with a User role.
   • Specify groups a user is assigned to, separated by commas. If you are using the update function to update a user, be sure to include all their existing groups as well as any new groups you wish to assign them to. If you update a user and include only the additional groups you want to assign them to or leave the groups field blank, they will be removed from their existing groups. 
   • The activated field specifies whether the user is active. Choose 0 for non-active, 1 for active. If left blank, the user will be activated. 
   • Specify whether or not the user must reset their password after their first login. Choose 0 to not reset, or 1 to reset. If left blank, no password reset will be required. 
   • The .csv file should not contain more than 1000 rows of data (users).
4. Click Continue.
5. Drag and drop your properly formatted .csv file from your desktop, or click Browse to find and upload the file. 
6. If the password field in the user CSV file is empty, Showpad will send invitation emails to the users. If a password has been entered in the CSV field, no invitation emails will be sent unless the box is checked to send invitation emails to users with a password specified. 
7. Click Import. 
8. You will be notified that the file has been queued for processing. Use the shortcut options to Upload New CSV or Go to Users Tab. 
9. As the admin who uploaded the .csv, you will receive an email with a user import summary, including any successful or failed imports. You can follow the instructions in the email to solve any issues.
   In our example, the user was not created because it would create a duplicate of the user.