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User Data Uploader - Step By Step Guide

.Category: User Data Uploader | Type: Step-by-step guide | Part 3 of 3 in: Using Hive's User Data Uploader

💡 New to this feature? To understand more about the User Data Uploader and how to prepare your file, see Understanding the User Data Uploader.

What you'll find in this guide:

  1. Pre-Upload Checklist

  2. Step-by-Step Upload Walkthrough

  3. Troubleshooting Common Errors

  4. FAQs

  5. Support

 

Pre-Upload Checklist

Once you have prepared your file carefully, run through this checklist before uploading your file. Catching issues early will save you from having to re-upload.

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All attributes are present and correctly named

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No blank cells in required fields

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No duplicate email addresses

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No duplicate Unique Identifiers

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Status values are 'active' or 'inactive'.

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Dates are in DD/MM/YYYY format

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Phone numbers are in international format (+441234567890)

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Segment names match exactly what was used in previous uploads (check capitalisation and spacing)

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No extra spaces or unusual characters in any cell

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Salary and sensitive attributes (ethnicity, religion, disability) have been removed — use Results Segmentation instead

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File is saved as .csv

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You've decided: full upload or partial update?

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You know which field you're using as your Unique Identifier
 

Step-by-Step Upload Walkthrough

🚩 Follow these steps in order. Take your time, especially on Step 3 where you'll review the changes before they go live.

 

1

Go to the Uploader

Navigate to Settings > User Settings > Uploader > New Import.

You'll see a list of required and optional fields on the right-hand side for reference before you begin.

2

Choose your upload type

Decide whether you're doing a partial update (add/update employees without removing anyone) or a full upload (replaces the full list). You'll be asked about this in Step 5.

3

Select your file

Click to upload your .csv file. The platform will begin processing it, this should only take a few minutes for most files.

4

Set your upload options

You'll be asked to confirm three things:

  1. Unique Identifier: The field that identifies each employee (e.g. Employee ID). If you've uploaded before, this will be pre-selected.
  2. Date format: Confirm the format used in your file.
  3. Delete users not in the CSV: Tick this only if you want to remove from Hive any employees who aren't in your file. Leave unticked for a partial update.

5

Review the detected changes

  • Hive will show you a summary of all the changes it has detected - new employees, updated records, and any potential issues.

  • If it comes up as a red highlighted table, scroll to the end on the right to see what the error is.

  • Review this carefully before confirming, including;

    • All new segments
    • Errors
    • Valid
    • Create
    • Update
    • Delete Immediately
    • Scheduled Deletion
  • All changes will show in the main section of the uploader and will have a line through it for changes and a green dot next to it for new segments.
⚠️ If something looks wrong, click Delete Import, fix your file, and upload again. 

6

Confirm and sync

Once you're happy with the changes, click Confirm and Sync. Hive will process the upload in the background. Changes will appear in User Settings within 15 minutes for large files.

⚠️ It is important to do some spot checks on your data after this has synced. If there are errors this will affect your Survey Results.

‼️ Important: Don't navigate away during processing

After uploading your file, please stay on the page while Hive processes it. Navigating away before processing is complete may cause your upload to be lost. Once you've clicked Confirm and Sync, you're free to leave.

 

Troubleshooting Common Errors

If something goes wrong, here are the most common issues and how to fix them.

Error / Issue

Likely cause

How to fix it

'Failed' appears instead of 'Confirm'

One or more required fields are missing or have invalid values.

Check all required fields are filled in. Look for blank cells, incorrect Status values, or missing emails.

Employees are unexpectedly deleted after upload

'Delete users not in the CSV' was ticked but the file was missing some employees.

Untick this option for partial updates. Only use it when replacing your full employee list. 

Contact Support immediately for further assistance.

New segment appears (e.g. a new 'Department')

The segment name in your file doesn't exactly match a previous upload.

Check spelling and capitalisation — 'IT' and 'it' are treated as separate segments. Correct the file and re-upload.

Upload is taking a long time

Large files can take up to 15 minutes to process.

Stay on the page while the file processes. Once you've clicked Confirm and Sync.

Duplicate email address error

Two or more rows share the same email address.

Find and remove the duplicate. Each employee must have a unique email.

Unique Identifier not recognised

You've used a different identifier than the previous upload.

Use the same identifier field every time — e.g. always use Employee ID rather than switching to payroll number.

File not accepted

Wrong file format or the file is corrupted.

Use .csv only. Try re-saving your file from Excel or your HRIS and uploading again.

New Attribute added

There’s a header in your file that isn’t a current Hive attribute.

Check if you do want to add it, if you do raise a support ticket. If not, remove the column from the file.

The file appears to have too many rows

There may be ‘blank’ values at the end of your data that is being picked up.

Delete anything in the file that is not part of your data and ensure there are no cells with spaces in them. Also ensure your file headers don’t have unnecessary space around them.

The uploader is creating new segments that already exist

Hive is sensitive when it comes to segments - ensure that capitalisation matches exactly and the spaces in the segment name match.

Make sure that the segment in your file matches the exact text as the segment that already exists.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to send all employee data every time?

No, you have a choice. If you're adding or updating a small number of employees, you can do a partial update. This won't affect anyone not included in the file. If you want to replace the entire employee list (for example, at the start of a new year), do a full upload and tick 'Delete users not in the CSV'.

What's a Unique Identifier, and what should I use?

The Unique Identifier is the field Hive uses to recognise each employee across uploads — it's how we know whether a row is a new employee or an update to an existing one. We recommend using Employee ID or Payroll Number, as these are stable and unlikely to change over time. Avoid using names or email addresses, as these can change.

💡Pro tip: Be consistent. Once you've chosen your Unique Identifier, always use the same field for every upload. Switching between fields (e.g. from Employee ID to Payroll number) can cause duplicate records.

What happens if an employee is in Hive but not in my CSV file?

It depends on your upload settings. If 'Delete users not in the CSV' is ticked, those employees will be removed from Hive. If it's unticked, they'll remain unchanged. For partial updates, always leave this option unticked.

Can I make small changes without uploading a whole file?

Yes! For one or two quick edits, like correcting a name or updating an email, you can make changes directly in the Hive platform under User Settings without uploading a file at all.

How long does an upload take?

Most uploads process within a few minutes. For large files, changes may take up to 15 minutes to appear in User Settings.

 

 

◀ Previous

Preparing your file for Upload

 

  

 

End ▶

Main Contents - Using Hive's User Data Uploader

 
🎓 Other Useful Information

📖 Confused by a term? View our full Data uploader Glossary for a complete breakdown of Hive data terminology.

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