Introduction
Our bulk import tool allows you to import up to 5,000 Users at once. This article will walk you through:
💹 Navigating to the Import Area
All user imports are managed from the Bulk Update page in the Admin area. To access this section within Blink Admin, click on Users in the left-hand navigation, and then click on the "Bulk Update" button at the top of the Users table.
✏️ Setting up your import template
After the Bulk Update tab, you will be able to view all Imports that were started, failed, and completed. Click on "New Update" to get access to the Import Template that will be used for Importing users.
You will be presented with three options to choose from: Update Users, Import New Users, and Skip to Upload. Select the second option to get your Import template.
Select any Groups that you would like to include to your Import.
The Default full-organization Group will already be included in the list of Groups, you just need to add any additional Groups you'd like to put new Users into. These Groups will each appear as separate column in the template file, which you can use to import users to specific Groups.
⚠️ Note: If this is your very first import, you can disregard this step and click "Next". You'll assign Users to Groups later.
Download the import template using the "Download" button displayed on your screen.
💻 Preparing your import template
Open your import template in an editor of your choice.
Add User information into the columns of the template
Add Users to Groups
If you selected Groups to add to your template from step 2 you should see these Groups as columns in the template file
Add an "X" in that column to add a user to that Group
Note: The more complete User information you add now, the easier it will be for your Users to register, and the better overall experience they will receive.
Column | Required | Description |
Email Address | Yes* | The User's email address. The email address must be unique to the User. This email address can be personal or work-based- it is fine if they do not have an email with your organisation's domain |
Phone Number | Yes* | The User's telephone number. The number must be unique to the User.
|
First Name | Yes* | The User's first name. |
Last Name | Yes* | The User's last name. |
Job Title | Optional | The User's job title within the company. This is optional if you provide a telephone number or an email address or both first name and second name of the User. |
First Day | Optional | The User's first day at the company. This is optional but is expected to be filled out in the style YYYY-MM-DD and the data format must be TEXT. Check out this article for more information. |
Last Day | Optional | The User's last day at the company. This is optional but is expected to be filled out in the style YYYY-MM-DD and the data format must be TEXT. Check out this article for more information. |
Department | Optional | The User's department name. This is optional if you provide a telephone number or an email address or both first name and second name of the User. |
Employee ID | Optional | The User's ID number. This must be unique. This is optional if you provide a telephone number or an email address or both first name and second name of the User. |
Line Manager | Optional | The User's Manager's Employee ID. This is used to build line manager relationships in Blink, which are used for Reporting Teams and analytics. These values must be the same as in the "Employee ID" column. |
Company Name | Optional | The User's company name. This is optional if you provide a telephone number or an email address or both first name and second name of the User. |
Group | Optional | This is a Group within the org you wish the User to belong to. This is optional. You chose these during the download of the import template. To select the Group, you place an "X" in the corresponding Group's field. You do not need to add an "X" to the default full-organization Group. |
*At least one of these fields must be present for the record to be imported. However, we recommend filling these out as completely as possible.
⬆️ Uploading your template and importing users
Head back to the Import page (where you received the downloadable import page), click Next.
Add an Import Name but make sure this is specific, like the date and who you are importing to Blink for example.
Upload the newly saved import template that you have filled out with all of your user information.
Press Upload. Imports can take up to 5 minutes, but it does depend on the amount of users.
Once this has completed you will receive an Import complete message to confirm that it is done. You will also be able to see your import at the starting page after you click Bulk Update with Success written next to it, if it was successful.
⚠️ Errors with your import template
If there are any errors with the import template the import will fail and none of your users will be imported to Blink. You will be shown a list of errors and all you need to do is fix those errors and then re-upload the full import template again.
Head back to the import page
Click on the import that has failed
From here you can see each error, line by line
Open your import template and correct the errors
Re-upload your file and press Next
If successful you will see a confirmation screen, if unsuccessful you will see this screen again and need to repeat the steps
🤷 What to do once your import is complete
Providing there are no errors in the import template you will be shown a confirmation screen letting you know that all of your users have been imported.
In order to get everyone signed up you will now need to either Send Invitations or Download Starter Packs, or you can click Skip, and do this at a later date/time.
Note: If this is your very first user import, you'll likely want to Skip sending invitations for now, as you may have more setup to do before you're ready for your Users to join you in Blink.
📩 Invite Users
You can trigger SMS and email invites to Blink to your imported Users from the Admin Panel
Head back to the imports page
Locate the import you executed and click the "Send invitations" button
Note: You can send invites to one Group at a time when you do a bulk import.
🔰 Downloading Personalized Starter Packs
If you don't intend to send invitations to Blink via SMS or email, we also offer Starter Packs to assist Users with getting into their Blink accounts. These are PDF instructions unique to each user. You can download personalized Starter Packs for everyone in the import or download them individually from each User's profile.
Head back to the imports page
Click on the ⋮ button
Click on "Download Starter Packs" from the menu that appears
