The end-to-end flow for adding or updating many users at once via CSV upload.
Bulk import is the right path when you need to add or update more users than makes sense manually — typically more than five or ten at a time. The CSV format gives you a structured way to set every attribute on every user in one operation. The same flow handles both new users and updates to existing users (Continu matches on email or unique ID).
For automated provisioning that runs on a schedule (HRIS, PRM, SFTP), see Provisioning and Sync instead. Bulk CSV import is for ad-hoc batch changes.
How to Run a Bulk Import
1. Open Admin → Users.
2. Click Add Users.
3. Click Import/Update Users.
4. Download the CSV template. The template has all the column headers Continu expects. See Using the .CSV Template for the field reference.
5. Fill in the template with your user data. Required columns: First Name, Last Name, Email, Hired Date, Provisioning Status. Optional columns extend the user record with role, department, location, manager, and custom attributes.
6. Upload the completed CSV. Drag-and-drop the file or click to browse.
7. Review the preview. Continu shows a preview of what will happen — how many users will be added, updated, and any rows with errors.
8. Resolve errors if any. Click to download a list of rows with issues, fix them in the CSV, and re-upload. Common errors are covered below.
9. Click Import Users. Continu processes the file. Most imports complete within a few minutes; very large files may take longer.
What to Include in the CSV
The required columns are non-negotiable — files without them reject. The optional columns are how you populate the user's full profile in one step rather than editing each user afterward.
For the full column reference (with valid values per column), see Using the .CSV Template.
Common Errors
Missing required columns. First Name, Last Name, Email, Hired Date, Provisioning Status must all be present. Missing any rejects the whole file.
Invalid email format. Continu validates email syntax. Malformed emails reject the row.
Invalid role values. The Role column accepts specific values only. See the CSV template article for the valid options.
Encoding issues. Save as UTF-8 from Excel (File → Save As → CSV UTF-8 Comma delimited) to avoid garbled special characters.
Duplicate rows. The same user listed twice in one file produces an error.
What Updates vs Creates
Continu uses Email as the primary identifier. If the email matches an existing user, the import updates that user's record. If no match, the row creates a new user.
This means you can use the same CSV flow to update many users at once — pull the user list to CSV, edit the columns you want to change, re-upload. Just be careful: any column you include overwrites the existing value, so don't include columns you don't intend to change.
See Also
- User Management — strategic frame.
- Using the .CSV Template — full column reference.
- Matching Columns — the column-mapping step in the upload UI.
- Provisioning and Sync — for ongoing automated sync rather than ad-hoc imports.
- SFTP Troubleshooting Guide — for SFTP-based automated imports.
Admin → Users → Add Users → Import/Update Users. Download the template, fill it, upload, review preview, fix errors if any, import. Email matches existing users for updates.