Staffbase offers a new CSV Import feature that simplifies and streamlines the process of importing user data. This new feature offers significant improvements compared to the previous legacy method.
This article includes:
- Key benefits of the new feature
- Difference between the new and legacy feature
- Best practices for a seamless transition to new CSV Import
Staffbase recommends adopting this improved method as soon as possible to maximize the advantages of CSV Import. It's important to note that the legacy method is planned to be deprecated in the future.
Improved Overview Page
The overview page includes details such as:
- Import status
- Imported by
- Date of import
- Number of users whose data is updated
- New import
- Start import
- View preview
- Edit settings
- Edit mapping
- Delete a file
It only allows to:
- Create a new import
- View the last import details
Improved Import Workflow
The following are the improvements to the new import:
- The new import workflow is broken down into different steps that allow you to pause and resume at a later time. This is especially useful when you are preparing a large import. Also, navigating away from the page during the import process does not stop the process. This allows administrators to work on other tasks in the Studio while the import works in the background.
- Multiple administrators can work on the page simultaneously.
- Improved user interface that allows you to map the content in the CSV file to the profile fields.
- Allows you to import:
- Selected users
This option updates only the user data of users in the CSV file. The remaining users in the platform remain untouched. This option replaces the partial CSV import in the legacy import method.
If you want to offboard selected users, you need to add a column to add the user account status of each user in the CSV file. Learn more. - All users
- Selected users
- Can preview the expected changes of a configured import.
Learn more.
The following are the limitations of the legacy CSV import:
- Multiple administrators cannot work on the page simultaneously. This means if you want to do a new import, the current import process must be either completed or cancelled to proceed further.
- Imports only files up to the size of 16MB.
- Allows you to import:
- All users
- Selected users by creating partial CSV import tags
This method is not scalable, as managing and working with partial CSV import tags can be considered difficult.
Asynchronous Imports
The new CSV Import method supports asynchronous imports allowing multiple administrators to simultaneously upload a file in draft mode for import preparation. During the import process, administrators can navigate away from the page without affecting the import. This allows administrators to work on other tasks in the Studio while the import works in the background. In addition, the status of the import can be checked at any time. This helps administrators to understand if an import is still running or finished. This is not possible with the (legacy) CSV import method. If an administrator does not complete a CSV import immediately, all other administrators are blocked from initiating a new import until the import has been completed or deleted by the administrator who initiated it.
Alternate Options for Partial Import and Mandatory Open Groups
The new CSV Import method does not support both partial import and mandatory open group syncs. Read on to find out which alternatives you can use for these functionalities.
Partial Import
The new CSV Import method makes the partial CSV Import from the legacy feature obsolete with its advanced capabilities. The option to update selected users can be used instead of partial import. If you used the partial CSV import tags for group management in the past, Staffbase suggests creating a custom field to fill in the tags. You can then make a CSV file with the corresponding tag values for users who need to be updated to the custom field during the import. This way, you can configure the custom field to be taggable and use it to configure your conditional groups.
Mandatory Open Groups
Due to the low usage of the CSV import method to maintain the mandatory groups, the new CSV Import method does not provide support for the following:
If you used the CSV imports to manage mandatory groups in the past, Staffbase recommends using a combination of open groups and conditional groups to achieve the same results.
Comparison Overview
| Actions or Functions | New | Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| View the last import details | ✔ | ✔ |
| View imports made within the last 30 days | ✔ | ✗ |
| Multiple administrators can upload a file at the same time | ✔ | ✗ |
| Navigating away from the import page during the import process does not stop the process | ✔ | ✗ |
| Delete import record from the Studio | ✔ | ✗ |
| Partial import | ✗ | ✔ |
| Create partial CSV tags | ✗ | ✔ |
| Create new import | ✔ | ✔ |
| Support for mandatory open groups | ✗ | ✔ |
| File size limit | None | 16 MB |
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