Connect and CSV files to import users
Some notes on the import of users into Connect from an Active Directory (AD).
As you have probably discovered, you cannot really automatically sync your AD with the Hosted/ASP version of Connect (you can do this pretty easily with the on-premise option). There are ways to do this I understand in the ASP environment, but it’s tricky and potentially not something you would want to do from a security perspective and unless you have some pretty sharp developers available.
If you want to import a CSV file into Connect then this is a lot easier. There is a very specific format for the CSV file as outlined below:
———-snip———-snip———-
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first-name,
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last-name,
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login,
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email,
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password
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Mary,
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Betts,
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private1
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||
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Robert,
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Blatt,
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private1
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||
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Ron,
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Bloom,
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private1
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||
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Charles,
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Bond,
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cbond4,@mycompany.com,
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private1
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|
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Jennifer,
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Cau,
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private1
|
———-snip———-snip———-
You can import users and have them just sent into the system, or you can import users and automatically add them to a group (which helps manage them in the future, the process for that is pretty well outlined in the manual and I have included the links to the relevant pages below…see if this helps at all.
Using CSV files to add users:
Import a user CSV file and add users to groups:
Tutorial on how to get users in Connect (manually and CSV):
Technote on how to import via CSV:
Any users that are already in the system should be ignored, but you might want to test this yourself to be sure your setup is working as expected (there are clearly some nuances in how you might set up each system). I would suggest you create a user manually, then import a file with the same use and ensure that the results reflect what you expect…I can do this, but I really don’t know how you intend to set up your system and the changes you might make from import to import.
One useful trick BTW when you are testing this…make a group called ‘test users’ and import your tests into that group. This way you can very easily select that group and delete all of the users again, rather than delving through hundreds of users to delete the tests. Of course be sure you are not messing with existing accounts and deleting or modifying existing accounts when you test…you delete a user and it is gone…data and everything, so be a little careful in your tests.
Does anyone have a blank WORKING CSV file that I can use as a template? I followed the instructions to a “T” and it is telling me that it is not formatted correctly. The next step will be the computer through the window! Thank you in advance for saving my sanity.
What happens when the system keeps saying that the heading is invalid even though I have triple checked it?