Bulk Upload Custom Fields

Last Updated: May 6, 2025

Overview:

Omni provides a flexible employee management experience through customizable profile sections and fields. While default system sections (e.g., Contact, Employment, Job, Bank Information) are readily available, organizations often require the ability to record additional employee data specific to their operational needs — such as assets, licenses, certifications, or medical records.

To support this, Omni enables bulk uploading of custom sections and fields via a predefined import template. This document outlines the comprehensive steps to accurately execute a bulk upload of custom fields to employee profiles.

Figure 1. Sample employee profile showing native sections

Preliminary Requirements:

Before proceeding with the bulk upload of custom fields into employee profiles, it is essential to ensure that the foundational setup within Omni has been properly completed. The steps below outline what must be in place to guarantee a successful import process:

1. Creation of Custom Sections and Fields in the System
   Omni's bulk upload tool for custom fields does not allow you to create new sections or fields directly from the import file. All sections and their corresponding fields must already exist and be visible in the system prior to populating the upload template.
   • This includes correctly naming the section and each field exactly as it should appear on employee profiles.
   • Section names and field labels are case-sensitive and must match exactly in the template to avoid validation errors during upload.
   • If the section or fields are not yet created in the system, you must first configure them using the platform interface.
     • To learn how to add custom sections and fields to your Omni account, follow this step-by-step guide .

2. Administrator or Implementation Access Level Required

    Only users with admin rights or similar high-level roles can create new fields and sections or perform bulk imports. 

    Ensure that the person completing the upload has the appropriate permissions in Omni. 

3. Accurate System IDs for all employees being updated must be retrieved via the reporting module.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Downloading the Template

• Access the Custom Fields Import file and save a local editable copy. 
• This file contains placeholder headers to assist in formatting but should be customized according to your section and field setup.

Understanding the Template Structure

The file consists of: 

• Column A: System ID
• Column B onwards: Editable headers following the format: 

Section Name | Field Name

Figure 2. Screenshot of the raw template.

Step 2: Data Population Process

Column A: System ID Allocation 

Each employee in Omni is assigned a unique identifier called the System ID. This ID ensures accurate mapping of uploaded data to the correct employee profile.

To retrieve System IDs: 

1. Navigate to the Reports module.
2. Generate a custom report that includes employee information. (how to generate custom report?)
3. Copy the values in the first column (System ID) from the report into Column A of the import template.

Figure 3. Custom Report output showing System IDs
 

Column B: Custom Field Definition

From Column B onwards, define your intended data structure. Each column should be labeled in the format: 

Section Name | Field Name

• Section Name must match exactly with the one created in the system.
• Field Name must correspond to an existing field under that section.

Case and spacing must be identical to what’s in the system.

Example Use Case: 

An organization tracks employee-issued assets. The section is named Assets & Equipment, and the fields under it include:

• Laptop / Device Assigned
• Serial Number
• Accessories
• Date Issued
• Return Date (if resigned)

These would be structured in the template as:

Figure 4. Visual example of a populated custom field import template.

Step 3: Finalize Your File

Once you're done populating the data:

1. Delete instruction rows (if present) in the template. These contain guidelines and sample values—don't include them in the final import. 
2. Click Save.
3. Close the file completely after saving. The system won’t allow import if the file is still open.

Step 4: Access the Import Page

• Open this URL in your browser:

yourcompany.omnihr.co/new-import

Replace yourcompany with your actual company name or company subdomain.

Step 5: Begin the Import

1. After accessing the import page you will land on the New Import tab. 

2. Click Import and follow these 3 steps:  

• Step 1: In the dropdown, choose “Update standard employee information”
• Step 2: Upload the Excel file you prepared
• Step 3: Click Import

Step 6: Check Import Results & Validation

• Once submitted, you’ll receive a confirmation email with validation results.
• There are two possible outcomes:
  1. ✅Success: All data is valid and dependents are added to the system.
  2. ❌  Error: Some records contain issues that need to be corrected.

If there are validation errors:

• Download the error file from the email or the import page.
• Review the Validation column to see the cause of each issue (e.g.,  Invalid date format).
• Correct the errors in the file.
• Remove all successful rows from the sheet and the Validation Column.
• Save and re-upload only the corrected rows.

Repeat Steps 3–6 until all data has been successfully uploaded. 

Related Articles (s):

• Generating Custom Reports
• Creating Field Options

Still Need Help?

Reach out to our support team should you need further assistance.