# How to Import data into the IceHrm?

> You can import data into the IceHrm using CSV files. By default, we support importing basic employee details, payroll data, and attendance data. This feature...

- URL: https://icehrm.com/blog/how-to-import-data-into-the-icehrm
- Published: 2020-01-29
- Updated: 2024-03-06
- Author: IceHrm
- Topics: IceHrm Tutorials
- Publisher: IceHrm (https://icehrm.com), HR management software

You can import data into the [IceHrm](https://icehrm.com) using CSV files. By default, we support importing **basic employee details, payroll data,** and **attendance data**. This feature should be used only during the initial setup.

#### How to prepare Employee data for Upload?

1\. You can download a sample data file [here](https://s3.amazonaws.com/icehrm/images/blog-files/employees.csv). Also, we have uploaded a sample data file in our user guide.

2\. The file has following columns which match with default employee data file definition

> · **employee\_id** \= The id of the employee (this id should be unique, if the employee with the same id exists in the system then employee details will be replaced)

> · **first\_name, middle\_name, last\_name** = Employee names

> · **address1,address2,home\_phone,mobile\_phone,work\_email** = Employee contact details

> · **gender** \= Male or Female

> · **marital\_status** = Married, Single, Divorced, Widowed, Other

> · **birthday** \= MM/DD/YY format

> · **Nationality/nationality** = Any nationality defined in System -> Manage Meta Data -> Nationality

> · **Ethnicity/ethnicity** = Any ethnicity defined under System -> Manage Meta Data -> Ethnicity

> · **EmergencyContact/name** = Emergency contact name

> · **EmergencyContact/relationship** \= Emergency contact relationship

> · **EmergencyContact/home\_phone** = Emergency contact phone

> · **ssn\_num** \= Social security number or ID number

> · **job\_title** \= Job Title (this should be predefined in Admin -> Job Details Setup -> Job Titles)

> · **employment\_status** = Employment Status (should be predefined in Admin -> Job Details Setup -> Employment Status)

> · **joined\_date** \= Joined date in MM/DD/YY format

> · **department** \= Company Structure this employee is attached to (predefined in Admin -> Company Structure)

How to import basic employee data into [IceHrm](https://icehrm.com)?

1\. **Login** as **Admin** and Navigate to **System**

2\. Under System, **Click** on to **Data**

3\. Under **Data**, you can find two tabs **Data Importers** and **Data Import Files**

4\. Under **Data Import Files** and **click** on to **Add New** in order to add a new data file to the system (data file should be according to the previously explained format)

5\. Use a **descriptive name**

6\. Select **Employee Data Import** option as the **Data Import Definitions**

7. **Choose the file** and **Save**

8\. Once data imported, click on the **Process** Icon

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*JiPSYMB0L3qNhhaCn0-h6g.png)

#### How to create a new data importer?

> We have already defined three types of data importers for Employee Basic Data, Attendance Data and for Payroll. You can customize a Data Importer based on your requirements.

Assume that you want to add you supervisors for your employee list, you can do it as below;

1\. Login as **Admin** and Navigate to **System**

2\. Under System, **Click** on to **Data**

3\. Under **Data**, you can find two tabs **Data Importers** and **Data Import Files**

4\. Go to **Data Importers** and click on to **Add New** in order to add a new data importer

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*ktZ1oU51YvH7L4HCxv2uHQ.png)

5\. **Name** the **Data Importer** as “**Supervisor Importer**” and **Data Type** should be “**EmployeeDataImporter**”

6\. Each importer should have one ID column. **Click** on the **Add** option to create columns for each importer

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*9_VKnPOQaRaEpYmCcWRq5g.png)

7\. According to our example, we need two columns for employees and supervisors. For **employees**, the **id column** should be **employee\_id**. Here is how you can add this unique id column.

-   **Add** a name under the **Name** field as employee\_id. **Note: the letters should be in lower case**
-   You can **add** a meaning full title for the **Field Title**
-   **Type** for the employees should be **Normal**
-   Note: set the value of “**Is Key Field**” option to **No**, set the value of “**Is ID Field**” option to set the value of “**Is ID Field**” option to **Yes**

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*QDhyp0OPeRa51UiDHqJf8Q.png)

For **supervisors**, the **id column** should be **supervisor\_id**. Here is how you can add this unique id column.

-   **Add** a name under the **Name** field as **supervisor\_id**.
-   You can **add** a meaning full title for the **Field Title**
-   **Type** for the employees should be **Reference**
-   Select **Employees** as the **Depends On** option
-   You can add **employee\_id** as the **Depends On Field** option
-   Note: set the value of “**Is Key Field**” option to **Yes**, set the value of “**Is ID Field**” option to set the value of “**Is ID Field**” option to **No**

#### Adding a new job title and assigning it to the employees while importing

This is based on lots of customer inquiries. Let’s create an example job title and see how to assign employees to the job title while importing data to the system.

> To create a job title;

1.  Log in to the **Admin** account
2.  Under the Admin section, you will be able to find the Job Details Setup option
3.  Go to the **Job Title**s tab and click on **Add New** option to create a new job title

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*jijeR1FiQ_ogY61yVm0isQ.png)

4\. **Fill** the necessary **fields** as per the requirements of the job title

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*1R-tBNnjh_J8bzRWSWw8pw.png)

Let’s see how to specify the job title while importing data. The easiest way is you can download the [sample data file](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/my-drive) and edit the data. You can enter the Job title in the **CSV file** you create, also you can specify other job-related details as the **employment status, joined date** and **department** as below;

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*ykZHBoxoVtPrkKrQDJAkng.png)

> To import the data;

1\. **Login** as **Admin** and Navigate to **System**

2\. Under System, **Click** on to **Data**

3\. Under **Data**, you can find two tabs **Data Importers** and **Data Import Files**

4\. Under **Data Import Files** and **click** on to **Add New** in order to add a new data file to the system (data file should be according to the previously explained format)

5\. Use a **descriptive name**

6\. Select **Employee Data Import** option as the **Data Import Definitions**

7. **Choose the file** and **Save**

8\. Once data imported, click on the **Process** Icon

> You can download the below sample data file for your reference. [https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/my-drive](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yGSbfLAgtxqDjXhO82DjMF-ssajYmr2WeczZLTHwmaA)

#### How to import attendance data into [IceHrm](https://icehrm.com)?

You will only need this process if you are uploading attendance data from your attendance recording devices instead of allowing employees to punch in/out using IceHrm. Same as the employee data import process, you need to prepare the data into a specific format.

1\. You can download the sample attendance file from [**here**](https://s3.amazonaws.com/icehrm/images/blog-files/attendance_sample_import.csv)

2\. Then add your attendance data according to the same format

3\. Log into the admin account and Goto **System** \-> **Data** \-> **Data Import Files** tab

4\. **Click** on **Add New** to data import

5\. Use a **descriptive name**

6\. Select **Attendance Data Import** option as the **Data Import Definitions**

7\. **Choose** the file and **Save**

8\. Once data imported, click on the **Process** Icon

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*Y-sP2DP-yEy5TSQJjrTZNw.png)

#### How to Import payroll data into the IceHrm?

[IceHrm](https://icehrm.com) team has already created a few sample payrolls which you can import and use to generate or study the payroll creation process. You can find the samples on the user guide as well.

Below are the sample payrolls.

> [Sample Payroll Setup](https://s3.amazonaws.com/icehrm/payroll/Sample-Country-Payroll.txt)

> [Sri Lanka Payroll Setup](https://s3.amazonaws.com/icehrm/payroll/SriLanka-Payroll.txt)

> [Ghana Payroll Setup](https://s3.amazonaws.com/icehrm/payroll/Ghana-Payroll.txt)

To import a pre-defined payroll system;

1\. Log in to the **Admin account**

2\. Go to **system** and select **Data** module

3\. Under the **Data** module, click on to **Data Import Files** tab

4\. Click on **Add New** to data import

5\. Use a **descriptive name**

6\. Select **Payroll Data Import** option as the **Data Import Definitions**

7\. **Choose** the file and **Save**

8\. Once you are done click on to “**Process**” button