Please check the following list to ensure your employee import works.
⚠️CAUTION: Do not amend the format of the import layout, only the contents in each relevant cell.
📎NOTE: The details for the first employee in the import list must begin on Row 3 of the Excel sheet. Any information in the rows above (i.e. Row 1, Row 2) will not be imported.
First Name - Required Field
Last Name - Required Field
Work Email - Required Field
Email is case sensitive and will be the format the user will need to use to log, e.g. if work email is imported as [email protected] then the employee won’t be able to login using [email protected].
Check the spelling as you must terminate and delete the employee in Sage HR and add them again with the correct details if it isn’t correct
Password
Must be at least eight characters long
Must have at least three of: Uppercase letter, Lowercase letter, Number, and Special Character
📎NOTE: If left blank, the employee can set up their password after they are sent a welcome email.
Employment Start Date - Required field
Field must be formatted to “Date” type - In Excel browse to: Highlight fields > Home tab > Number section > Dropdown box – select either Short Date or Long Date
If the Employment Start Date isn’t a valid date (e.g. 31/04/20), it will populate with
the date of import instead.
Employment Status
Must be one of: Full-time, Part-time, Contract or Intern
If left blank, Employment Status is recorded as Full-time by default
Position
Input any position – if it doesn’t exist in Sage HR yet, it is created as an option automatically.
📎NOTE: If an employee profile already exists in Sage HR, and you are using the import template to overwrite existing employee information, when the position field is blank, the employee's existing position is removed.
Employee number
Input an Employee reference number
Double check it isn’t already assigned to another employee by going into Sage HR: Browse to Reports > Employee Data > Custom Reports > Create a report, then select Name and Employee # Fields
Reports to
Can be left blank – it is used to structure the Company Organisation chart.
Must be the Work Email address of the person they report to. The person they report to must already exist in Sage HR.
If the person they report to doesn’t yet exist in Sage HR but is included in the Import List, this will import both the employee and the person they report to.
Email Address is case sensitive and you must check the spelling. It must match the work email of who they report to exactly as it appears in Sage HR.
Time off approved by
Must be the Email Address of the person who approves their time off. The time off approver must already exist in Sage HR.
If the person who approves their time off doesn’t yet exist in Sage HR but is included in the Import List, this imports both the employee and the time off approver.
Email Address is case sensitive and you must check the spelling. It must match the Time Off Approver’s work email exactly as it appears in Sage HR.
If left blank, the Sage HR Admin user is assigned by default.
Location
Enter their work location. Can be geographically specific (e.g. Johannesburg) or site-specific (e.g. Office).
If the location does not already exist in Sage HR, it will be created automatically.
Gender
Can choose from Male, Female, Other, or be left blank
Marital Status
Can choose from Single, Married, Divorced, Widower, In a relationship, Other or be left blank
Nationality
Select South African or otherwise select the relevant option from the nationalities list which you can see in the Nationalities tab at the bottom of the import template.
If the value doesn’t match a nationality from the list, then it won’t be imported
Mobile Phone number
Set field format to “General” type - Excel: Highlight fields > Home tab > Number section > Dropdown box – select General
Use 27 international dial code for ZA mobile numbers instead of 0, as Excel removes the 0
Address 1
Allows special characters (commas etc), and there is no character limit
Address 2
Allows special characters (commas etc), and there is no character limit
City
Allows special characters (commas etc), and there is no character limit
Postal Code
The ZA postal code should be numeric characters only
Country
Select South Africa otherwise select the relevant option from the countries list which you can see in the Countries tab at the bottom of the import template
If the value doesn’t match a country from the list, then it won't be imported
Emergency contact – Full Name
Enter the Emergency Contact Name
If left blank, no other Emergency Contact information is imported
Emergency Contact – Relation
Can choose from Husband, Wife, Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Friend, Partner, Relative, Other or leave blank
Emergency Contact – Mobile Phone #
Set field format to General type - In Excel browse to: Highlight fields > Home tab > Number section > Dropdown box, then select General
Use 27 international dial code for ZA mobile numbers instead of 0, as Excel removes the 0
Emergency Contact – Email
The value present in this field is imported regardless of what is entered so check that the email spelling and format is correct
Status
This must say either:
Active – if the employee is still in employment
Terminated – if the employee no longer works for you
📎NOTE: If left blank, it defaults to Active in Sage HR meaning they are classed as in employment.
Termination Date
If the Status field has a value of Terminated, then the Termination Date is a required field. The employee won't import without one
Field must be formatted to Date type
In Excel browse to: Highlight fields > Home tab > Number section > Dropdown box, then select either Short Date or Long Date
Check to see if they have been imported successfully into Sage HR
Reports > Employee Data > Terminated Employees
If the Termination Date isn’t a valid date, e.g. 31/04/20), it won’t import the employee.