Who it’s for: Administrators
Platform: Sense HR web app
Available on: All plans
Before you begin
Make sure you’ve:
☑️ Logged in to the Sense Workplace web app
☑️ Been assigned administrator permissions
☑️ Got access to a device that can open and edit .xlsx files
☑️ Checked that your Calendar & Planner settings are configured correctly under Settings > Calendar & Planner
⚠️ Caution:
Make sure your company’s Working Hours templates and Work Patterns (Settings > Calendar & Planner) are fully configured and correct before starting the data load.
Any mismatch between your existing system setup for Working Hours and the data entered in the Bulk upload templates can cause event entitlements and holiday data to fail or display incorrectly.
💡Recommended:
When choosing a date format in Excel, avoid formats that contain an asterisk (*). Asterisked formats change automatically based on your computer’s regional settings, which can cause inconsistencies or validation errors in uploaded data. Choose a format without an asterisk to keep dates consistent across systems
Overview
Use the Bulk Upload feature to efficiently load large volumes of HR data into Sense HR.
Bulk upload is commonly used during initial system setup, but it can also be used in live systems to add new data — such as:
Adding new rows (records) to table-type screens
Populating screens that were not previously used
Extending your data structure using custom screens (Elite and Enterprise plans)
This article explains how to download, complete, validate, and upload standard HR data templates.
🖊️ Important note:
Bulk upload is an additive process. It adds new data but does not overwrite or correct existing records. If you need to update existing data, this must be done directly within the system.
For advanced use cases involving custom or customised screens, see:
Navigation path
Sense HR Dashboard > Settings > Bulk upload
Using the Bulk upload feature
Step 1: Download and prepare the templates
1. From the Sense HR Dashboard, open Settings in the main navigation bar and click Bulk upload.
2. Click Download (upper right).
3. Click Download templates.
✅ A zip file containing all mandatory and optional templates (.xlsx format) will download to your device.
💡 Tip: Extract the zip file into a new folder before editing to prevent compression, access, and upload issues.
3. Open the new folder and edit each template as required. See Bulk upload: Guide to completing data templates for initial system setup for field-by-field guidance.
🖊️ Note: Mandatory fields have a red header background. Optional fields have a green header background.
⚠️ Caution:
Do not rename the files — Sense HR uses the exact file names for upload.
Do not rename or change the order of column headers, or delete columns.
Ensure all date fields use DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY format. Do not mix formats within the same file.
Format telephone numbers as text to retain leading “+” symbols.
Mandatory templates
For Sense HR to function correctly, you must complete these three data sheet templates:
1.EmployeeData.xlsx
2.EventEntitlementData.xlsx
3.TimeOffData.xlsx
In some circumstances the Custom Public Holiday Data sheet is required:7.CustomPublicHolidayData.xlsx (Note: This template is mandatory if your system includes any public holidays other than those for England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. If you only use one or more of these three default groups, you do not need to complete or upload this template).
🖊️ Note: All other templates are optional but enhance the Sense HR experience.
✅ Once all mandatory files are complete, you’re ready to upload.
Step 2: Upload the completed files
1. From the Sense HR Dashboard, go to Settings > Bulk upload.
2. Click New upload (upper right).
3. From the list, select the upload action that matches your file (e.g. Upload employees) and click Next.
⚠️ Caution:
The three mandatory files must be uploaded in the correct order to maintain data dependencies (the number in each file name shows the upload order).
If you are including 7.CustomPublicHolidayData.xlsx, upload this first, before 1.EmployeeData.xlsx.
Upload order | Excel file name | Corresponding Upload Action |
1️⃣ Required | 1.EmployeeData.xlsx | Upload employees |
2️⃣ Required | 2.EventEntitlementData.xlsx | Upload event entitlements |
3️⃣ Required | 3.TimeOffData.xlsx | Upload booked time off events |
- | 4.OtherContactData.xlsx | Upload other contact details |
- | 5.SicknessData.xlsx | Upload sickness details |
- | 6.OtherEventData.xslx | Upload other event |
⭐ Required for non-UK public holidays. Upload first. | 7.CustomPublicHolidayData.xslx | Upload custom public holiday |
- | 8.BankDetailsData.xslx | Upload bank details |
- | 9.EmploymentChecksData.xslx | Upload employment checks |
- | 10.CompanyEquipmentData.xslx | Upload company equipment details |
- | 11.PayDetailsData.xslx | Upload pay details |
- | 12.TrainingData.xslx | Upload training data |
- | 13.JobDetailData.xslx | Upload additional job details |
- | 14.VehicleData.xslx | Upload vehicle data |
- | 15.BenefitsData.xslx | Upload benefits data |
- | 16.AdditionalNotesData | Upload additional notes |
4. Enter a Session name — this allows you to return to the session later and at any time during editing.
5. Drag and drop or browse to upload your file.
6. Click Next.
✅ A preview of your data will appear.
Step 3: Validate and import
1. Click Validate (upper right).
2. The system will check your data and show:
Warnings: Rows with non-critical issues
Errors: Rows with missing or invalid data
Success: Rows ready to import
🖊️ Note: Errors fields will be highlighted in dark red.
If there are errors in your upload you can edit inline:
Click the edit icon ✏️ at the start of the row to make corrections directly in that row.
When finished, click the check icon ✅ at the start of the row to confirm your change/s and auto-validate.
You can delete rows that contain persistent validation errors or that are no longer required.
Click the bin icon (🗑️) in one or more rows
Click Delete [X] item(s) (the number reflects the rows selected)
Confirm deletion
💡 Tip:
To speed up validation, use the Status dropdown (upper left) to filter rows by error type — for example, Required field, Invalid value, or Duplicate — and resolve them one group at a time.
You can also revalidate at any time before importing — either the entire template or specific rows. Simply click Revalidate.
This is useful if you return to an editing session after a break or make changes incrementally.
6. Once all data is valid, click Import (this option will only be available once all data is valid)
✅ Sense Workplace will process your import. You can safely close the browser or continue other tasks — processing happens in the background and may take up to 30 minutes for large files.
7. Repeat this process for all mandatory data sheets and any others that you have completed.
FAQ
FAQ
Q: What is the Bulk Upload feature in Sense HR?
The Bulk Upload feature in Sense HR allows administrators to upload large volumes of HR data quickly and accurately using structured templates.
It is commonly used during initial system setup to import key information such as employees, entitlements, and time off. It can also be used in live systems to add new data — for example, adding new records to table-type screens or populating screens that were not previously used.
Bulk upload is an additive process: it adds new data but does not overwrite or correct existing records.
Q: Who can use the Bulk Upload feature?
The Bulk Upload feature can only be used by administrators in Sense HR.
Q: Can I use Bulk Upload to update existing data?
No. Bulk Upload is designed to add new data — it does not update or overwrite existing records.
You can use Bulk Upload to:
Add new rows to table-type screens
Populate screens or fields that are currently empty
However, if data already exists for an employee or record, it must be updated directly in the system.
For large-scale changes to existing data (such as seasonal adjustments or company-wide closures), contact Support for guidance.
Q: What types of data can I upload with the Bulk Upload feature?
You can upload employee details, time off data, entitlements, and other HR-related data such as pay, training, benefits, and equipment information using bulk upload. The three core data types — Employees, Event Entitlements, and Time Off — are required for setup.
Q: Do I need to complete and upload all the data sheet templates that Sense HR provides when using the Bulk upload feature?
No, you do not need to complete and upload all the data templates for bulk upload. You only need to upload the three mandatory files — Employee, Event Entitlement, and Time Off Data. All other templates are optional but will improve your setup.
Q: What happens if there are errors in my bulk upload?
If your upload contains errors, Sense HR will show them in red during validation. You can fix them directly in the interface using the edit and check icons or the delete option for rows with persistent errors.
Q: How long does the import process take for each bulk upload?
The import process happens in the background and may take from a few seconds to 30 minutes or more, depending on the file size.
Q: Can I continue working while the bulk upload data imports?
Yes, once the import begins, you can close your browser or move on to other tasks. The import will continue in the background.
Q: How can I check if my Bulk upload data has imported successfully?
You can check the status of your import in the Bulk upload panel. A successful upload will show as Uploaded in the status column, and you’ll see the data reflected in the relevant HR screens (e.g. Planner or Personal details).
Q: Will I get a notification when the Bulk upload import finishes?
Yes, you will receive a brief in-app notification when Bulk upload import is complete. You can also return later and check the status from the Bulk Upload panel.
Q: Can multiple admins work on Bulk uploads at the same time?
Yes, multiple admins can work on Bulk uploads at the same time, but each should use a separate Session name to keep upload records distinct, and the upload order of the 3 mandatory files should be adhered to.
Q: What should I do if my spreadsheet changes its formatting automatically?
If your spreadsheet software (like Excel) changes date or phone formats automatically, set those columns to Text before you enter data (or set date formats as DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YY). This prevents issues such as losing leading zeros or “+” symbols.
💡Avoid asterisk (*) date formats — they change with system settings and can cause errors.
Q: Can I undo or delete a Bulk Upload in Sense HR?
You can’t undo or delete a Bulk upload directly. If you need to remove incorrect data, you’ll need to edit or overwrite the data in-app, or contact support for help with data resets.
Q: What should I do if my upload gets stuck during import while using bulk upload?
If your upload gets stuck during import while using bulk upload, refresh the page and check your Upload history to see if the import completed in the background. If not, re-run the upload session using the same session name.
Q: What should I do if the system says my file format is invalid during a Bulk upload?
If Sense HR says your file format is invalid during a Bulk upload, check that your spreadsheet is saved as .xlsx.