Who it’s for: Administrators
Platform: Web app (Sense HR)
Available on: All plans
Before you begin
Make sure you’ve:
☑️ Logged in to the Sense Workplace web app
☑️ Been assigned administrator permissions
☑️ Checked that your Calendar & Planner settings are configured correctly under Settings > Calendar & Planner
☑️ Downloaded the latest templates from Settings > Bulk upload > Download templates
💡 Tip: Complete this guide before starting your upload — it reduces validation errors later.
⚠️ 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
Each data template (.xlsx file) corresponds to a different area of your HR data.
You’ll complete each template using the correct field formats before uploading them to Sense HR.
⚠️ Warning: This process is for initial system setup only. It should not be used to make edits to data once your system is live.
Mandatory templates
These three templates must be completed for your system to function correctly:
1.EmployeeData.xlsx
2.EventEntitlementData.xlsx
3.HolidayData.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).
All other templates are optional but recommended for richer data setup.
Mandatory fields
Colour coding in templates:
🔴 Red headers = Mandatory fields
🟢 Green headers = Optional fields
🟡 Yellow headers = Conditional fields (required if certain conditions are met for your data set)
Always complete all red-labelled fields before uploading. Optional (green) fields can be left blank but will enhance your setup.
1. Employee Data template
Purpose: Creates your core employee records.
File name: 1.EmployeeData.xlsx
Key rules
Every employee must have a unique Employee ID.
This ID must be identical across all other templates.
Ensure consistency in spelling and capitalisation for names, job titles, departments, and locations.
All dates must be in DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY format. Do not mix formats within the same file.
Avoid asterisk (*) date formats — they change with system settings and can cause errors.
Telephone numbers must use the relevant country code (e.g. +44) followed by a space and the rest of the number (e.g. +44 7123456789).
Field guidance summary table (covers key or high-impact fields — not every field):
Field | Required? | Notes |
Employee ID | 🔴 Mandatory | Must be unique for each employee. |
First name / Last name | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match exactly in all templates. |
Job title | 🔴 Mandatory | Use consistent naming and capitalisation. |
Department / Location | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match existing system values. |
Employment start date | 🔴 Mandatory | Use DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY. |
Holiday year | 🔴 Mandatory | Format: |
Work pattern | 🟢 Optional | Must match an existing pattern in Sense HR, or enter “No working pattern.” |
Public holiday group | 🟢 Optional | Enter either a default group (England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) or your custom group name. |
Are public holidays included in their entitlement? | 🟢 Optional | Enter “Yes” if included. |
Automatically book public holidays | 🟢 Optional | Enter “Yes” if you want them auto-booked. |
Final date of employment | 🟢 Optional | Only for leavers. |
💡 Tip: Use consistent capitalisation — for example, use “Operations” not “operations” or “OPerations”.
2. Event Entitlement Data template
Purpose: Sets each employee’s holiday or event entitlement.
File name: 2.EventEntitlementData.xlsx
Key rules
Employee ID, first name, and last name must match the Employee Data template.
Use either Days or Hours for each event type, not both
Ensure Event Type matches an existing event name in your system.
Field guidance summary table (covers key or high-impact fields — not every field):
Field | Required? | Notes |
Employee ID / First name / Last name | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match Employee Data exactly. |
Event type | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match your system event types (e.g. “Holiday”). |
Measured in | 🔴 Mandatory | Use “Days” or “Hours.” |
Event year | 🔴 Mandatory | Use the current year, e.g. 2025. |
Current event entitlement | 🔴 Mandatory | This year’s entitlement (pro-rated if needed). |
Contracted entitlement | 🔴 Mandatory | Full-year entitlement for the employee. |
Carried over from previous year | 🟢 Optional | Adds to entitlement total. |
Length of service entitlement | 🟢 Optional | Adds additional entitlement for long service. |
Notes | 🟢 Optional | For any internal reference. |
⚠️ Caution:
“Holiday” and “holiday” will be treated as different event types — capitalisation matters.
3. Time Off Data template
Purpose: Records all booked time off events for each employee, excluding sickness.
File name: 3.TimeOffData.xlsx
Key rules
Employee ID, first name, and last name must match previous templates.
Only Use this template for any type of time off that is not sickness (for example, holidays, unpaid leave, or other absence types).
You must use only one Duration Type per booked event — either Days or Hours/Minutes or just Minutes not a combination of two or more.
All dates must be in DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY format. Do not mix formats within the same file.
Avoid asterisk (*) date formats — they change with system settings and can cause errors.
💡 Tip: Ensure event types entered here exactly match those configured in your system (e.g. “Holiday”, “Unpaid Leave”, “Maternity Leave”).
Field guidance summary table (covers key or high-impact fields — not every field):
Field | Required? | Notes |
Employee ID / First name / Last name | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match Employee Data exactly. |
Event type | 🔴 Mandatory | Must match the time off event type in your system (e.g. “Holiday”). |
Event start date / end date | 🔴 Mandatory | Format: DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY. |
Event duration type | 🔴 Mandatory | Accepted values – Day, Days, Hour, Hours, Mins. - Use Day/Days if entitlement type is Days, - Hour/Hours/Mins if entitlement type is Hours.
|
Event duration | 🔴 Mandatory | Enter total duration of the event. - If measured in Days: values must be in increments of 0.5 (e.g. 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2). - If measured in Hours: values can include up to two decimal places and may use either a decimal point or colon. Examples: 6.25, 10.25, 0.30, 6:25, 10:25, 0:30. - If measured in Minutes: Enter whole positive numbers only (e.g. 10, 30, 120). Be consistent in your chosen format across all entries. |
Start/End date part of shift | 🟡 Conditional | Required for validation of Event duration if the event duration value is less than a day. |
Event start/end time | 🟡 Conditional | Required for validation of Event duration if the event duration value is less than a day. |
Comments | 🟢 Optional | — |
💡 Tip: Keep durations consistent. Mixing days and hours for one employee will cause validation errors.
Optional templates (summary guidance)
Use these templates if you wish to preload additional HR data.
Each follows the same structure — always ensure Employee ID matches the main Employee Data sheet.
Key rules
Employee ID, first name, and last name must match previous templates.
You must use only one Duration Type per booked event — either Days or Hours/Minutes or just Minutes not a combination of two or more.
All dates must be in DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY format. Do not mix formats within the same file.
Avoid asterisk (*) date formats — they change with system settings and can cause errors.
Template | Description | Key guidance |
OtherContactsData.xlsx | Next of kin or emergency contact details | Contact type must be “Next of Kin” or “Emergency.” Use relevant country code (e.g. +44) format for phone numbers. |
SicknessData.xlsx | Records sickness events | Do not use half days; record as hours instead. |
OtherEventData.xlsx | Other absence types (e.g. training) | Event names must match your system exactly. |
CustomPublicHolidayData.xlsx | Custom public holidays | Enter dates as DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY for current and next year. |
BankDetailsData.xlsx | Employee bank info | Use sort code |
EmploymentChecksData.xlsx | DBS or Right to Work checks | All dates must use DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY format. |
CompanyEquipmentData.xlsx | Equipment issued to employees | Include “Recover on termination” (Yes/No). |
PayDetailsData.xlsx | Pay and salary info | Enter as |
TrainingData.xlsx | Courses and completions | Group similar course names consistently. |
JobDetailData.xlsx | Historic or secondary job data | Required for multiple roles or managers. |
VehicleData.xlsx | Company vehicle details | Include make, model, registration, and expiry dates. |
BenefitsData.xlsx | Employee benefits | Include type, provider, and value if known. |
AdditionalNotesData.xlsx | Notes linked to employees | Use DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY for dates. |
⚠️ Do not:
Rename the template files or change column headers.
Merge cells or add new columns.
Mix “Days” and “Hours” for one employee.
Use inconsistent capitalisation for names or event types.
✅ Do:
Keep date formats consistent (DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY).
Double-check Employee IDs match across all templates.
Save files in .xlsx format only.
Validate using Excel filters or conditional formatting before upload.
Next steps
Once all templates are complete and checked:
Return to Settings > Bulk upload.
Follow the steps in Bulk upload: Data preparation and upload for initial system setup.
Validate, correct, and import your data in the required order.