Import users in bulk – OpenCities

This task can be undertaken by users with the following roles: OC Site Manager, OC System Administrator, and OC User Manager.

If you have many users to add to your site, you may want to bulk import them into OpenCities. Using a .csv file that you've exported from a previous system or one that you've created, you can import them directly into your admin. This is a useful option for when you need to add all your staff members to an Intranet.

What to include in your .csv file

A simple way to get a spreadsheet is to export your current users and use the columns in the spreadsheet you download. This is how to do it:

Go to More > Users from the main menu of the site you're working on.
Scroll to the bottom and select Export To Excel.
A .csv file will automatically download, containing all the system's information for your current users. Delete all the user information, but keep the column headings in the first row the same.
Fill out the columns for each of your new users, then follow the steps below to import your user file.

You'll also find a sample .csv file in the Resources section below. If you're adding staff to an Intranet and want to use the Staff Directory module, you may also want to include additional fields in your .csv file so you can match them in OpenCities.

As you can see from the sample file, your spreadsheet should be a single worksheet document with a header row consisting of the fields you need to fill in OpenCities, and the details for each staff member you need to add. You can use the sample file if you need to and add any additional fields in the header row.

You don't need to include the role, as that will be selected when you import the file. However, the Username and Email fields are required, and we recommend including a first and last name and the manager's username for Intranets. You'll also need to ensure that there is a column labeled isActive in your spreadsheet and that it is set to TRUE for each user. If you don't do this, each user will be imported as inactive and you will have to manually activate each account.

Please note that you must assign all imported users the same role or role set when you're bulk importing users. If you have several large sets of users that will need different permissions, you'll need to create a .csv file for each group. For example, if you have ten admin users who require the role OC System Administrator and 30 staff members who need the role OC Member, you'll need to create one .csv file for each group.

Import your user file

Once your .csv file is ready, you can import your users, but first, make sure you're working on the correct site by selecting it from the site selection dropdown menu.

From the main menu, go to More > Users > Load Users from File.
Select Upload a file, then find the .csv file you prepared.
Select Import.
Map the fields from your .csv file to the appropriate OpenCities field using the dropdown lists for each option.
If you're importing admin users, check the Is admin box, and under Select roles, check each role you wish to give them. You'll be able to select from the complete list of OpenCities roles and any roles you have created. If you're importing staff members into an Intranet, ensure the Is admin box is unchecked and give them the OC Member role.
Save your changes

You'll be able to view, edit or delete the users you've imported by going to Admin Management for admin users or Member Management for non-admin staff members.

When you import users, the system will not send a welcome email containing a link to your admin and instructions for setting a password. We are working on a fix for this, but for now, we recommend manually sending out an email to your imported users letting them know they have been added and with a link to the admin login page from which they can reset their password.

What else?

Resources