Adding employees one by one works for small teams, but if you're onboarding a large workforce, bulk uploading via CSV is the fastest way to get everyone into Raken at once. This article walks you through the full import process — from downloading the template to confirming your upload.

Quick Answer

To bulk upload employees in Raken:

Log in to the Raken web app and click Directory > Employees.
Click the ellipsis (...) button near the top right of the Employees page and select Import.
Download the sample CSV file, fill in your employee data, and save.
Click Upload CSV to import the list.

Employees are added to your company directory and are ready to be assigned to projects.

How to Bulk Upload Employees on the Web

This feature is only available on the Raken web app.

Step 1: Navigate to the Employee Directory

Log in to the Raken web app. Click Directory in the left navigation menu. Click Employees to open your full employee list.

Step 2: Open the Import Tool

Click the ellipsis (...) button near the top right of the Employees page. Select Import from the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Download the Sample CSV File

Click Download sample file to get the pre-formatted CSV template. Open the file in a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

Do not change the column headers in the template — Raken requires the exact column names to process the import correctly.

Step 4: Fill In Employee Data

Complete the CSV with your employee information. The following fields are available:

Field	Required?	Notes
First name	✅ Required
Last name	✅ Required
Email	Required for login roles	Required for Project Worker, Project Member, Project Admin, Account Admin
Phone	Optional	Used for time card sign-off notifications
Employee ID	Optional	Your internal employee ID
Classification	Optional	Must match an existing classification in your account
Role	Optional	Worker (default if left blank), Project Worker, Project Member, Project Admin, Account Admin

Employees with login roles (Project Worker and above) will receive an email invitation to create their Raken account after the import is complete.

Employees without an email (Workers) are added as Workers — supervisors manage their time on their behalf.

Step 5: Save and Upload

Save the completed CSV file. Back in Raken, click Upload CSV and select the file from your device. Raken will validate the file and display any errors that need to be corrected before the import can complete.

Step 6: Confirm the Import

Review the import summary. Click Confirm to complete the upload. Your employees are now added to the company directory.

After the Upload

Once employees are in your company directory, two additional steps are required before they can be tracked for time:

Assign employees to projects — employees must be added to each project where they'll be working. Go to Projects > [select project] > Project directory > Employees > + Add employee.

Assign employees to a Time Policy — to ensure their time cards follow the correct overtime rules, breaks, and pay types. Go to Company > Time > Policies > Edit policy > Employees.

See How to Add Workers to a Project in Raken and Assigning Employees to Time Policies for full instructions.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

My upload failed — what went wrong?

Raken will display a list of rows with errors after a failed upload. Common causes include missing required fields (first name, last name, or email for login roles), invalid role names, or classifications that don't exist in your account. Fix the errors in the CSV and re-upload.

Can I update existing employees with a CSV upload?

The import tool adds new employees — it does not update existing employee profiles. To edit an existing employee, go to Directory > Employees, click the employee's name, and edit their profile directly.

Do employees get notified when I upload them?

Employees assigned login roles (Project Worker and above) will receive an email invitation to create their Raken account after the import. Workers without an email address are added silently — no notification is sent.

What role is assigned if I leave the Role column blank?

Employees with no role specified are added as Workers — no Raken login, time tracked by supervisors. If you want employees to be able to log in, specify their role in the CSV.

Can I upload cost codes at the same time?

Cost codes are uploaded separately. Go to Company > Production > Cost codes > Import to bulk upload cost codes via CSV. The process is similar — download the sample file, fill in your data, and upload.

How many employees can I upload at once?

There is no published limit on the number of rows per import file. For very large lists (500+ employees), consider splitting the file into smaller batches to make error-checking easier.

Technical Specifications

Compatibility: All major web browsers — bulk employee upload is web-only
Offline Capability: No — requires an active internet connection
Data Format: CSV import only — download the sample file from the Import tool for the correct format
Plan Required: No plan restrictions — available on all Raken plans
Add-on Required: None for adding employees. Time Clock add-on required for Project Worker self-clock-in.
Role Required: Account Administrator, or Project Administrator / Project Member with Can create new employees and Can manage user roles and access permissions enabled

Considerations

The CSV template column headers must not be changed — Raken requires the exact format to process the import.
Employees are added to your company directory only. Project assignment and Time Policy assignment must be completed separately after the upload.
Employees with login roles will receive an email invitation after the import. Make sure email addresses are correct before uploading.
Workers (no email, no login role) are added without notification — a supervisor must create time cards on their behalf.
Classifications must already exist in your Raken account before they can be referenced in the CSV. Add classifications first under Company > Time > Classifications.
Only Account Administrators can perform bulk imports by default. Project Admins and Project Members require the Can create new employees permission to be enabled.

How to Upload Employees in Bulk in Raken