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Bulk Import Payroll Data

Use the single Import / Export page in Payroll Settings to download CSVs of payroll configuration and to upload CSVs that update or replace existing payroll data.

Updated today

What's covered in this guide?

1. Where to find Import / Export

Open Payroll, go into Payroll Settings, and choose Import / Export.

2. The Export section

The Export section is a grid of links. Each link downloads a CSV for one data type. Links are grouped under headings:

  • Staff Information — for example Addresses, Bank Accounts (ACH details), Time Off Balances, SSNs, Earnings Templates, Deduction Templates

  • Staff Withholding Forms — federal W-4s and the state withholding certificates supported by Workforce

  • Staff Payroll Opening Balances — earnings rate, deduction type, contribution type, time off type, tax, and contractor opening balances

  • Journal Configuration — accounts and related journal setup

  • Draft Pay Stub Lines — earnings, deduction, contribution, reimbursement, and tax lines on draft pay stubs

Click any link and Workforce immediately downloads that CSV. The file you get back is the same shape that the importer expects, so you can edit it and upload it back.

The exact list of links you see may differ depending on which jurisdictions and features are enabled for your account.

3. The Import section

The Import section is a single short form with two inputs:

  • Type of data — a dropdown listing every data type you can import

  • CSV — a file picker that only accepts .csv files

Pick the type of data, choose the CSV, and click Import.

Workforce reads the file, runs it through the importer for that data type, and either confirms how many rows were updated or shows an error list at the top of the page.

4. How import updates existing data

The on-page instructions describe the update behavior. The wording in the product is:

  • Addresses and withholding certificates are updated with any new details provided.

  • Bank Accounts are replaced with the bank details you upload. You can include as many rows as you like per employee. Include a row with just the name and IDs (no other values) to remove all existing bank details for that employee.

  • Time Off Balances are updated based on the leave_type column. If you get errors here, make sure you have created all your time off types first.

  • Journal Setup (Accounts) can be created or updated, but not deleted. Rows match by name first, then by code.

For other data types, the importer's exact behavior depends on the type — review the downloaded CSV and the validation results before re-uploading anything large.

5. Errors and re-uploading

If a row can't be imported, Workforce shows the import errors at the top of the Import / Export page. Each error references the row number from your CSV and the employee name (where applicable), along with the reason — for example, "User not found" when the Name and System ID don't match an employee in your account.

Fix the rows in your source file and upload the file again. Successful rows from a previous attempt aren't re-imported as duplicates — the importer matches existing records and updates them in place.

Tip: Always export before you import. Downloading the current CSV first gives you the exact column layout the importer expects and the existing values, so your edits sit alongside data Workforce already understands.

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