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Import my employee files using an Excel (.xlsx) file

James Nixon
Updated
EH Content Team

Available for the following plans: Employment Lite, Employment Plus
Available for the following Payroll plans: Standard, Premium
Available for the following user access levels: Admin

The Employee Import feature allows you to bulk upload employee data, streamlining the onboarding process and saving you time.

You can upload your employee data using an Excel (.xlsx) file, which allows you to import employee information into the system. This feature simplifies the process of adding multiple employees, saving time and reducing manual entry errors.

Important

This article explains how to upload employee files using an Excel (.xlsx) file, which is the recommended format due to its strong compatibility with the Payroll classic platform.

Getting started

Import ‌employee data

Warning

Please do not delete any of the columns in your XLSX/CSV file. If you delete or remove columns in your XLSX/CSV file and upload it into the platform, this will result in clearing some of your data on the platform too. This will lead to errors and affect your records and system.

  1. Log into the Payroll classic platform.
  2. Click the  Business Settings menu.
  3. Click the Payroll Settings submenu.
  4. Click the Import Employees button.
  5. Select the Standard Format File Upload option in the Import Employees From drop-down.
  6. Click the Select File button.
  7. Enter your chosen file. (An Excel (.xlsx) file is recommended, as CSV files are more likely to have incorrect options appear in some data fields.)Import_1.jpg
  8. Click the Confirm Upload? button.
    Import_2.jpg
  9. You will now see a status message that confirms the successful upload of your employee data into your Payroll classic platform.

    Helpful Hint

    If you encounter errors in the imported file, it is recommended that you ensure the file includes only the necessary employee details and remove any irrelevant sheets to prevent issues during the upload process.

    Import_3.jpg
Export the compatible template

You can export the compatible template from the payroll platform before populating and then importing.

  1. Log into the Payroll classic platform.
  2. Click the Business Settings menu.
  3. Click the Payroll Settings submenu.
  4. Click the Import Employees button.
  5. Click the Export button.

Important

You may find it helpful to begin by manually adding one employee. The exported template will then be pre-populated with this employee's information, acting as a visual guide for the required fields and their correct format.

Further information

Data type breakdown: Personal details
Field name. Data type. Notes.
EmployeeID. Number. This column must stay blank for new employees as the platform will auto-generate the next available unique number.
TaxFileNumber. Number.  
Title. Text. Valid values include Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms and Dr.
PreferredName. Text  
Firstname Text.  
MiddleName. Text.  
Surname. Text.  
DateOfBirth. Date.  
Gender. Text. Valid values include male, female, and unspecified.
ExternalID. Text. Can be the ID of the employee from another platform. 
ResidentialStreetAddress. Text.  
ResidentialSuburb. Text.  
ResidentialState. Text.  
ResidentialPostCode. Number.  
ResidentialCountry. Text. This field needs completing if you added the entry true to the ResidentialAddress ManuallyEntered field.
ResidentialAddressManuallyEntered. Text. Valid values include true or false.
PostalStreetAddress. Text.  
PostalAddressLine2. Text.  
PostalSuburb. Text.  
PostalState. Text.  
PostalPostCode. Number.  
PostalCountry. Text. This field needs completing if you added the entry true to the PostalAddress ManuallyEntered field
PostalAddressManuallyEntered. Text. Valid values include true or false.
EmailAddress. Text.  
HomePhone. Text.  
WorkPhone. Text.  
MobilePhone. Text.  
StartDate. Date.  
EndDate. Date. Date of employment termination.
AnniversaryDate. Date. The date the employee received their qualification.
TerminationReason. Date. This field contains a pre-determined drop-down list. You can only use this field if you entered a date into the EndDate field.
Tags. Text. Pipe 'l' separated list of tags to associate with this employee.
Data type breakdown: Tax setup
Field name. Data type. Notes.
EmployingEntityABN. Number. You can not change an employee employing entity using this import file. You can change this though, via the Re-Assign Super Fund feature.
EmploymentType. Text. Valid values include full time, part-time, casual, labour hire and superannuation income stream.
PreviousSurname. Text.  
AustralianResident. True/False.  
ClaimTaxFreeThreshold. True/False.  
SeniorsTaxOffset. True/False.  
OtherTaxOffset. True/False.  
StslDebt. True/False.  
StslCalculationType. Taxable Earnings/ Repayment Income. Enter a value here where StslDebt = true. If you leave this field blank and StslDebt = true, the default calculation type will be taxable earnings.
IsExemptFromFloodLevy. True/False. Only used for 2011/2012 financial year.
HasApprovedWorkingHolidayVisa. True/False.  
WorkingHolidayVisaCountry. Select from drop-down. This field is only required if HasApprovedWorkingHolidayVisa = True. The country selected here must be the country stated on the employee's Visa.
IsSeasonalWorker. True/False.  
HasWithholdingVariation. True/False.  
TaxVariation. Text. You should complete this field if you entered yes into the HasWithholdingVariation field.
MedicareLevyExemption. Text. Valid values include none, full, or half.
DateTaxFileDeclarationSigned. Date. Date they signed their tax file declaration.
DateTaxFileDeclarationReported. Date. Date you sent their tax file declaration to the ATO.
Data type breakdown: Pay run setup
Field name. Data type. Notes.
JobTitle. Text.  
PaySchedule. Text. Corresponds to the name of a Pay Schedule that you have already created.
PrimaryPayCategory. Text. Corresponds to the name of a Pay Category that you have already created.
PrimaryLocation. Text. Corresponds to the fully qualified name of a Location that you have already created.
PaySlipNotificationType. Text. Valid values include email, SMS, manual, and none.
Rate. Number. How much is the employee paid? You may specify a per hour or per annum value.
RateUnit. Text. Valid values include hourly, annually, and daily.
OverrideTemplateRate. Text. Valid values include true or false.
HoursPerWeek. Number. The standard number of hours per week for this employee.
HoursPerDay. Number. Standard number of hours worked per day for this employee. Value cannot be 0.
AutomaticallyPayEmployee. True/False. Determines whether the platform automatically applies the employee's standard weekly hours as earnings lines in a new pay run.
LeaveTemplate. Text. Name of the Leave Allowance Template applied to the employee.
PayRateTemplate. Text. Name of the Pay Rate Template applied to the employee.
PayConditionRuleSet. Text. Name of the Pay Rate Conditions Rule Set applied to the employee.
EmploymentAgreement. Text. Name of the Employment Agreement applied to the employee.
IsEnabledForTimesheets. Text. Valid values include enabled, disabled, and enabled for exceptions.
IsExemptFromPayrollTax. True/False.  
Locations. Text. Pipe 'l' separated list of fully qualified locations that this employee works at within your business.
WorkTypes. Text. Pipe 'l' separated list of work types that this employee submits timesheets for within your business.
Data type breakdown: Emergency contacts
Field name. Data type. Notes.
EmergencyContact1_Name. Text.  
EmergencyContact1_Relationship. Text.  
EmergencyContact1_Address. Text.  
EmergencyContact1_ContactNumber. Text.  
EmergencyContact1_AlternateContactNumber. Text.  
EmergencyContact2_Name. Text.  
EmergencyContact2_Relationship. Text.  
EmergencyContact2_Address. Text.  
EmergencyContact2_ContactNumber. Text.  
EmergencyContact2_AlternateContactNumber. Text.  
Data type breakdown: Bank accounts
Field name. Data type. Notes.
BankAccount1_BSB. Text. This field also maps onto the BPAY Biller Code.
BankAccount1_AccountNumber. Text. This field also maps onto the BPAY Customer Reference Number.
BankAccount1_AccountName. Text. For a BPAY account, the value here must be BPAY.
BankAccount1_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
BankAccount1_FixedAmount.  Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
BankAccount2_BSB. Text.  
BankAccount2_AccountNumber. Text.  
BankAccount2_AccountName. Text.  
BankAccount2_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
BankAccount2_FixedAmount. Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
BankAccount3_BSB. Text.  
BankAccount3_AccountNumber. Text.  
BankAccount3_AccountName. Text.  
BankAccount3_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
BankAccount3_FixedAmount. Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
Data type breakdown: Super
Field name. Data type. Notes.
SuperFund1_ProductCode. Text.  
SuperFund1_FundName. Text.  
SuperFund1_MemberNumber. Text.  
SuperFund1_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
SuperFund1_EmployerNominatedFund. True/ False. Value can only be true if you have set up the employer nominated fund via the Superannuation screen.
SuperFund1_FixedAmount. Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
SuperFund2_ProductCode. Text.  
SuperFund2_FundName. Text.  
SuperFund2_MemberNumber. Text.  
SuperFund2_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
SuperFund2_EmployerNominatedFund. True/ False. Value can only be true if you have set up the employer nominated fund via the Superannuation screen.
SuperFund2_FixedAmount. Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
SuperFund2_ProductCode. Text.  
SuperFund3_FundName. Text.  
SuperFund3_MemberNumber. Text.  
SuperFund3_AllocatedPercentage. Text. Use 100 to nominate remaining balance.
SuperFund3_EmployerNominatedFund. True/ False. Value can only be true if you have set up the employer nominated fund via the Superannuation screen.
SuperFund3_FixedAmount. Text. You can specify either percentage or fixed amounts.
SuperThresholdAmount. Number.  
MaximumQuarterlySuperContributionsBase. Number.  
Data type breakdown: Time and attendance
Field name. Data type. Notes
RosteringNotificationChoices. Text. Valid values include email, SMS and none.
LeaveAccrualStartDateType. Text. Valid values include LeaveAccrual StartDateType or SpecifiedDate.
LeaveYearStart. Date. You should only enter a date in this field if you selected SpecifiedDate" in the LeaveAccrual StartDateType field. Otherwise keep blank.
Data type breakdown: Single Touch Payroll (STP)
Field name. Data type. Notes
CloselyHeldReporting. Text. Enter a value here if SingleTouchPayroll = Closely held employee. Valid values include per quarter or per pay run. If SingleTouchPayroll = Closely held employee and this value is blank, the default reporting option will be per quarter.
SingleTouchPayroll. Select from dropdown. Complete this field if you classified your employee with an income type that is not salary and wages, working holiday maker or seasonal worker.
PayrollId. Text.  
How do I clear data fields?

If you want to use the XLS file to remove your payroll data in bulk, you can enter the (clear) value into the relevant fields. This will remove the matching data from your Payroll classic platform.

File specification: Bank accounts
  • You can enter up to three bank or BPAY accounts. However, only one is required.
  • Percentages of all bank/BPAY accounts must total one hundred.
  • Use an allocated percentage of one hundred on only one of the bank accounts. Do this to show where the remaining balance goes.
File specification: Super funds
  • You can enter up to three super funds. However, only one is required.
  • Percentages of all super funds must total one hundred.
  • Use an allocated percentage of a hundred on only one of your super fund entries. Do this to show where the remaining balance goes.
How do I enter fully qualified locations?

As you may have nested locations, when importing from the XLSV file, it is important to specify the fully qualified location.

For instance, based on the below location example, the fully qualified location for Balmoral would be All Offices / NSW Offices / Strathfield.

  • All Offices
    • NSW Offices
      • Strathfield
    • QLD Offices
      • Logan.
What are the minimum required fields to run a pay run?

To process an employee within a pay run, the following fields are required as a minimum:

  • TaxFileNumber.
  • FirstName.
  • Surname.
  • DateOfBirth.
  • ResidentialStreetAddress.
  • ResidentialSuburb.
  • ResidentialState.
  • ResidentialPostCode.
  • PostalStreetAddress.
  • PostalSuburb.
  • PostalState.
  • PostalPostCode.
  • StartDate.
  • EmploymentType.
  • PaySchedule.
  • PrimaryPayCategory.
  • PrimaryLocation.
  • PaySlipNotificationType.
  • Rate.
  • RateUnit.
  • HoursPerWeek.
  • BankAccount1_BSB.
  • BankAccount1_AccountNumber.
  • BankAccount1_AccountName.
  • BankAccount1_AllocatedPercentage.
  • SuperFund1_FundName.
  • SuperFund1_MemberNumber.
  • SuperFund1_AllocatedPercentage.

Watch the training video

imp_employees.png

Explore related content

  • Add and save Employee Notes This feature allows you to add notes to an employee's file. This can include interactions with the employee, or any requests made.
  • Upload and save Timesheet Documents This feature allows you to upload documents to an employee's timesheets to provide context or any required additional information.

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