---
title: "Bulk import of teams"
slug: "bulk-import-of-teams"
description: "Import teams into Payhawk spend management platform using CSV templates: add team names, managers and members efficiently."
updated: 2026-10-19T11:12:26Z
published: 2026-10-19T11:12:26Z
canonical: "payhawk.com/bulk-import-of-teams"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://payhawk.com/help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bulk import of teams

This article explains how to complete the teams' template accurately.

> [!WARNING]
> Before you start, make sure that all referenced teams and users already exist in your system.

## Adding and updating data in the teams' template

To ensure a successful bulk import of data, refer to the information in the following table.

| **Column name** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Parent team name** | The name of the parent team under which the current team will be nested. | - The parent team must already be present in the **Team name** column. - Leave blank if the category (**Name** column) is at the highest hierarchical level. This means that the team has no parent team. |
| **Team name** | The name of the team you're creating, updating, or to which you are adding members or managers. | (Required) Define clear team names for easy management and visibility. |
| **Team external ID** | The external ID used by your ERP or HR system, or other internal systems, to identify the team. | (Recommended) The field is used for improving the integration process. |
| **Team member** | - It's a drop-down list with predefined values. - Contains the first and last name, and the corporate email address of the team member. | - All users must have been previously imported. - To add multiple team members to the same team, add them on separate rows. |
| **Team manager** | - It's a drop-down list with predefined values. - Contains the first and last name, and the corporate email address of the team manager. | - The team manager must be an existing user. - When importing on a group level, make sure that the selected users are part of the selected entity. |
| **Team ID (do not change)** | The unique ID generated by Payhawk when teams are initially created. | - This ensures that updates apply to the correct team, even if rows are reordered. For example, adding multiple users to the same team has to contain the same **Team ID** from Payhawk. - You must leave this one blank for new teams. |
| **Full path (auto-generated)** | You can ignore this column; it's auto-generated. |  |

The following example shows what the teams' template looks like.

![](https://cdn.payhawk.com/Help%20desk%20images%20moved/Bulk_import_of_teams_20181125_manual.jpg)

## Adding and updating data on a group level

If your group includes multiple entities, the following columns are also applicable.

| **Column name** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Entity** | The specific entity within your group where the team will be created. | - This column is only available on a group level. - Select from the drop-down list of available entities in your group. |

## Bulk import and export of teams

As a Payhawk administrator, you can import your teams in bulk in the following way:

1. In the Payhawk Web Portal, open the app switcher in the top-left corner and go to **Employees** > **Teams**.
2. Click on the three-dot menu and select **Import**.
3. On the next screen, select **Teams**.
4. Click on **Generate template** to download the template file.

![](https://cdn.payhawk.com/Help%20desk%20images%20moved/Bulk_import_of_teams_20250508_manual.jpg)
5. Enter the required data in the template file, then return to the wizard and upload the file. Click on **Upload**.
6. On the **Preview** screen:
  1. Review the data to be added or updated.
  2. From the **Import options** drop-down menu, choose the way you want the system to add the new data.
  3. Select the confirmation checkbox.
  4. Click on **Import**.
7. On the success screen, click on **Done**.

![](https://cdn.payhawk.com/Help%20desk%20images%20moved/Bulk_import_of_teams_2_20250508_manual.jpg)

To export your teams' master data and download it as a ZIP folder, select the **Export** option from the three-dot menu.