This article explains how to import users into the platform using a CSV file exported from Active Directory and clarifies whether this process adds, updates, or replaces existing users.
Importing users via CSV file
The platform allows loading users from a CSV file with a specific format. This file can be generated, for example, from an export from Active Directory, as long as it is adapted to the model required by SMARTFENSE.
You can download a template with the correct format from:
Users and Groups > Import and Synchronization > Manually from CSV file
This template ensures that the fields and structure of the file are compatible with the platform.
Import behavior: incremental process
Importing users via CSV is an incremental process, which means that:
users who do not yet exist in the database will be created
the data of users already registered will be updated
The platform does not delete or replace existing users during this process.
User identification during import
The platform uses the username specified in the CSV file as the main identifier to determine whether a user should be created or updated.
For this reason, it is important that:
usernames are consistent between imports
they are not unnecessarily changed between versions of the file
Changing the username in the CSV will cause the platform to create a new record instead of updating the existing one.
💡 Best practices
Always use the template downloaded from Users and Groups > Import and Synchronization > Manually from CSV file to avoid formatting errors.
Before performing a bulk import, validate the CSV file in a test environment or with a subset of users.
Maintain a stable identifier (username) in exports from Active Directory to ensure updates are applied correctly and records are not duplicated.
🏷️ Suggested tags
user import, csv, active directory, synchronization, users and groups, user management