How to import and manage users with a File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

FTP integration allows you to securely and automatically sync user data from an external system to Kudos using a scheduled file upload. This option is ideal for HR teams who want to keep user records up to date without uploading files manually.

Kudos supports the following FTP connection types:

• SFTP with username and password
• SFTP with SSH key
• FTPS

Once your connection is active, Kudos will automatically sync your user file once per day at midnight. You can also manually trigger a sync at any time. This approach helps ensure your user records remain in sync with your HRIS or other source of truth with minimal effort.

If you're unfamiliar with FTP or need help configuring a secure server, reach out to your IT team or contact Support, we're happy to assist. Otherwise, consider these alternative methods of importing HR records:

• How to Add users to Kudos
• How to import and manage users with an HRIS integration
• How to import and manage users with a CSV file

• You want to automate daily user updates from your HRIS or data system
• Your HR or IT team manages a secure server where files can be stored and shared
• You’ve validated your file using a manual upload and are ready to automate the sync
• You want to keep new hires, terminations, and team assignments continuously up to date

Creating your FTP connection

First, you'll need to determine where your File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server will be hosted. You have two options:

• Use your own FTP server – If your organization already has an internal FTP server or plans to set one up for this purpose, continue with the setup steps below. You’ll enter your internal server’s hostname, port, login credentials, and folder paths. 
• Use a Kudos-hosted FTP server – If you prefer Kudos to host the FTP server, contact our Support team to request access. You'll receive a ShareFile invitation prompting you to create (or sign in with) your ShareFile username & password. Once you have access to the Kudos ShareFile server, you'll be able to retrieve the necessary connection details and continue with the setup.

Next, you'll need to ensure your FTP user account has either "delete" or "rename" permissions, without which the file transfer will fail.

Finally, input your connection settings and define your upload preferences:

1. In Kudos, go to Admin > Integrations > FTP
2. Click Manage
3. Click Create FTP connection
4. Enter a familiar but unique Connection name (e.g., "Nightly HRIS Sync")
5. Choose your protocol type:
   • SFTP (username + password or SSH key)
   • FTPS
   • Note: Consult with your IT team if you're unsure which protocol type to use
6. Enter the required server details based on your selected protocol:
   • Host
   • File path
   • Port (22 for SFTP, 990 for FTPS)
   • Credentials (username/password or SSH key)
     • Your IT team should provide you an SSH Key if required
7. Enable PGP encrypted (optional) if you will send .PGP or .GPG files
8. Define your upload settings
   • Enable Update existing users if you want to apply new data to matched users. 
     • This will also give you the option to clear existing data. If Delete data from empty cells is checked, empty cells in your CSV will delete the corresponding data on existing users. If unchecked, empty cells will be skipped.
   • Enable Send invite email to new users if you want to automatically invite new users to Kudos (leave unchecked if you prefer to invite new users manually later on).
9. Determine who should be notified of sync results and when: every upload or only when errors occur
10. Click Save

Note: Hold off on enabling your connection until your file is available at the designated path and meets formatting standards (refer to the CSV template formatting section below).

Preparing your file

We strongly recommend testing your CSV file by uploading it manually to validate your data formatting. Refer to this article for more information how how to manually bulk upload users: How to import and manage users with a CSV file. 

Your CSV file must include specific fields and formats. Download the Kudos template and use the table below as a guide. Correct file formatting helps prevent sync errors and ensures clean, reliable user data in Kudos. 

The column headers listed from top to bottom represent the correct order from left to right in the CSV template.

Testing your connection

Once you've validated and successfully imported your file manually, make sure it's available at the designated path and test your FTP connection.

1. Go to Admin > Integrations > FTP > Manage and find your connection
2. Click Sync now to test your setup
3. Once the upload is complete, got to the Sync history tab
4. Review the Status column
   • If the sync failed or was incomplete, download the error report, check your file location, data format, and credentials. 

Managing your connection

1. Click Edit to change your connection settings as needed
   • Some sensitive fields (SSH Key, PGP key) cannot be edited and will require you to create a new connection if any changes need to be made.
2. Use the Sync history table to review uploads and access error report details

Note: It's best to set up separate connections for different systems/departments; use clear names and confirm each file maps to the correct group/region.

Managing users

Like an HRIS integration, CSV imports ensure your HR records are captured accurately in Kudos as employee records. The advantage is that user records are also created and updated with each import, so you only need to work from the Users & teams section.

1. New hires: If Send invite email to new users is checked, new users automatically receive an email invitation, and their status shows as Invitation sent. If Send invite email to new users is not checked:
   • New users show as Account created
   • Go to Users & teams, filter by Account created, and send invitations when ready (find out more in this article: How to invite users)
2. Updates: User records should match your HR data and cannot be edited manually in Kudos. To make updates, adjust your CSV file and re-import it; records in your CSV file that match existing records based on Email address or Employee Id will be updated with the new data.
3. Departures: You can manually archive terminated users from the Users table for immediate access removal. Alternatively, employees can be archived with your next FTP file sync in 1 of 2 ways:
   • Changing their Active status from true to false
   • Adding a termination date

• Test your file using a manual CSV upload before setting up the FTP sync
• Involve your IT team early if you're unfamiliar with FTP or don’t have a secure file server
• Use consistent filenames and paths to reduce sync issues
• Check sync logs regularly to confirm successful uploads
• Fix issues at the source—any formatting errors must be corrected in the originating system

Q: How often does the FTP sync run?
A: Once per day at midnight (local time). You can also use Sync now for a manual run.

Q: Can I upload more than one file?
A: Yes, each connection supports up to 5 files or you can create a new connection for each file.

Q: What if I don’t have a secure file server?
A: Reach out to your IT team for help, or contact Kudos Support to explore server provisioning options.

Q: Where can I get the correct file template?
A: There’s a link to the standard CSV template on the FTP connection setup page. You can also find it in the Bulk import users page.

Q: Can I test my data before automating?
A: Yes and we recommend it. Upload your file manually first to ensure formatting is correct before enabling automated syncs.

Q: How do I match users from my CSV file to existing users in the system?
A: If the Email address OR Employee Id in your list matches an existing user record, that user record will be updated with the new data or flagged as a potential duplicate.

Q: How do I match managers to employees?
A: The same way you match existing users, by providing a valid Email address or Employee Id for the manager. 

Problem: Sync failed or no users were updated

• Double-check file format and structure
• Confirm the file is present at the specified server path
• Ensure your credentials or SSH key are valid and haven’t expired

Problem: FTP connection won’t save or test fails

• Make sure all required fields are entered
• Validate the host and port
• Try switching from SFTP to FTPS (or vice versa) based on your server config

Problem: Sync works, but users aren’t appearing

• Check the CSV for missing required fields or incorrect formatting
• Confirm users weren’t previously removed or deactivated
• Use the manual upload tool to test the file and view error messages

Problem: I'm unsure how to create or store the file

• Contact your IT team to help set up an export from your HRIS or secure data system
• Reach out to Kudos Support if you don’t have an existing server or need technical guidance