How to add and onboard deskless users in Kudos

Deskless users are employees who do not have a company-issued work email address. Instead of using email-based authentication, they access Kudos with their Employee ID and a password they create using a unique signup code provided by your organization.

This setup helps you include deskless and desk-bound employees in the same Kudos program without creating placeholder email accounts. Admins can add deskless users through FTP provisioning, manual CSV upload, or by manually creating users in Kudos, then generate and securely distribute the information employees need to activate their accounts.

• Launching Kudos to employees who do not have company-issued email addresses
• Supporting a mixed workforce with both desk-bound and deskless employees
• Adding new deskless employees through an existing CSV or FTP provisioning process
• Giving deskless employees a way to securely recover their account using a personal email address or phone number
• Helping a deskless employee regain access when they did not set up a recovery method

Prepare your employee data

Before activating deskless users, add their employee information to Kudos through FTP, manual CSV upload, or manual user creation.

1. Make sure every deskless user has an EmployeeID.
2. Confirm each EmployeeID is unique across all active and archived users. Employee IDs are not case-sensitive.
3. For CSV or FTP imports, set the Email Address value to FALSE for deskless users.
4. If you are creating a user manually in Kudos, leave the email address blank.

Important: Do not enter an email address for a deskless user. Kudos determines the user type based on whether an email exists:

• Email present = desk-bound worker
• Email Address set to FALSE in a CSV or FTP import = deskless worker

File specifications and formatting guidance are also available through the Bulk upload page help drawer.

Upload or create your users

Employee data can be added using one of the following methods:

1. Import the employee file through FTP.
2. Upload a CSV manually in Kudos.
3. Create users manually in Kudos.

Generate signup codes

After your deskless employees have been added to Kudos:

1. Go to Users & teams and open the Users tab.
2. Select Filters.
3. Open the Login type filter.
4. Select Employee ID to display deskless users.
5. Select individual users, or use the checkbox at the top of the user list to select all filtered users.
6. Click Generate signup codes.
7. Choose how long the signup codes should remain valid.

The recommended validity period is 30 days. You can set a shorter period for additional security or extend the validity period up to a maximum of 60 days.

Important: Each employee receives a unique signup code. Generating a new code for a user invalidates any signup codes previously generated for that user.

Download the activation file

After generating the signup codes:

1. Download the generated CSV.
2. Review the employee signup information before distributing it.

The activation file includes:

• Employee ID
• First name
• Last name
• Manager
• Country
• Department
• Location
• Unique signup code
• Valid until date
• Signup link

The signup link is the same for all employees included in the file, while each signup code is unique.

Send signup information to employees

Your organization is responsible for securely distributing activation information to each employee.

Signup codes allow employees to create their passwords, so treat them as sensitive information. Remind employees not to share their signup code with anyone other than the intended recipient.

You can distribute signup information using methods such as:

• Mail merge campaigns
• Printed handouts
• HR onboarding packets
• SMS or internal communication tools

Provide each employee with:

• Signup URL
• Employee ID
• Signup code
• Activation instructions
• Support contact information
• Information about your Kudos program and the features you plan to use

Employee activation

Deskless employees activate their own accounts after receiving their signup information.

On the Welcome to Kudos page, the employee will:

1. Enter their Employee ID.
2. Enter their Signup code.
3. Enter a password in Create password.
4. Enter the password again in Confirm password.
5. Select Create account.

Set up a recovery method

After creating their account, employees can add a recovery method to securely reset their password if they forget it.

The Add a recovery method page allows the employee to use:

• Phone number
• Email

To add a recovery method:

1. Select Phone number or Email.
2. Enter the personal phone number or email address they want to use for account recovery.
3. Select Next.
4. Complete any additional verification steps shown on screen.

Employees can also select Skip for now if they do not want to add a recovery method during signup.

Important: Recovery contact information is used only to help the employee regain access to their account. 

Understanding the deskless login experience

All employees use the same Kudos login page, but their credentials depend on their account type.

Deskless users log in with:

• Employee ID
• Password

Desk-bound users continue to log in with:

• Email address
• Password

No changes are required for existing desk-bound employees.

Reset a deskless user's password

The password reset process depends on whether the employee added a recovery method.

Employees with a recovery method

If the employee added a recovery phone number or personal email address, they can use that recovery method to reset their password without contacting an admin.

Employees without a recovery method

If the employee selected Skip for now during signup and later forgets their password, an admin must help them regain access.

1. Go to Users & teams and open the Users tab.
2. Select Filters.
3. Set Login type to Employee ID.
4. Find and select the employee who needs help.
5. Generate a new signup code for the employee.
6. Securely share the new signup code with the employee.
7. Ask the employee to use the signup page again to create a new password.

Remember that generating a new signup code invalidates any previously generated signup code for that employee.

• Encourage deskless employees to add a recovery phone number or personal email during signup. This gives them a self-service option if they forget their password.
• Let employees know that recovery contact information is used only for account recovery.
• Confirm Employee IDs are unique before importing your file. The same EmployeeID cannot be used by another active or archived user.
• Avoid entering work email addresses for deskless users. An email address causes Kudos to treat the employee as a desk-bound user.
• Use the recommended 30-day signup code validity period unless your rollout requires a different timeframe. Shorter validity periods can help reduce security risk.
• Generate signup codes close enough to your rollout date that employees have time to activate before the codes expire.
• Treat activation files and signup codes as sensitive information. Choose a secure distribution method and remind employees not to share their codes.

Admin questions

Q: How does Kudos identify a deskless user?
A: Deskless users do not have an email address associated with their account. For CSV or FTP imports, set Email Address to FALSE. If you are creating the user manually in Kudos, leave the email address blank.

Q: How can I find deskless users in Kudos?
A: Go to Users & teams > Users, select Filters, open Login type, and select Employee ID. You can then select individual users or use the checkbox at the top of the user list to select all filtered users.

Q: Is EmployeeID required?
A: Yes. EmployeeID is required for deskless users, is not case-sensitive, and must be unique across active and archived users.

Q: How long can a signup code remain valid?
A: The recommended period is 30 days. You can customize the validity period up to a maximum of 60 days.

Q: What happens if a new signup code is generated for the same employee?
A: The previous signup code is immediately invalidated. Only the newly generated code can be used.

Q: Do admins always need to reset a deskless user's password?
A: No. Employees who add a recovery phone number or personal email can use their recovery method if they forget their password. Admin assistance is required when the employee does not have a recovery method available.

Q: Can deskless and desk-bound employees use Kudos at the same time?
A: Yes. Deskless employees log in with Employee ID and password, while desk-bound employees continue using their email address and password.

Employee questions

Q: What does a deskless employee need to activate their account?
A: They need the signup link, their Employee ID, and their unique signup code.

Q: What can employees use as a recovery method?
A: They can add a phone number or personal email address.

Q: Is adding a recovery method required?
A: No. Employees can select Skip for now. However, if they later forget their password without a recovery method, they will need to contact an admin for assistance.

Q: Can a deskless employee sign in with their recovery email address?
A: No. Deskless users continue to log in using their Employee ID and password. The personal email or phone number is used for account recovery.

Q: What should an employee do if they lose their signup code?
A: They should contact their Kudos administrator or manager and request a new signup code.

Q: What happens if an employee forgets their password?
A: If they added a recovery method, they can use it to reset their password. If they did not add a recovery method, they need to contact an administrator for a new signup code.

Problem: A deskless user is being treated as a desk-bound user.

• Review the employee record or import file for an email address.
• For CSV or FTP imports, confirm Email Address is set to FALSE.
• If creating the user manually, confirm the email address was left blank.
• Confirm the employee has an EmployeeID.

Problem: A deskless user does not appear when filtering by Employee ID.

• Confirm the user has an EmployeeID.
• Review whether an email address was added to the user's record.
• For CSV or FTP imports, confirm Email Address was set to FALSE.
• Clear other active filters that may be limiting the user list.

Problem: An employee's signup code no longer works.

• Check the Valid until date in the activation file.
• Confirm whether a newer signup code was generated for the employee.
• Remember that generating a new code invalidates all previously generated codes for that user.
• Generate and securely provide a new signup code if needed.

Problem: An employee forgot their password and has a recovery method.

• Ask the employee to use their recovery phone number or personal email to reset their password.
• Confirm they are using the recovery method they added to their account.

Problem: An employee forgot their password and does not have a recovery method.

• Go to Users & teams and filter by Login type > Employee ID.
• Select the employee who needs assistance.
• Generate a new signup code.
• Securely share the updated code.
• Ask the employee to use the signup page again to create a new password.
• Encourage the employee to add a recovery method after regaining access.

Problem: An employee cannot activate their account.

• Confirm they are using the signup link provided by your organization.
• Confirm they are entering their Employee ID rather than an email address.
• Confirm they are using the correct, current signup code.
• Check that the signup code is still within its validity period.
• Confirm the new password meets all requirements displayed on the signup page.
• Generate a new code if the existing code has expired or was replaced.