Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions that include Performance
Overview
Use Historical Uploads to bring past performance review data into Culture Amp. This feature helps you centralize employee insights by importing reviews from other platforms, so you can keep a complete view of performance in one place.
Why Use Historical Uploads?
All-in-One View: Keep employee performance history together, even if reviews were done elsewhere.
Better Insights: See long-term growth and trends for every employee.
Fully Integrated: Imported data appears in Employee Profiles and Performance Insights, just like reviews completed in Culture Amp.
Before You Begin
Make sure the following are in place before importing:
Employee data is uploaded: Each person included in your historical data must already exist in Culture Amp. Users can be imported as either inactive or active to be included in the historical cycle.
Accounts are merged: If you’re merging accounts, ensure the original account is deactivated first.
Identifiers match: Email addresses and employee IDs in your import files must match what's shown in each user’s Culture Amp profile.
Historical data is accessible: Confirm that you have the historical content ready (e.g., self-reflections, peer and upward feedback, manager reviews) ready for upload.
Consent is obtained: You’re responsible for confirming that your organization has valid consent to import employee data. When you complete the upload, you’ll be asked to acknowledge that consent has been obtained. Culture Amp does not provide specific guidance on this, as your organization owns the data and manages consent according to your internal policies.
How to Import Historical Review Data
Step 1: Download the Template Package
Log in as a Account Admin.
Go to Account settings > under the Account section, select Performance historical uploads.
Click Download template package.
The ZIP file includes six CSV templates:
cycle_detailsself_reflectionsmanager_reviewspeer_feedbackupward_feedbackquestions
Tip: Review the sample files in the ZIP and read the template examples below before editing. This helps ensure your formatting is correct.
Step 2: Fill Out the Templates
Open each template from your downloaded zip and enter your data.
Do not rename the files or change the column headers or field names. These must match exactly.
Fill in all required fields and save each file as a
.csvusing the original file names.Keep all files together in one folder.
Note: Incorrect file names, missing required fields, or wrong formats will block your import.
Step 3: Upload the file
Zip the folder containing your completed CSV files.
Log in as a Account Admin.
Go to Account settings > Performance historical uploads.
Click Import Cycle and upload your ZIP file.
If you see an error that the file can’t be read or found, confirm:
The file names match exactly
It’s saved as a
.csv(not Excel or another format)Make sure all required columns and values are present and formatted correctly
Template Overviews and Examples
1. cycle_details.csv Instructions
This file sets up the basic details for your performance review cycle. Think of it as the "master settings" for your entire upload.
Key | Description |
Cycle Name | Name of the review cycle (e.g., Mid-Year 2023) |
Locales | Language code (e.g., |
Self Reflection Intro Text | Optional introductory text |
Peer Feedback Intro Text | Optional introductory text |
Upward Feedback Intro Text | Optional introductory text |
Manager Review Intro Text | Optional introductory text |
Manager Review Acknowledgement Enabled | Enter |
Start Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Start date in |
End Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | End date in |
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Missing or incorrect date format | Use the |
Missing required keys (e.g., Cycle Name, Locales) | Make sure all required fields are included and filled out in the Key column. |
Using an unrecognized key or changing the Key column header | Don’t rename or edit the Key column or add new keys not listed in the template. |
File not saved or uploaded correctly | Save the file as a |
Locales field includes incorrectly formatted languages | If using multiple languages, list the language codes under the Locales column with a space between each (e.g., |
2. questions.csv Instructions
Defines the questions used for each review unit (Self-reflection, Peer & Upward Feedback and Manager Review).
Structure:
Grouped by Type (e.g., Self Reflection, Manager Review)
Each question must include at least: title, type, and source text.
Each row = one part of a question (title, type, description, etc.)
For multilingual reviews, add extra columns like
Source (es)for Spanish content.
Column Name | Description |
Type | Review type e.g.,
|
Item | Describes the part of the question e.g.,
|
Source (en) | Content to display in English |
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Duplicate question titles | Make sure each question has a unique title. |
Invalid question types | Use only supported types: |
Missing required questions for review types | Include at least one question for every review type you're uploading data for (e.g., if you include |
Missing required fields (title, type, source text) | Ensure each question includes a title, a valid type, and content in the |
Missing question links in related data files | Make sure questions in this file match the ones referenced in the unit templates like |
Too few or too many options for rating or select questions | For |
Linking Questions to Review Data
Any question added in the questions.csv file must also be included in the relevant unit template where you’re uploading responses (like self_reflections.csv, manager_reviews.csv, peer_feedback.csv, or upward_feedback.csv).
Here’s how it works:
Each question appears as a new column in the relevant unit file (e.g., a self-reflection question will be added to
self_reflections.csv).Enter each employee’s response in their row, under the relevant question.
For example:
If you add three self-reflection questions in your questions.csv, you’ll then add those three questions as separate columns in self_reflections.csv (in the same order), with each employee's answers on their respective row.
Make sure to double-check that the text of each question column exactly matches the question title in questions.csv to avoid errors during import.
3. self_reflections.csv Instructions
This file is for uploading employees' own self-reflection answers.
Column Name | Description |
employee_email | Email address of the employee from their user profile |
employee_id | Unique employee ID from their user profile |
status (COMPLETE/INCOMPLETE) | Enter |
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Column headers are renamed or missing | Use the exact headers from the template: |
Employee not found in Culture Amp | Confirm that the email and ID match an active or inactive user profile in Culture Amp. |
Missing linked question in | Ensure that at least one |
Invalid status value | Only use |
4. manager_reviews.csv Instructions
This file is for uploading manager review responses.
Column Name | Description |
manager_email | Manager’s email address |
manager_employee_id | Manager’s unique employee ID |
employee_email | Email of the Employee being reviewed. |
employee_id | Employee ID of the person being reviewed. |
status (COMPLETE/INCOMPLETE) | Enter |
shared (YES/NO) | Enter |
acknowledged (YES/NO) | Enter |
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Column headers are renamed or missing | Use the exact headers from the template. Don’t rename, reorder, or remove any columns. |
Employees or managers not found in Culture Amp | Double-check that all email addresses and employee IDs match existing user profiles (active or inactive). |
Missing related questions in | Ensure that at least one |
Invalid values in the | Use only the accepted values: |
5. peer_feedback.csv Instructions
This file is for uploading feedback given by peers.
Column Name | Description |
reviewer_email | Email address of the peer providing the feedback. |
reviewer_id | Employee ID of the peer reviewer providing the feedback |
reviewee_email | Email address of the person receiving the feedback. |
reviewee_id | Employee ID of the person receiving the feedback. |
status (COMPLETE/INCOMPLETE) |
|
shared (YES/NO) |
|
Note: Use this file when employees give feedback on their peers. For feedback on managers, use upward_feedback.csv.
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Reviewer or reviewee not found in Culture Amp | Check that all email addresses and employee IDs match existing user profiles (active or inactive). |
Missing matching questions in | Include at least one |
Column headers are duplicated, renamed, or mismatched | Use the exact column headers from the template and avoid adding or removing any columns. |
Invalid values in | Only use |
6. upward_feedback.csv Instructions
This file is for uploading feedback given to managers (upward feedback).
Column Name | Description |
reviewer_email | Email of the direct report providing the feedback. |
reviewer_id | Employee ID of the direct report. |
reviewee_email | Email of the manager being reviewed |
reviewee_id | Employee ID of the manager being reviewed. |
status (COMPLETE/INCOMPLETE) | Enter |
shared (YES/NO) | Enter |
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Error | How to Fix It |
Employee or reviewer details not found in Culture Amp | Verify that the emails and employee IDs match the existing user profiles exactly. |
Questions not defined in | Include at least one |
Missing or incorrect values in | Use only accepted values: |
Best Practices
✔️ Start with a test import
Before uploading data for your entire organization, we recommend testing the process with a small sample—like one or two employees. This helps you preview how the data will display and catch any issues early. You can easily delete test cycles if needed. Just note: once uploaded, the data will temporarily appear on a user’s profile until it’s deleted.✔️ Prepare your files
Once you’ve filled out each file, download them individually as CSVs and save them in the same folder. When you're ready, zip the entire folder—this zipped file is what you’ll upload to Culture Amp.✔️ Only one upload at a time
You can only process one historical upload at a time (i.e., one zipped folder). If you start another, it’ll be placed in a queue.✔️ Import time may vary
Import times depend on the size of your dataset. Larger files will take longer, but you can keep using the platform while the import runs. We’ll notify you once it's complete.
Things to Know
Imported cycles are automatically marked as closed and data flows into Employee Profiles and Insights.
Some features—like editing questions or adjusting sharing settings—may be limited for imported data.
Multilingual data is supported.
Only CSV files are accepted—PDF and Excel formats are not supported.
FAQs
Do I need to include all templates in my upload?
No, you only need to include the templates that are relevant to the data you’re uploading. At a minimum you must include the cycle details template. For example, if you're just importing a self-reflection cycle you would include: cycle_details.csv, the questions.csv and the self_reflections.csv file.
Will Culture Amp check if reviewer assignments (like peer vs upward) are correct based on reporting lines?
No. The platform won’t validate reviewer roles against your current reporting structure. Since this is historical data, we assume the assignments you include are intentional and reflect how the review happened at the time, even if reporting lines have since changed.
Can I reorder the columns in the template?
We recommend not changing the column order in any of the templates. Keeping the original structure helps ensure your file uploads correctly.
Are template column headers and fields case-sensitive?
Yes, both the headers and the values you enter are case-sensitive.
For example:
COMPLETEis acceptedCompleteorcompletemay cause an error
We strongly recommend not editing the headers in the template at all.
What if the manager in my file is different from the one currently listed in Culture Amp?
That’s okay. Since you're uploading historical data, the system will accept the manager listed in your file, even if it doesn’t match the one shown in the employee’s current Culture Amp profile.
What if I make a mistake for just one person—can I fix that without redoing the whole upload?
No, if there’s a mistake in the data for one person, you’ll need to re-upload the full cycle. There’s no way to remove a single user and re-add them. Re-uploading will replace the existing data.
Can I edit an imported cycle after it's uploaded?
Yes, most of the cycle can still be edited after upload.
However:
You can’t update editable questions or change sharing settings after the upload.
You can update other elements like the cycle name, dates, reviewers, or intro text.
Related pages:
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