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Sync HRIS Data from Elmo

Connect your ELMO HRIS to Culture Amp to sync employee data automatically, reduce manual work, and maintain org accuracy.

Written by Jessie Walsh
Updated this week

Who can use this feature?

Available on:

  • All Culture Amp subscriptions that have an active subscription with Elmo.

You can sync employee data directly from Elmo into Culture Amp as a full import using a secure, one-way connection. This ensures your employee list and demographics are always up-to-date.

Data Flow: Employee Data flows from Elmo into Culture Amp (one-way sync) as a full import. Changes made in Culture Amp will not sync back to your HRIS.

Initial Setup Timeframe: The full setup and validation process for Elmo typically takes 1–2 weeks. Timelines are good-faith estimates and fluctuate based on the complexity of your data model and the responsiveness of internal technical stakeholders during testing. We recommend involving an Elmo administrator early in the process to ensure things run smoothly.

Choosing Your Integration Method

We offer two primary ways to connect your employee data. The table below briefly outlines both and should help with the decision on which is the best approach for your organization:

Method

Type of Import

Best For

Key Difference

Full Native Integration

Full Employee Import

Organizations seeking real-time, daily automation of all employee data that the integration supports.

Data transfer is handled automatically via a secure native integration.

If an employee has an End Date in the HRIS, they will automatically be marked as a former user on that date.

If an existing Culture Amp user is removed entirely from the HRIS report (with no End Date provided), they’ll be marked as a former user upon sync, and their End Date will be set to the day before the import.

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)

Partial Employee Import

Organizations requiring manual control over file creation or highly unique filtering requirements.

You generate a data file and securely transfer it to Culture Amp at scheduled intervals. Unlike the native integration, users missing from an SFTP file are ignored rather than deactivated, unless an explicit End Date is included in the file.

Integration Checklist

Use this checklist to navigate the Elmo integration setup. Each step links to a more detailed section below.

  1. Access Requirements — Prerequisites and system logic.

  2. Step 1: Connect and Authenticate — Entering credentials into Culture Amp.

  3. Step 2: Demographic Field Mapping — Aligning Elmo fields with Culture Amp.

  4. Step 3: Choose Who to Include — Setting up manual exclusion rules (Optional).

  5. Step 4: Set Sync Settings — Configuring notifications and automated daily syncs.

  6. Step 5: Run Your First Sync — Reviewing and importing records.

  7. Troubleshooting/FAQs — Solving errors, duplicates, and common Elmo issues.

Before You Start: Access Requirements

To establish the connection, ensure you have the correct administrative access on both platforms. Elmo requires a dedicated API connection to act as the secure bridge for data transfer. You may need to contact your Elmo Account Manager to confirm you have appropriate access.

Platform

Role / Component

Required Access

Rationale

Culture Amp

Admin Role

Account Administrator or Employee Data Full Permissions

Required to access integration settings and validate the Elmo connection.

ELMO

API Access

API Key, Personal Access Token, and Username

A dedicated API connection is required to fetch data. Contact your Elmo Account Manager to confirm access.

Important Considerations & Data Limitations

  • Full Import Process: ELMO uses a full import process. Any employees currently in Culture Amp who are not included in the ELMO sync file will be marked as Former employees, with their End Date set to the day before the sync.

  • Field Type Support: Only custom text fields can be imported via the ELMO API. Dropdown fields are currently not supported.

  • Name Formatting: The "Name" field in Culture Amp will automatically combine the First and Last name fields from ELMO. The "Preferred Name" field will pull from the First Name field in ELMO only.

Step 1: Connect & Authenticate Your Elmo Account

First, contact your Elmo Account Manager to ensure you have appropriate API access to run the integration. You can then proceed to connect the integration in Culture Amp.

  1. In Culture Amp, sign in as an Account Administrator or Employee Data Administrator.

  2. Go to Settings > Integrations, under the Account menu.

  3. Click the ELMO tile.

  4. Enter your ELMO Username, API Key, and Personal Access Token.

  5. Click Validate credentials to confirm access.

Note: If you're unsure about your ELMO API details, contact your ELMO Account Manager.

Step 2: Setting up Demographic Field Mapping

Once authenticated, you will choose which Elmo fields to sync. You can use Standard Mapping for a quick, automated setup, or Advanced Mapping for custom control.

Option 1: Standard Core Demographic Mapping (Default)

Core demographics are automatically mapped to their Culture Amp equivalents. You do not need to do anything for these fields to sync, provided they exist in Elmo.

Typical Elmo UI Label

Culture Amp Field Name (Destination)

Notes

First Name and Last Name

Name

Both Elmo fields are combined, so that employees' full names are pulled into the Name field on Culture Amp.

First Name

Preferred Name

Can be used for survey and cycle communications.

Employee Number

Employee ID

Secondary Unique identifier; ID must be different for each employee.

Email

Email

Primary Unique identifier; Email must be different for each employee. Used to deliver communications.

Date of Birth

Date of Birth

Unlocks Age banding for survey reports.

Hire Date

Start Date

Unlocks Tenure banding and automated "New Hire" surveys.

Termination Date

End Date

Used to terminate employees. Unlocks automated Exit surveys and attrition reporting.

Manager ID

Manager Email

Hierarchy Anchor. The integration uses the Manager's Employee Number to look up their associated email address within the data set.

Custom Demographics: Adding Additional Fields

Beyond core data, you can sync additional demographics (e.g., Department, Division) to enable granular reporting and filtering. To unlock the full power of the Culture Amp platform, we recommend including the following fields at a minimum:

Field Name

Notes

Language

Sets the employee’s preferred platform language. Use the appropriate two-letter System Code (e.g., en, es).

Exclude from Culture Amp

To exclude users, create a custom field called Exclude from Culture Amp in your report; users with this field set to "Yes" will not be imported.

Refer to our Employee Data Template for a complete list of recommended demographics, formatting requirements, and data suggestions.

  • How to add: Check the boxes for any desired demographics in the "Additional Fields" section of the Culture Amp setup page.

  • Missing a field? If a specific demographic does not appear in the list, create it as a new custom text field within Elmo and refresh the integration page.

Option 2: Advanced Custom Mapping

Toggle "Advanced Mapping" on to manually define exactly how Elmo fields feed into Culture Amp.

Note: Manual Mapping Required: While Name, Employee Id, and Email will remain pre-mapped under "Mandatory Fields," all other core demographics (like Start Date, End Date, and Manager Email) are no longer automated when Advanced Mapping is toggled on. You must manually add these as Additional Fields to ensure they sync.

  1. Why use this? Use this if you want to match Elmo fields to existing Culture Amp demographic labels that use different names. Check your Account Demographics page to see what you have set up.

  2. Identify Fields: The bolded field name is the title in Culture Amp; the blue dropdown shows the corresponding Elmo field.

  3. Combine Fields: Use the "+ Add field" button to combine multiple Elmo fields (using "AND" or "OR" logic) into a single demographic.

  4. Rename Labels: Click the pencil (edit) icon next to a demographic name to change its title in Culture Amp (this will be the field name that the Elmo field feeds into).

  5. Apply Changes: Click Save Integration to finalize your mapping.

Hierarchy Mapping in Advanced Mode

If you have enabled Advanced Mapping, you must manually configure your hierarchy fields. Because the system uses a lookup logic to connect employees to their managers, the mapping must be precise to ensure the sync doesn't fail or leave managers blank.

  1. Map the Manager Field: In the Advanced Mapping section, add the Elmo Manager field and map it to the Manager demographic in Culture Amp.

  2. Match Employee Identifiers (Critical): Ensure that Employee Id (Culture Amp) is mapped to Employee Number (Elmo). If you map to the generic "Id" field from Elmo instead of "Employee Number," the hierarchy sync may fail.

  3. Demographic Setup: Before syncing, ensure a demographic named exactly Manager Email exists on your Account Demographics page in Culture Amp.

Once these steps are completed, the integration will automatically:

  1. Link to the Manager ID field from ELMO (this field contains the unique Employee Number of each employee's direct manager).

  2. Use this Manager ID to look up the corresponding manager's name and email address within the ELMO data set.

  3. Populate the Manager Email and Manager Name demographics in Culture Amp.

Note: These field names must remain exactly as suggested by the integration and should not be changed to ensure the automated lookup functions correctly.

Step 3: Choose Who to Include in the Sync (Optional)

If you need to exclude specific individuals (such as contractors or temporary staff) from your sync, you can use a Custom Exclusion Field.

  1. In Elmo: Create a custom field titled exactly Exclude from Culture Amp.

  2. Set Values: This field must use "Yes" and "No" values. Anyone marked "Yes" will be skipped by the sync.

  3. In Culture Amp: Ensure this new field is selected in your Additional Fields (Standard Mapping) or mapped in Advanced Mapping.

  4. Save & Sync: On your next sync, anyone with a "Yes" in this field will be excluded. If they already have a profile in Culture Amp, they will be terminated as a Former Employee.

Example, using Advanced Mapping:

Step 4: Set Sync Settings and Save

  1. Set Sync Settings:

    • Notification Email: Select the email of a Culture Amp administrator or employee data full permissions user to be contacted in case of sync errors.

    • Daily Syncs: We recommend leaving this disabled until after your first manual sync is successful.

  2. Click Save Settings.

Step 5: Run Your First Employee Data Sync

Once you've connected your account and finalized your mapping, the Integrations page in Culture Amp will update. Follow these steps to run your first employee data sync:

  1. Click Sync on the Data Integrations page

  2. Review the Import Summary to ensure all users and demographics are accounted for. Carefully examine the review screen, which shows the number of new employees to be created, existing employees to be updated, included demographics, and employees to be deactivated.

  3. Verify Hierarchy: At this stage, you can confirm if your manager data is flowing correctly.

  4. If the data looks correct, click Import Data to pull the data into Culture Amp.

  5. If errors appear, click Cancel to stop the sync and troubleshoot the flagged issues.

Add or Update Your Hierarchy

The process for managing your hierarchy depends on whether you have a previously validated hierarchy demographic in Culture Amp. Review the paths below to determine the correct setup for your organization.

Updating an Existing Hierarchy

If you already use "Manager Email" in Culture Amp, you can maintain this setup. If using Advanced Mapping, ensure you map Manager (Culture Amp) → Manager (Elmo). This mapping will automatically populate the existing Manager Email hierarchy on Culture Amp.

If you use a custom label (e.g., "Leader Email") for your existing hierarchy:

  1. Contact Culture Amp Support to switch your hierarchy identifier to Manager Email. (Note: This may impact historical leader-based reports; we recommend chatting with a specialist to confirm the best steps).

  2. Alternatively, keep your custom label for historical data and maintain it via manual CSV imports. The Elmo sync will not update custom hierarchy fields.

Tip: Check Settings > Employee Data > Demographics for the hierarchy symbol (three nodes) to verify your current title.

Adding a New Hierarchy

If this is your first time setting up a hierarchy:

  1. Complete your first Elmo sync.

  2. Ensure "Manager" → "Manager" mapping is in place (only required if using Advanced Mapping).

  3. Follow our Hierarchy Validation steps to validate using Manager Email (which is automatically populated in Culture Amp based on your Manager → Manager mapping.

Technical Hierarchy Requirements

  • Include All Managers: Every manager must be included in your Elmo sync. If a manager is excluded from the sync their direct reports will appear without a manager in Culture Amp.

  • Demographics using Name values (e.g Manager Name) cannot be used for the hierarchy

  • Identify the Top Leader: Ensure the "Manager" field is blank in Elmo for your CEO or top-level leader. This defines the "top" of your organizational tree.

  • Use the Standard Identifier: For Elmo-driven hierarchies, use the standard Manager Email demographic in Culture Amp. Do not rename this demographic; if you need to use a different label, follow the "Existing Hierarchy" path above or contact Support.

Troubleshooting/FAQs

General Data Integrity & Import Management

The first step when investigating any data issue is to check the Import Summary Screen for your most recent import.

  1. Go to Settings > Employee Data > Import History.

  2. Select your most recent import to view details.

This screen provides information on the state of your integration, any specific errors, or will prompt you to run a manual sync to identify problems.

Common Elmo Integration Errors

Issue

Possible Cause

Resolution

Connection/Validation Failed

Credentials: The Username, API Key, or Personal Access Token is incorrect or has expired.

Re-verify your credentials with your ELMO Account Manager. Ensure you are using Production details rather than Sandbox/Test details.

Hierarchy Error / Manager Email is blank

Mapping Error: You have mapped the Culture Amp "Employee Id" to the ELMO "Id" field instead of Employee Number.

In Advanced Mapping, ensure Employee Id (Culture Amp) is mapped to Employee Number (ELMO). The hierarchy lookup requires the Employee Number to function.

Field not syncing

Unsupported Field Type: The field in ELMO is a dropdown or a non-text field.

The ELMO API only supports custom text fields. Mirror the data into a text field in ELMO or use a different field type.

Placeholder/Test users appearing

API Environment: You are connected to an ELMO Sandbox or Test environment.

Update your integration settings with your live production API credentials.

Switching from CSV or Other Imports

If you are moving from CSV uploads or a different integration, keep the following in mind:

  • Demographic Consistency: When mapping fields, you must map the data to the exact same demographic field you used historically (e.g., mapping to "TEAM" is different from mapping to "TEAM NAME"). Using an incorrect or slightly different title risks discontinuity in your trended survey results.

  • Recommended Action: To avoid confusion, we recommend navigating to Settings > Employee Data Demographics and deleting the old, unused demographics after your first successful sync. (This won't impact any previous survey results.)

Handling Duplicate Employees

Culture Amp uses two fields as unique identifiers for user profiles: Email and Employee ID.

  • As long as at least one of these remains consistent between Elmo and Culture Amp, the sync will successfully update the existing profile rather than creating a new one.

  • Duplicate Risk: If you change both the Email and the Employee ID simultaneously in Hibob, the sync will not find a match and will create a duplicate profile.

If you see a duplicate profile error flag during your import, take the following steps:

Scenario

Action to Take

A. Before Changes Are Applied

During the first sync review screen, stop the sync. Update the employee emails in Culture Amp to match those in Elmo.

  1. Go to the Culture Amp Users page,

  2. Click on the name of the employee you want to update.

  3. Update their email.

  4. Click Save and Exit to update.

  5. Repeat for all duplicated employees.

  6. Then, retry the integration sync.

B. After Changes Are Applied

To clean up the duplicated profiles:

  1. Go to the Culture Amp Users page,

  2. Locate the newest duplicate profile for that user. Click on the name to open up their profile.

  3. Remove existing Email/Employee ID and assign a fake Email or Employee ID to the user and save.

  4. Deactivate this updated profile.

  5. Update the original user profile to match emails in Elmo. This keeps the history on the existing employee record.

Further Guidance

Check out our dedicated support guide for further information on duplicate employee clean-up.

Sync Blocked to Protect Employee Privacy

Your automated daily sync might be blocked if Culture Amp detects a high-risk change for an employee. You will receive an email notification if this occurs.

  • When It Happens: The sync is blocked if a combination of an employee's Name, Date of Birth, or Email is changed simultaneously.

  • Purpose: This prevents one employee from accidentally getting access to another employee's private information (like performance reviews).

  • Fix: If you've intentionally changed the employee's details, you can run a manual sync to push the change through. Go to Settings > Employee Data > Users, click Import data, and select Sync. Culture Amp will guide you through the rest.

Related pages:

💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a support conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.

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