Who can use this feature?

Account administrators, Employee data full permissions

Available on:

All Culture Amp subscriptions.

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

Data Flow: Employee Data flows from Gusto 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 Gusto integration setup is fairly streamlined and can typically be completed within 1-2 days without the need for technical assistance. We recommend involving relevant technical stakeholders to ensure a smooth process.

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 Gusto integration setup. Each step links to a more detailed section below.

Access Requirements & Terminology — Prerequisites and system logic.
Step 1: Connect Integration — Entering credentials into Culture Amp.
Step 2: Select Demographic Fields — Select which custom fields to include
Step 3. Choose Who to Include — Set up inclusion/exclusion rules
Step 3: Run Your First Sync — Reviewing and importing employee records.
Troubleshooting/FAQs — Solving errors, workarounds, and useful tips.

Before You Start: Access Requirements

To establish the connection, ensure you have the correct administrative access on both platforms. Gusto requires a Primary or Full Admin to authorize the secure data "handshake" via OAuth.

Platform	Role / Component	Required Access	Rationale
Culture Amp	Admin Role	Account Administrator or Employee Data Full Permissions	Required to access integration settings and initiate the Gusto connection.
Gusto	Admin Role	Primary Admin or Full Admin Permissions	Essential: Only a top-level admin can authorize the OAuth flow to grant Culture Amp permission to read company employee records.

Important Considerations & Data Limitations

Unique Identifier Logic: Culture Amp uses Email as the primary unique identifier. The integration pulls the Work Email from Gusto; if that is empty, it defaults to the Personal Email.
Employee IDs (UUID): Gusto provides a UUID (a system-generated string) as the Employee ID. Custom or Payroll IDs manually entered in Gusto are not supported for this integration.
Preferred Name: The integration prioritizes the Preferred first name field in Gusto. If blank, it defaults to the employee's Full name.
Exclusion Logic: To filter out specific individuals (like contractors), you must create a custom radio-button field in Gusto titled "Exclude from Culture Amp" with "Yes" and "No" options.
Singular Company: You can only integrate with a single Gusto company ID. Linking to multiple is not supported.
Custom Fields: To create a custom field in Gusto, you'll need to be either a Complete or Concierge customer. For more information, take a look at this article from Gusto's help center.

Step 1. Connect and Authenticate Your Gusto Account

Sign in to Culture Amp with an account that has Account Administrator or Employee data administrator access.
Navigate to your Settings > Account > Integrations page.
Select the Gusto tile from the list of integrations.
Click the Connect to Gusto button.
In the pop-up window, sign in to Gusto with an account that has primary or full admin permissions
Select Authorize Culture Amp to access your Gusto Account
- Your Culture Amp account is now connected and authorized to import employees from Gusto into Culture Amp.
- To disconnect your Gusto and Culture Amp account and remove authorisation, select the Disconnect Link at any time.
- If you have more than one company associated with your Gusto account, select the Company to sync with Culture Amp

Step 2. Select Demographic Fields to Include in Sync

Once authenticated, you will choose which Gusto 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 Gusto.

Typical Gusto UI Label	Culture Amp Field Name	Notes
Full Name	Name	Enter the users full name. Use the format: `First Last`.
Preferred first name	Preferred Name	Can be used for survey and cycle communications.
UUID	Employee ID	Unique identifier; can be used alongside Email for matching employees across systems. Email remains the primary identifier for communications and login. Gusto sends a system-generated UUID (a long unique string). Custom Employee IDs or Payroll IDs manually set in Gusto are not supported.
Work Email / Personal Email	Email	Primary Unique identifier; Email must be different for each employee. Used to deliver communications. The integration pulls the Work Email first; if blank, it defaults to the Personal Email.
Date of Birth	Date of Birth	Unlocks Age banding for survey reports.
Start 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. Gusto only sends a Manager ID, not a manager email. Culture Amp stores this as Manager ID and then derives a Manager Email demographic by looking up the manager’s email from that ID.

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:

Typical HiBob UI Label	Culture Amp Field Name (Destination)	Notes
Language	Preferred Language	Sets the employee’s preferred platform language Use the appropriate two-letter System Code (e.g., `en`, `es`).
Exclude from Culture Amp	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 field within Gusto and refresh the integration page.

Option 2: Advanced Custom Mapping (Beta)

Toggle "Advanced Mapping" on to manually define exactly how Gusto 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 and End Date) are no longer automated when Advanced Mapping is toggled on. You must manually add these as Additional Fields to ensure they sync.

Why use this? Use this if you want to match Gusto fields to existing Culture Amp demographic labels that use different names. Check your Account Demographics page to see what you have set up.
Identify Fields: The bolded field name is the title in Culture Amp; the blue dropdown shows the corresponding Gusto field.
Combine Fields: Use the "+ Add field" button to combine multiple Gusto fields (using "AND" or "OR" logic) into a single demographic.
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 Gusto field feeds into).
Apply Changes: Click Save Integration to finalize your mapping

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

If you wish to exclude specific individuals (such as contractors or temporary staff) from your sync, you can create a custom field titled exactly Exclude from Culture Amp.

To create a custom field in Gusto, you'll need to be either a Complete or Concierge customer. For more information, take a look at this article from Gusto's help center.

Field Type: Radio with 2 options "Yes" or "No"
Set Values: Set this field to "Yes" for any individuals you wish to exclude.
System Logic: During the sync, Culture Amp will skip any record where this field is set to "Yes."
Important Note: If an employee already has an active profile in Culture Amp and you change this field to "Yes," they will be transitioned to a "Former" Employee with an End Date set to the day before the sync.

Step 4. Run Your First Employee Data Sync

You can now begin syncing your employee data. Even if you have enabled daily syncs, we recommend running a manual sync initially to verify your mapping and data health.

Click Sync on the Data Integrations page
Review the Import History to ensure all users and demographics are accounted for.
Verify Hierarchy: At this stage, you can confirm if your manager data is flowing correctly. If you have an existing hierarchy, ensure the manager email/id data is populating the exact validated field identified by the hierarchy icon.
If comfortable, click Confirm to finalize the sync.
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 keep using Manager Email as your hierarchy identifier:

For Gusto, the hierarchy source is Manager ID in Gusto.
As long as Manager ID exists in your HRIS, Culture Amp will continue to populate Manager Email correctly from that field.

If your existing hierarchy is based on a custom demographic rather than Manager Email e.g., Leader Email:

Recommended: Contact Culture Amp Support to switch your hierarchy identifier to Manager Email. This keeps you aligned with the Gusto Manager ID → Manager Email pipeline. (Note: This may impact historical leader-based reports; we recommend chatting with a specialist to confirm the best steps).
Alternative (keep custom for history):
- Continue to maintain your custom hierarchy demographic (e.g., Leader Email) via manual CSV imports only.
- Let the Gusto sync manage Manager Email going forward, but do not rely on the custom field for live hierarchy from Gusto (the integration will not update it).

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 and you’re using Gusto:

Complete your first Gusto sync.
- Run the integration so Culture Amp ingests the data and populates Manager Email from Manager ID.
Confirm the Manager Email demographic in Culture Amp.
- In Settings → Employee data → Demographics, verify that Manager Email exists and is populated after the sync.
Validate hierarchy using Manager Email.
- Follow the standard How to Add Your Hierarchy flow using Manager Email as your hierarchy identifier.

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.

Go to Settings > Employee Data > Import History.
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 Gusto Integration Issues

Error Message / Issue	Potential Cause	Suggested Fix
Employee syncs with Personal Email instead of Work Email	The Work Email field is blank in Gusto for that specific employee.	Gusto uses a fallback logic: it imports the Work Email by default, but if it is empty, it will automatically pull the Personal Email. Populate the Work Email in Gusto to resolve this.
Unable to connect the correct Gusto data	Multiple companies are associated with one Gusto account, and the wrong one was selected.	The integration only supports a single Gusto company. During Step 1, ensure you select the specific company intended for the sync.

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 selecting custom fields to include in the sync, take note that they will be sent through under the exact title they are labelled in Gusto. If you have existing demographic data in Culture Amp, make sure the titles of these demographics match on Gusto, so that you can include them in the sync and ensure the existing demographics are being updated rather than creating new ones.
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 Gusto 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 Gusto, 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 Gusto. Go to the Culture Amp Users page, Click on the name of the employee you want to update. Update their email. Click Save and Exit to update. Repeat for all duplicated employees. Then, retry the integration sync.
B. After Changes Are Applied	To clean up the duplicated profiles: Go to the Culture Amp Users page, Locate the newest duplicate profile for that user. Click on the name to open up their profile. Remove existing Email/Employee ID and assign a fake Email or Employee ID to the user and save. Deactivate this updated profile. Update the original user profile to match emails in Gusto. 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.

Handling Inactive Employees

Gusto utilizes Culture Amp's Full Import logic, which means the data file sent from Gusto is treated as the single source of truth for your active employee list.

Note: The default behavior for users left off your HRIS sync file is to set their end date to the day before the sync date, categorizing them as former employees. If you prefer that these users are treated as deactivated instead, just reply with "Ask a Person" in a Support Conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist and we can adjust the default setting.

Scenario	System Behavior
Past End Date	The employee is automatically marked as a Former Employee and made inactive in Culture Amp instantly.
Future End Date	The employee remains active until the specified date is reached, at which point they are transitioned to Former Employee status, at the end of that day (11.59 PM in the timezone set for the account)
Employee Missing from Sync	Any employee active in Culture Amp but not present in the Gusto sync file will be made inactive as a former user instantly, with an end date assigned as the day before the sync.
Updates to Inactive Users	Demographic updates (such as a changed end date) can still be applied to inactive records during a sync.

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.