Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions.
You can sync employee data directly from HiBob 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 HiBob 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 HiBob 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 a HiBob 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. |
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 HiBob integration setup. Each step links to a more detailed section below.
Access Requirements — Prerequisites and system logic.
Step 1: Create Service User in HiBob — Setting up the integration user and permissions.
Step 2: Connect Integration — Entering credentials into Culture Amp.
Step 3: Field Mapping — Aligning HiBob fields with Culture Amp.
Step 4: Choose Who to Include — Setting up manual exclusion rules (Optional).
Step 5: Set Sync Settings — Configuring notifications and automated daily syncs.
Step 6: Run Your First Sync — Reviewing and importing employee records.
Troubleshooting/FAQs — Solving errors, duplicates, and useful tips.
Before You Start: Access Requirements
To establish the connection, ensure you have the correct administrative access on both platforms. HiBob requires a Service User to act as the secure bridge for data transfer.
Platform | Role / Component | Required Access | Rationale |
Culture Amp | Admin Role | Required to access integration settings and validate the HiBob connection. | |
HiBob | Service Users List | Full Service User Creation Permissions | A dedicated Service User account is required to fetch data via the API. |
HiBob | View Permissions | People's Data (All Company Fields) | Essential: Allows the Service User to access the specific employee demographics needed for the sync. |
HiBob | Edit Permissions | Personal and Home Sections | Optional: Only required if you wish to sync PII fields such as Date of Birth or Gender. |
Important Considerations & Data Limitations
Important Considerations & Data Limitations
Full Import Process: HiBob uses a full import process. Any employees in Culture Amp not included in the HiBob sync will be marked as Former employees with an End Date set to the day before the sync date.
API Versioning: HiBob deprecated their legacy API in 2023. All integrations must now use Service User credentials (ID and Token) rather than personal API tokens.
Category Tables: Data stored within custom Category Tables in HiBob cannot be accessed via this integration. If you need to sync a field from a custom table, we recommend moving or mirroring that data into a Category Field instead.
Hierarchy Logic: To ensure the hierarchy builds correctly, ensure you are mapping to the
Manager's emailfield and not theReports tofield if using Advanced Mapping.
Step 1: Create Service User and Set Permissions
Before connecting to Culture Amp, create a dedicated Service User in HiBob and assign the correct permissions.
Create Service User: Follow the HiBob instructions to create a Service User account. These are also copied below.
Create Permission Group: Service Users have no permissions by default. You must create a "Service User" type permission group and add your new user to it.
Configure Access: Enable all View permissions in People's Data.
PII Access (Optional): To include sensitive fields (like Date of Birth), you must enable both View and Edit permissions for the Personal and Home sections.
Secure Your Credentials: Copy the Service User ID and Token immediately after creation. The Token will only be displayed once and cannot be retrieved later.
🔑 How to Create a Service User and Set Permissions
🔑 How to Create a Service User and Set Permissions
Note: The steps below are sourced from HiBob's official documenation. For the most up-to-date interface and security settings, we recommend referencing the HiBob Service User Guide.
Step 1: Create the Service User
Log in to HiBob as an Administrator.
Navigate to Settings > Integrations.
Under Automation, find the Service Users tile and click Manage.
Click + New service user (or Create service user).
Enter a unique name and a display name for the service user (e.g., "Integration Name Service User").
Click Create or Next.
Crucially, copy and securely save the generated Service User ID and Token. These credentials are required to authenticate API requests and will not be displayed again.
Step 2: Create a Permission Group and Assign the Service User
Service users are created without any permissions by default, so you must create a dedicated permission group for them.
Navigate to Settings > Permission Groups.
Click + Create permission group and select the Service user type.
Enter a name for the group (e.g., "Integration Name Group").
In the "Group members" section, select Select people by condition, then click Edit.
In the pop-up, you may want to remove any existing conditions to ensure the group is not automatically applied to other users.
Use the dropdown menu under Add specific employees (or Select service users) to find and select the new service user you created.
Click Apply, then Create, and Confirm the creation of the group.
Step 3: Configure Permissions
Once the group is created, you will be directed to the permissions page (or you can select the new group from the list).
Go to the People's data tab and click Access data for or Edit permissions.
Under "Whose data can members access?", select Select people by condition and click Edit.
Add the relevant lifecycle statuses (e.g., "Employed", "Hired", "Terminated") to define which employee data the service user can access. Click Apply.
Now, configure specific data permissions in the People's data and Features tabs. You will need to check the appropriate boxes (e.g., "View selected employees' Basic info sections", "View selected employees' Work sections") based on the requirements of your integration.
Note: If the integration requires access to sensitive data like full date of birth or SSN, you must grant both View and Edit permissions for the relevant sections.
Click Save and Apply the changes when finished.
Step 2: Connect and Authenticate Your HiBob Account
You're now ready to establish the integration within Culture Amp.
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 HiBob tile from the list of integrations.
Paste your Service User ID and Token into the respective fields.
Click Validate Credentials.
Step 3: Setting up Demographic Field Mapping
Once authenticated, you will choose which HiBob 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 HiBob.
Typical HiBob UI Label | Culture Amp Field Name (Destination) | Notes |
Full Name | Name | Enter the users full name. Use the format: |
Display Name | Preferred Name | Can be used for survey and cycle communications. |
Employee ID | Employee ID | Secondary Unique identifier; ID must be different for each employee. |
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's email | Manager Email | Hierarchy Anchor: Pulled from the "Manager's email" field (lowercase 'e'). |
Custom Demographics: Adding Additional Fields
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., |
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 HiBob and refresh the integration page.
Option 2: Advanced Custom Mapping (Beta)
Option 2: Advanced Custom Mapping (Beta)
Toggle "Advanced Mapping" on to manually define exactly how HiBob 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.
Why use this? Use this if you want to match HiBob 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 HiBob field.
Combine Fields: Use the "+ Add field" button to combine multiple HiBob 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 HiBob field feeds into).
Apply Changes: Click Save Integration to finalize your mapping.
Hierarchy Mapping in Advanced Mode
Hierarchy Mapping in Advanced Mode
If you have enabled Advanced Mapping, you must manually configure your hierarchy fields to ensure the sync does not exclude manager data.
Map to Email: Map your Culture Amp Manager Email (or equivalent demographic) to the HiBob field Manager's email (ensure you select the one with the lowercase 'e').
Avoid "Reports to": Do not create a mapping to the HiBob "Reports to" field. Including this field may cause Manager Email data to be excluded from your sync.
Mapping Manager Name (Optional): If you wish to sync the Manager’s Name as a standalone demographic, map it to the Manager field in HiBob.
Step 4: 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.
In HiBob: Create a custom field titled exactly Exclude from Culture Amp.
Set Values: This field must use "Yes" and "No" values. Anyone marked "Yes" will be skipped by the sync.
In Culture Amp: Ensure this new field is selected in your Additional Fields (Standard Mapping) or mapped in Advanced Mapping.
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 5: Set Sync Settings and Save
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.
Click Save Settings.
Step 6: 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:
Click Sync on the Data Integrations page
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.
Verify Hierarchy: At this stage, you can confirm if your manager data is flowing correctly.
If the data looks correct, click Import Data to pull the data into Culture Amp.
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
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 Email (Culture Amp) → Manager's email (HiBob).
If you use a custom label (e.g., "Leader Email"):
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).
Alternatively, keep your custom label for historical data and maintain it via manual CSV imports. The HiBob 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
Adding a New Hierarchy
If this is your first time setting up a hierarchy:
Complete your first HiBob sync.
Ensure "Manager Email" → "Manager's email" mapping is in place (only required if using Advanced Mapping).
Follow our Hierarchy Validation steps to validate using Manager Email.
Technical Hierarchy Requirements
Technical Hierarchy Requirements
Include All Managers: Every manager must be included in your HiBob 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's email" field is blank in HiBob for your CEO or top-level leader. This defines the "top" of your organizational tree.
Use the Standard Identifier: For HiBob-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.
Avoid "Reports to": When using the advanced mapping tool for your hierarchy, ensure you are using the "Manager's email" field from HiBob. Avoid using the "Reports to" field, as this can cause the manager data to be excluded from the sync.
Advanced HiBob Hierarchy Mapping example
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 HiBob Integration Errors
Common HiBob Integration Errors
Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
Field not syncing | Permissions: The Service User lacks read/edit access in HiBob. | 1. Ensure the Service User has permissions for the specific section in HiBob. 2. Move fields from custom Category Tables to Category Fields. |
Manager Email is blank | Mapping Error: Mapping to the "Reports to" field instead of "Manager's email". Naming: Using uppercase in the mapping. | 1. If you are using Advanced mapping, ensure you are mapping to "Manager's email" (HiBob field must use a lowercase 'e'). 2. Remove any mapping to the HiBob "Reports to" field. Using any advanced mapping combination other than "Manager Email → Manager's email" may lead to a hierarchy failure or missing manager data in your import. |
Connection/Validation Failed | Credentials: Service User ID or Token is incorrect or has expired. | Re-generate the Token in HiBob and update the settings in Culture Amp. |
Switching From CSV or Other Imports
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
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 Hibob 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 Hibob.
|
B. After Changes Are Applied | To clean up the duplicated profiles:
|
Further Guidance | Check out our dedicated support guide for further information on duplicate employee clean-up. |
Sync Blocked to Protect Employee Privacy
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.
💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a Support Conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.