Who can use this feature?
Available on:
All Culture Amp subscriptions.
You can sync employee data directly from Personio 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 Personio into Culture Amp (one-way sync) via full import. Changes made in Culture Amp will not sync back to your HRIS.
Initial Setup Timeframe: The full setup and validation process for the Personio integration can be completed in 1 day, due to a streamlined setup and no demographic mapping options. We do, however, recommend involving appropriate technical stakeholders on your end to ensure the process runs 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 Personio integration setup. Each step links to a more detailed section below.
Access Requirements — Prerequisites and system logic.
Step 1. Generate API Credentials — Generate Client ID & Secret, select attributes.
Step 2. Connect Integration — Enter credentials to authorize the sync.
Step 3. Choose Who to Sync — Optionally exclude user groups from the integration.
Step 4: Set Sync Settings — Configuring notifications and automated daily syncs.
Step 5. Run 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. Personio requires specific API Credentials to be generated within your account settings to authorize the data transfer.
Platform | Role / Component | Required Access | Rationale |
Culture Amp | Admin Role | Required to access integration settings and validate the Personio connection. | |
Personio | API Credentials | Generate Client ID and Client Secret | Essential: These credentials act as the secure "key" to establish the connection between Personio and Culture Amp. |
Personio | Readable Attributes | "Readable" status for all desired demographics | The API can only "read" and sync data for attributes (e.g., Department, Supervisor) that are explicitly set to Readable. |
Important Considerations & Data Limitations
Important Considerations & Data Limitations
Deactivation Options: By default, users left off the sync file are automatically transitioned to former employee status.
Unsupported Attribute Types: "Multiple Selection" attributes from Personio are not supported in Culture Amp and should be avoided in your sync configuration.
Cost Centre Constraints: Culture Amp can only store one Cost Centre value per employee. If an employee has multiple Cost Centres in Personio, the system will save the one with the highest percentage; if percentages are equal or missing, it will save the first value provided.
Impact of Individual Exclusions: If you manually exclude an individual from the sync (e.g., using an "Exclude from Culture Amp" flag), and that person has an existing profile in Culture Amp, they will be terminated as a former employee.
German Language Mapping: If your default language in Personio is German, standard fields (e.g., Vorgesetzter, Abteilung, Geschlecht) are automatically mapped to their English equivalents (Supervisor, Department, Gender) in Culture Amp.
Employee ID Mapping: Culture Amp automatically maps the unique Personio ID to the Employee ID field, rather than any custom Employee ID set in your report. We can not change this behaviour for our core Employee ID demographic, but if you want to include a custom Employee ID, rename that column to "Employee Number" so it is imported as a separate demographic.
Step 1. Generate New API Credentials & Select Attributes in Personio
To connect the two systems, create a dedicated set of credentials within your Personio instance.
Log in to Personio and navigate to Settings > API credentials.
Click Generate new credential.
Enter a recognizable name for the integration (e.g., "Culture Amp Integration").
Select Culture Amp from the list of integrations.
In the permissions section, check the Read checkbox for employees.
Select the specific attributes you wish to sync as demographics. At a minimum, select the following attributes. These will automatically feed into Culture Amp's standard core demographics.(more information below):
First name
Last name
Email
Supervisor
Hire date
Termination date
Click Generate new credential to create your Client ID and Client Secret.
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 are selected as Attributes on the Personio side. These attributes will automatically feed into the core Culture Amp demographics listed.
Typical Personio Attribute Label | Culture Amp Field Name (Destination) | Notes |
First Name and Last Name | Name | Used for identifying and addressing employees.
Culture Amp derives the Name field from the Personio first_name and last_name attributes. Do not select a separate "Name" attribute; ensure both first and last name are set to "Readable." |
Name (preferred) | Preferred Name | Can be used for survey and cycle communications. |
Employee ID (Personio Employee ID) | Employee ID | Unique identifier; can be used alongside Email for matching employees across systems. Email remains the primary identifier for communications and login.
Culture Amp automatically maps the unique Personio System ID to this field. |
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. |
Supervisor | Manager Email (and Manager ID behind the scenes) | Hierarchy anchor. Culture Amp reads Personio’s |
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 HRIS; 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 Attributes section of personio. Any custom attributes you include will appear in Culture Amp as new demographics using their Personio attribute label. Pre-defined Personio fields that we map (e.g., German-labelled defaults) may appear under standard English names instead
Step 2. Connect and Authenticate Your Personio 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 Personio tile from the list of integrations.
Enter the Client Id and Client Secret you generated in the previous step.
Click Validate Credentials
Step 3. Choose the Type of Employees to Sync (Optional)
Once you have validated your credentials and connected the integration on Culture Amp, you should see the option to choose the types of employees that you would like to sync between Personio and Culture Amp. Any employee groups excluded will not be imported into Culture Amp.
Access Settings > Account > Integrations
From your Data Integrations page, click Configure Integrations > Edit
Scroll past your credentials to Step 3: Choose the type of people to sync
Select the employee groups you wish to be included. Any group unchecked will be excluded from the sync
Status (e.g., onboarding, active, leave, inactive) and Employment type (e.g., internal, external)
Click Save Integration > Finish to apply the changes.
Create a Custom Field for Exclusion (Optional)
Create a Custom Field for Exclusion (Optional)
you need to exclude specific individuals (such as contractors or temporary staff) from your sync, you can use also use a Custom Exclusion Field.
In Personio: 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 Personio: Ensure this new field is selected in your Attributes.
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.
Tip: If you choose to go with this method of exclusion, ensure the exclusion field is selected as a readable attribute as part of the API credentials in Personio.
Step 4: 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 Integration > Finish
Step 5: Run Your First Employee Data Sync
Once you've connected your account and finalized your attributes, 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 keep using this as your hierarchy identifier:
The Personio Supervisor attribute is designed to contain manager email addresses, not names, and is treated as the hierarchy source in our Personio integration.
As long as Supervisor is selected in your Personio attributes, the integration will continue to populate Manager Email in Culture Amp correctly.
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 Personio Supervisor → 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 Personio sync manage Manager Email going forward, but do not rely on the custom field for live hierarchy from Personio (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
Adding a New Hierarchy
If this is your first time setting up a hierarchy and you’re using Personio:
Complete your first Personio sync.
Ensure the Supervisor attribute is selected in your Personio integration so we receive manager emails.
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.
Technical Hierarchy Requirements
Technical Hierarchy Requirements
Supervisor must contain manager emails
The Personio Supervisor attribute is expected to hold manager email addresses, not names; this is the intended behaviour and is relied on by the integration to build hierarchy.
If you want manager names in Culture Amp, create a separate Personio custom field (e.g., Supervisor name) and map it to a non-hierarchy demographic (e.g., Manager Name).
Include all managers in the sync
Every manager must be included in the Personio sync (and not excluded via filters or Exclude from Culture Amp).
If a manager is missing from the Personio data, their direct reports will appear in Culture Amp with a blank Manager Email, breaking the tree for those employees.
Don’t use name-based demographics as the hierarchy key
Hierarchies must be keyed on an email identifier (e.g., Manager Email).
Demographics built from names (e.g., Manager Name) can be useful for display, but cannot serve as the primary hierarchy identifier.
Identify the top leader
Ensure your CEO/top-level leader has no Supervisor value in Personio. This results in a blank Manager Email, designating them as the "root" of your organizational tree when setting hierarchy up for the first time.
This will sync as a blank Manager Email for that person, allowing Culture Amp to treat them as the root of the hierarchy.
Use the standard Manager Email demographic
For Personio-driven hierarchies, always use the standard Manager Email demographic in Culture Amp.
Do not rename or repurpose this field; if you need a different label or a parallel field for historical reasons, follow the “Existing Hierarchy” options 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.
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 Personio Integration Errors
Common Personio Integration Errors
Error/Issue | Potential Cause | Resolution |
Duplicate ID Headers | Multiple columns identified as "Employee ID". | Culture Amp defaults to the Personio ID. Rename custom ID columns to "Employee Number". |
Incorrect Cost Centre | Employee assigned to multiple Cost Centres in Personio. | Culture Amp saves the value with the highest percentage. If percentages are equal/missing, the first value provided is saved. |
Unsupported Data Format | Use of "Multiple Selection" attributes. | These attributes are not supported; ensure only single-value attributes are selected for the sync. |
Handling Inactive Employees
Handling Inactive Employees
Personio utilizes Culture Amp's Full Import logic, which means the data file sent from Personio 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 in the timezone set for the account). |
Employee Missing from Sync | Any employee active in Culture Amp but not present in the Personio sync file will be made inactive as a former user, with their end date set to 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. |
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.)
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.
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 Personio 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 Personio, 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 Personio.
|
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. |
💬 Need help? Just reply with "Ask a Person" in a Support Conversation to speak with a Product Support Specialist.