Sometimes, you may need to pre-add users to your portal yourself instead of letting them sign up. This can be useful when you want to limit access to the portal and disable signup entirely, or simply allow users to skip the signup process and log in right away.
When you need to add multiple users at once, importing them in bulk is the fastest way. You can upload a pre‑formatted .xlsx file and instantly populate your portal’s User Directory.
ℹ️️ Before you begin:
This guide covers how to import new users to an existing User Directory connected to your portal.
If you haven’t yet created your portal or set up a User Directory, start with our A-to-Z guide on how to create a portal and manage users' access.
Step 1: Open your User directory
Inside your portal, jump to User Directory at the top right. This opens a page with your User Directory table containing all registered users:
Step 2: Download the import template
In the Edit more, go to Options above your user Directory table, and click Import new users, then download a fillable import template:
⚠️ This file has the correct structure and unique column headers (specific to the given User Directory).
For each new import into each particular User Directory, download the fresh template to ensure the correct parsing of the imported user details.
Step 3: Populate the downloaded import template
Open it and fill in your users’ details:
Make sure you add the Full name and Email,
Optionally, some other details if applicable (e.g., User role),
Save the file in
.xlsxformat.
⚠️ Make sure the email address is valid, as it will be used for logging in, resetting the password, or receiving OTP codes (if applicable).
⚠️ Avoid editing or filling out any system columns like Formaloo Record ID or Submitted at.
Step 3: Import your user list
Back in the Import new users menu, click Choose file, select your completed .xlsx sheet, and confirm the import:
Formaloo will automatically match each column to the corresponding field in your User directory and create user records for each row.
Step 4: Review and manage imported users
After the import, double‑check that all users appear correctly in your User directory.
Assign or adjust user roles,
Edit other user's details,
Mark users as Inactive if they shouldn’t have access yet.
⚠️ At this time, there's no option to delete a user from the User Directory, but you can always change their status to Inactive to revoke portal access.
Final thoughts
Bulk imports save time when onboarding large teams, communities, or classes. Once imported, your users can log in via email and access your portal immediately.
💡 If you're looking to add users to your User Directory one by one, check the guide on adding new users manually to your portal’s User Directory.