Importing Users

How to Import Users

Import users from external files with intelligent field mapping and validation.

Step 1: Prepare Your Import File

Create or obtain a file in one of these formats:

• CSV: Comma-separated values file
• Excel (XLSX/XLS): Excel spreadsheet
• JSON: JSON array of user objects
• XML: XML file with user records

Tip: Download the sample template from the Import page to see the expected format.

Step 2: Upload File

1. Navigate to Components > User Import Export > Import
2. Drag and drop your file onto the upload area, or click to browse
3. Supported files: CSV, XLSX, XLS, JSON, XML

Step 3: Map Fields

After upload, you'll see the mapping interface:

• Auto-Detect: Click to automatically map fields based on column names
• Manual Mapping: Use dropdowns to map each file column to a Joomla field
• Preview: See sample data from your file

Required Fields

At minimum, you must map:

• Username (required)
• Email (required)
• Name (recommended)

Step 4: Configure Import Options

• Import Mode:
  • Add New Only: Only create new users, skip existing
  • Update Existing Only: Only update existing users, skip new
  • Add and Update: Create new and update existing users
• Default User Group: Assign users to a group if not specified
• Password Handling:
  • Generate Random: Create secure random passwords
  • Import from File: Use passwords from import file
  • Require Reset: Force password reset on first login

Step 5: Validate

1. Click Validate to check data before importing
2. Review validation results:
• Valid records count
• Duplicate emails/usernames
• Missing required fields
• Invalid data warnings
3. Fix any issues in your source file if needed

Step 6: Import

1. Click Import to begin the import process
2. Monitor progress during import
3. Review results showing created/updated/skipped counts