Set up attributes in Viva Glint

Set up attributes in Microsoft Viva Glint to create a mapping of fields to expect in your employee data files transmitted to Viva Glint. To set up required, custom, hierarchy, and derived attributes, use the decisions made in the Employee attribute template as a guide.

Attribute setup in Viva Glint

To set up attributes Viva Glint, your uploaded file must contain a finalized attribute header row and at least one row of employee data. Use the in-platform, attribute setup process to create a mapping to import employee data.

For new customers and for customers who have onboarded to Organizational data in Microsoft 365, the setup process also maps Viva Glint attributes to Organizational data in Microsoft 365 attributes. For more information, refer to Organizational data attribute integrated Glint attribute setup flow.

Learn more about how to set up attributes in Viva Glint with this video and the following instructions:

1. Upload dataset

1. From the admin dashboard, select Configuration.

2. In Employees, select People.

3. Choose Get Started and select New User Schema or Attribute Updates to begin the four-step setup process.

   

4. Upload finalized attributes in your selected format. This file format determines the format for all future uploads. Select Continue.

   

2. Preview employee data fields

Check that the attribute names and values appear as expected.

1. Verify that:

   • All attributes are present in the preview.
   • Attribute values shown for preview data display in the correct column.
   • The total count of "data fields found" displayed above the preview matches the number of attributes in the file.

2. If dates are included in your file, select the There are date fields checkbox and then choose your date format from the dropdown menu.

   Caution

   • All attributes that include dates must follow the same format.
   • Viva Glint transforms incoming dates to Viva Glint's preferred format, yyyy/mm/dd, upon upload.
   • Complete date selection in this step and Derived attribute setup in the next step to import dates in a format that's usable for Distribution lists and survey triggers.

3. After previewing, select Continue.

3. Set up attributes

Map your uploaded and confirmed attributes to Viva Glint fields. This setup is divided into four sections:

Required attributes

Select your attribute from the dropdown for each required attribute:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email
• Employee ID
• Status

Derived attributes

Viva Glint calculates attributes based on data sent in your employee attribute file. Decide whether to include tenure groups based on hire date or age groups based on birth year.

* Tenure values for new Viva Glint customers after January 13, 2024. Before this date: 0-1 Year, 1-2 Years, 2-3 Years, 3-4 Years, 4-5 Years, 5-7 Years, 7+ Years.

1. Select the section with the desired attribute.
2. Select the desired attribute from the dropdown menu.
3. Select Continue.

Optional System Attributes

Map attributes in your employee data to Viva Glint language, time zone, and personal email fields to indicate how and when to communicate with employees. Choose to enable any of the following fields by selecting the checkbox and choosing a field from your file in the Sync From dropdown menu:

Hierarchy groups

Select your attributes from the dropdown menu for each hierarchy group. If needed, you can return to this section later to add new hierarchy groups, rename groups or levels, or add new lowest levels.

• To have Viva Glint create a Manager Hierarchy, map your manager ID field from your employee data to Manager ID.

• To add more levels to a hierarchy, select + Add Level.

• To add a new hierarchy group, select + Add Hierarchy Group.

• To rename the hierarchy label, select the pencil symbol.

• To delete a group or level, select the trash can symbol.

  

4. Review

Review a summary of all selections made in attribute setup and use the Go Back option to make any corrections before moving forward. The review step includes:

• Summary
• User Attributes
• Removed User Attributes
• Required Attributes Mapping
• Derived Attributes Mapping
• Optional System Attributes Mapping
• Hierarchy Groups Mapping

5. Choose how you want to import data

1. Choose between these two options:

   

   Option	Description	Use case
   1	Save attributes and import employee data. Viva Glint creates an attribute mapping and imports all employee data in the file uploaded for attribute setup. Any admin users set up in the platform but not included in the file are deactivated and lose access to Viva Glint.	Select this option if the employee data in your file is complete and finalized and doesn't contain test or partial data.
   2	Save attributes and discard employee data. Viva Glint creates an attribute mapping only and doesn't import any employee records from the file uploaded for attribute setup.	Select this option to set up attributes based on your header row only and import employee data later.

   Caution

   Employee data can't be deleted in bulk. Use the Save attributes and discard employee data option for initial setup if your file's column labels are finalized but employee data isn't.

2. Select Save.

Setting up attributes to accept data from Organizational Data in Microsoft 365

For customers with Organizational data in Microsoft 365 enabled, the attribute setup process includes additional steps to map Glint attributes to Organizational data attributes.

1. Upload dataset

From the admin dashboard, go to Employees > People > Get Started, then upload your dataset in the steps that follow to begin building your schema in Glint. For detailed guidance, see Upload dataset.

2. Review pre-ingestion validation errors

In this flow, the uploaded file is checked against ingestion rules to identify file-level errors, ingestion issues, and schema setup problems before final import.

3. Preview user schema

Review the attributes in the uploaded file, including newly added attributes, and select the correct date formats. For more information, see Preview employee data fields and Add new attributes in Viva Glint.

4. Set up attributes

For details, see Setup attributes.

5. Configure Organizational data

This setup flow lets you link Glint custom attributes to Organizational data attributes. You can update or remove these mappings at any time.

• Mapping ensures that Organizational data attributes containing the same information are imported into the correct Glint attributes. This keeps Glint attributes consistently updated across data sources, including Organizational data in Microsoft 365, SFTP, and web uploads, while maintaining consistent data definitions and avoiding duplicate attributes.
• Required attributes are automatically mapped to Organizational data reserved fields.
• We recommend mapping Glint custom attributes to Organizational data reserved attributes. If no mapping exists for a reserved attribute, Glint does not automatically import that reserved field from Organizational data imports.
• Attributes that are not mapped to Organizational data reserved attributes are treated as custom attributes in Organizational data imports. Glint imports these custom attributes only when the attribute names exactly match and the attributes are already defined in Viva Glint.

6. Review your selections

Review the attribute setup summary and use Go Back to make corrections before continuing. The review step includes:

• User attribute containers, mapping types, required attribute mapping, derived attribute mapping, and optional system attribute mapping
• Hierarchy group mappings
• Reserved attribute mappings

7. Complete the Viva Glint attribute setup with Organizational data mapping

Save the schema with or without importing employee data. For details, see Choose how you want to import data.

Update attributes after initial setup

To add new attributes or rename attributes after your initial setup, use Update attributes in Viva Glint guidance.

Next step

After setting up your attributes in Viva Glint, choose a data upload method and upload your employee data.