How to Use the Attendance Import Feature in Horilla HRMS
In today’s fast-paced work environments, managing employee attendance manually is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. That’s where Horilla HRMS steps in with a powerful and user-friendly Attendance Import feature. Designed to streamline bulk attendance data entry, this feature is especially valuable for HR teams managing large workforces across multiple departments or locations.
Why Attendance Import Matters
For HR professionals, keeping accurate records of employee attendance is crucial for compliance, payroll processing, performance evaluation, and resource planning. However, entering data for hundreds of employees each day can lead to inconsistencies and data loss.
Horilla addresses this challenge with its Import Attendance feature, allowing administrators to upload attendance data in bulk using a pre-formatted Excel sheet. This automation reduces manual effort, eliminates duplicate work, and improves data accuracy—saving both time and money.
Where to Find the Feature
Navigating to the feature is simple:
- From the main sidebar, go to Attendance > Attendances.
- Click the Actions button on the top right.
- Select Import from the dropdown options.
This opens a popup modal titled “Import Attendances” (as shown in the image). From here, you can upload your file or download the required Excel template.
Downloading and Preparing the Template
Click the “Download Template” link within the import popup. The downloaded file contains predefined headers that must be filled out for successful data import. These headers include:
- Badge ID
- Shift
- Work type
- Attendance date
- Check-in date
- Check-in
- Check-out date
- Check-out
- Worked hour
- Minimum hour
Each of these fields is essential for mapping the attendance entry correctly in the system.
Refer to this image for an example of how the filled Excel file might look. The format requires exact consistency—both in header naming and data structure—to avoid upload errors.
Key Tips When Filling the Template
- Ensure date fields follow the correct format (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD).
- Time should be in HH:MM:SS format.
- Badge IDs must match the IDs assigned to employees in the Horilla system.
- The Worked hour and Minimum hour should be calculated accurately to reflect actual working hours.
Uploading the File
Once your Excel file is ready:
- Click the “Choose File” button in the popup.
- Select your Excel file.
- Click the “Upload” button.
Horilla will begin validating the entries and importing the data into the database. This process only takes a few moments for small-to medium-sized files.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
If there are any errors in the uploaded file—such as invalid dates, missing fields, or unmatched employee IDs—Horilla will automatically generate a downloadable Excel file listing the problematic rows along with detailed error messages.
This feedback mechanism is invaluable for quickly identifying and resolving data issues without manually inspecting the entire dataset.
Benefits of the Import Attendance Feature
- Speed: Upload hundreds of records in seconds.
- Accuracy: Reduced human error with structured templates.
- Transparency: Immediate error feedback with downloadable error files.
- Flexibility: Supports a wide range of shifts and work types, including night and remote work.
- Scalability: Perfect for organizations with multiple branches or dynamic workforces.
Use Case Scenarios
- Monthly attendance uploads from biometric systems
- Manual tracking for field or remote workers
- Data migration from legacy HR software
- Bulk correction or backdated entries for payroll audit
Conclusion
Horilla HRMS continues to prove its value by delivering intuitive and efficient features like the Attendance Import module. For businesses looking to simplify HR processes while maintaining data integrity, this tool is an essential addition to their workforce management toolkit.
By leveraging this feature, HR teams can shift focus from routine data entry to strategic HR initiatives that drive employee engagement and business growth.
