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Import application data from a file

Import data from any application using flat file uploads or by syncing from an external data source.

What are file connectors?

File connectors allow you to sync application data from apps that do not have an automated connector available. These may be non-API enabled, legacy, or homegrown on-prem apps that still require user access reviews.

File connectors support two ingestion pathways:

  • Manually by uploading a csv or excel file
  • Automatically by sync’ing data from an external datasource

ConductorOne allows for more than one connector for an application. This is useful if entitlement, user, and/or permission data is extracted from the target application with multiple exports.

File formats supported

Application data can be imported into ConductorOne in three different file formats:

  • Comma Seperated Values (.csv) files: these are comma delimited files
  • Excel files (.xlsx): these are files in the excel spreadsheet format
  • ConductorOne Baton file format (.c1z): these are files that are generated using the Baton protocol

Ensure that your file is ready in one of these formats to upload it into ConductorOne.

Using Excel or CSV files

Application data can be imported into ConductorOne using csv or excel file formats. ConductorOne allows for custom configurations in the file, as each file can be dynamically mapped into different data elements in ConductorOne (e.g. username, email, etc). You can also use one of our templates as a starting point:

Identity-focused template

Use this template if your data is organized by accounts / users.

Entitlement-focused template

Use this template if your data is organized by entitlements / permissions.

These files must either use the .xlsx or .csv file extension.

Importing accounts, resources, and entitlements

When constructing your Excel or CSV file, include as much data on users, resources, entitlements, and grants as possible.

To successfully upload account information you must either include a “User ID” column in your file or map a data value in your source file to the User ID column.

If there is no native user ID for the application, we suggest using the email address or username associated with the account as the User ID.

Designate service and system accounts in your file

Follow this process to designate service accounts and system accounts in your file and associate these special accounts with the human user responsible for each one.

  1. Add a column titled User Type and a column titled Account Owner to your file.

    • Make sure to use these exact column titles so ConductorOne understands how to process the data.
  2. In the User Type column, use Service and System to designate these special account types. Any account that is not specifically designated will be interpreted as a user account.

  3. In the Account Owner column, add the email address for the human user responsible for each service or system account.

These fields will map account types and account owners respectively and this information will be reflected in the Accounts tab of an application.

Why is this process necessary? Options for mapping account type and account owner information to the column names of your choice have not yet been added to the Set mappings page. We’re planning to make this change soon. In the meantime, use the exact column headers User Type and Account Owner in your spreadsheet so ConductorOne can correctly understand and process the information.

Using .c1z files

ConductorOne Baton file formats are supported natively for application data uploads in a non-lossy format. Meaning, the .c1z file preserves all resource metadata, hierarchy, and grant structures that are discovered in an application. When importing a .c1z file using a file connector, there is no need to configure file mappings. ConductorOne understands and ingests the application data automatically.

Adding a file connector to an app

To add file data to an application:

  1. Navigate to a ConductorOne application and scroll down to the Connectors area of the page.

  2. Click Import app data and choose your import method:

    • From file: Upload your Excel or CSV file.
    • From data source: Select your external datasource and enter the name of your file, then click Import.

ConductorOne will now begin ingesting the data into the ConductorOne application. To review the detected delta between files, click View logs on the connector.

You can upload data to any application, even if the application already has a connector. This allows you to digest all entitlements for an app, even if an existing connector does not cover all of the needed account and/or resources.

Managing mappings from imports

When you upload a custom spreadsheet, the data values in your file might not automatically be matched with ConductorOne attributes. For example, a data file that includes a column titled “Last” for a users’ last name might not automatically be understood by ConductorOne, which expects the data in that column to be titled “Last Name.”

To ensure that the data in your spreadsheet maps accurately into ConductorOne’s system, map your spreadsheet’s values to those used by ConductorOne.

  1. Once you have uploaded your spreadsheet, click Set mappings.

  2. In the Set data value mappings drawer, choose the data values from your source file that align with the data values used by ConductorOne.

    Note: Mapping a source file value to each ConductorOne value is not required: you can leave values that do not apply to your source file’s data unmapped. However, any values in the source file that are not mapped to a ConductorOne data value will not be imported.

  3. Once you’ve mapped the data values, click Set mappings to save them.

When you set the mappings, ConductorOne automatically reprocesses the data with the changed mappings. You can see the output of the changes by viewing the logs.

Refreshing file data

Periodically, you may need to refresh data in your file connector. This may be because of upcoming UARs or simply to refresh the source of truth of accounts and permissions in ConductorOne.

To refresh application data:

  1. Navigate to the application

  2. Locate the Connectors section on the Setup tab

  3. The previously uploaded file should be listed as a file connector in the list

  4. On the connector, click Refresh data on the connector

  5. Upload the updated file

  6. Click Save

That’s it! The updated dataset should be processed and loaded into the application.

Refreshing data does not require you to update the mappings! These are saved between data uploads.