Uploading CSVs to Gem Projects

Gem enables you to import candidate lists into a Gem Project by using our project import feature. The below video demonstrates how to upload CSV files to Gem:

A step-by-step guide to uploading a CSV to Gem

1. Prepare your CSV: Ensure that your candidate list is saved in .csv format
2. Navigate to the Project you want to upload the list to, or create a new Project if needed
3. Upload the CSV: Click on the “Options” dropdown and select “Upload CSV.” Then choose the CSV file you wish to upload.

4. Preview the import: Gem will display a preview of the import. Check that the spreadsheet columns are correctly mapped to Gem fields. (If the titles match exactly, Gem will auto-map them.) Check for any unmapped fields to ensure they won’t be left out during the import.

5. Skip header row if your CSV has column names (First name, Last name, Company, etc.) in the first row. Check the box beside “Headers in first row” to ensure Gem skips this row during the import.
6. Decide whether to use Data Refresh to update profile fields. Gem’s Data Refresh feature automatically pulls the latest available data from public sources, ensuring your candidate profiles stay up-to-date. Checking this box may overwrite values in your CSV, both now and in the future, as new information becomes available.
7. Decide on overwriting data: Determine whether you want to overwrite existing fields for candidates already in Gem (e.g., name, company, school). Checking this option will update those fields with data from your CSV. Otherwise, Gem will only populate those fields if they are empty or if the candidate doesn’t yet exist in the system. 
8. If you want Gem to autofill email addresses, check the option to have Gem search and attach email addresses based on public LinkedIn URLs
9. Upload the CSV: Once everything looks correct, click “Upload.” Do not leave or refresh the page while the upload is in progress to safeguard against import failures.
10. Confirm successful import: After the import is complete, Gem will display a banner at the top of the project showing how many candidates were successfully imported.

Best practices for uploading CSVs to Gem

Here are some helpful tips for uploading candidate CSVs into Gem:

1. Split large batches. If you're uploading over 10,000 candidates, break the CSV into smaller batches. Organizing by candidate details like role or department can provide a better structure. If you take this approach, consider creating separate projects for each role or department.
2. Prepare data. Organize all prospective candidate data in your spreadsheet before importing. This will save time during the upload process.
3. Create custom fields in Gem first: Create all custom fields you have in your spreadsheet in Gem prior to uploading the CSV. (Profile name → Team Settings → Customization → Custom fields → + New custom field) Tip: Select “Allow anyone to add options” to capture any missing values when initially creating the custom fields.

4. Match Gem field names: Ensure that your spreadsheet column names align as closely as possible with Gem’s field names. This minimizes the chances of errors and missing information during import.

Managing duplicates in imported data

Gem helps prevent duplicates by automatically merging imported candidates with those already in your Gem prospect database. (The platform matches candidates based on email or LinkedIn URL, and merges them accordingly.) If Gem cannot find an email or LinkedIn URL match, it will flag potential duplicates through a name match, but it won’t automatically merge them.

Importing candidates directly into jobs

When moving from your old ATS to Gem, you can import candidates directly into specific jobs using the Import applications from CSV function against an individual job, mitigating the need for a full migration.

There are two ways of doing this:

• In the Talent pipeline section of a job with no current candidates
• From the Add application dropdown of any job

In the talent pipeline section

If a job has no candidates, you’ll see Import candidates from a CSV file as one of the options in the Talent pipeline section

From the Add application dropdown

In any job, click Add application at the top of the screen and you’ll see Import applications from CSV as one of the dropdown options

Process

Whichever option you choose, you can import a CSV with the following fields:

You can use this spreadsheet as a template for importing candidates from a CSV file.

NOTE: we support file sizes up to a maximum of 10MB.

Once you’ve uploaded one or more files you can map your data’s headers against Gem fields, then go ahead and import the data. 

While the import is running, you’ll see a progress window at the bottom-right of the screen, which will then provide an overview of the import once completed. 

Any errors that occurred during the import process will be detailed here.

If you’re importing a large file you can minimise the progress window, leave it running and continue with your work.

Current limitations

At present the following limitations apply to importing applications from CSV:

• Only the columns included in the example spreadsheet are currently supported.
• Import preferences (e.g. “overwrite existing fields”, “toggle email finding”, “toggle data refresh”) are not supported yet.

➡️ Next, you’ll learn about Gem Sequences!