Bulk Upload lets you invite participants and pre-populate their Mentorloop profiles at the same time, using data you already have, ideal when migrating from another platform or when you want participants to arrive with their profiles partly complete.
When should I use Bulk Upload?
Use Bulk Upload when you already have participant data you want to import, for example, when migrating from another platform (like MentorNet), when running a structured cohort where you know participants' roles and departments in advance, or when you want to reduce the amount of form-filling your participants have to do on sign-up.
If you just want to send invitations without pre-filling profiles, share your program's unique signup link instead. It's faster and works for most programs.
What is Bulk Upload and how is it different from Bulk Invite?
Bulk Invite is the general name for inviting multiple participants at once. It includes two methods: entering email addresses manually, or uploading a CSV file.
Bulk Upload refers specifically to the CSV method. As well as sending invitations, it lets you import participant data so their profiles arrive partially or fully pre-filled. Participants can still review and update those fields before submitting their signup form.
How do I bulk upload participant data?
Step 1 — Open the Invite participants modal
Go to your program and select Invite participants. You'll find this button on the Signups page and in several other places within your program.
Step 2 — Download the template files
From the invite modal, download both CSV files before you start filling anything in:
- Signup Form Fields CSV — your reference guide. It lists every profile field on your signup form along with the exact option values available for each field. Open this first so you know exactly what values are valid when filling in the template.
- Bulk Invite Template CSV — the spreadsheet you populate with your participants' data and upload to Mentorloop. Column headers use your signup form's field labels (for example, Department or Mentoring Role) rather than internal field names.
Always use Mentorloop's downloaded template
Don't create your own spreadsheet from scratch. The downloaded template has the correct column headers and avoids formatting issues on upload. If two fields on your form share the same label, those columns fall back to the internal field name to keep them distinguishable, the Signup Form Fields CSV will make this clear.
Step 3 — Fill in the template
Open the Bulk Invite Template CSV and populate it with your participants' data. A few things to know:
- Email is the only mandatory field. Every other column is optional.
- Remove columns you don't have data for. If you don't have department data, delete that column. You don't need to leave it blank for every row.
- Leave fields blank to let participants fill them in. Any field you leave out will appear empty on the participant's signup form for them to complete themselves.
- Check your values against the Signup Form Fields CSV. For dropdown and multi-select fields, values must match the exact option labels on your signup form. For example, if your form shows Career Mentor, don't enter career mentor or Mentor.
Step 4 — What field types does the template support?
- Dropdown (single-select) — for example, mentoring role, department, or location. Enter the exact option label as it appears on your signup form.
- Multi-select — for example, areas of interest or skills. To enter multiple values for one participant, separate each value with a delimiter of your choice — for example: Leadership; Communication; Strategy. You'll specify which delimiter you used after uploading.
- Free-text and short text — for example, bio, mentoring goals, or job title. Enter the participant's response directly. Character limits configured on the signup form still apply.
Step 5 — Upload and map your fields
Once your template is ready, upload it in the invite modal. You'll be shown a field mapping screen, check that the columns in your CSV are matched to the correct profile fields in Mentorloop, then confirm.
Step 6 — Add a personal note (optional) and send
Before sending, you can add a personal note to your invitation email. Once you're happy, send the invitations. Mentorloop will automatically filter out invalid addresses, duplicates, and anyone who's already been invited, so there's no risk of double-sending.
A confirmation prompt will appear once your participants have been successfully invited. 🥳
What do participants experience after a Bulk Upload?
Each participant receives an invitation email with a link to join the program and complete their signup form. When they open their form, they're informed that some fields have been pre-filled by their Program Coordinator. They can review and update any pre-populated fields before submitting.
Pre-populated fields are editable
Participants can update any field you've pre-filled before they submit their form. This is by design, it keeps participants in control of their own profile data.
How many participants can I upload at once?
You can upload up to 500 participants per CSV (max file size: 2MB). To invite more than 500, repeat the process in additional batches.
Where can I track the status of my invitations?
Go to the Signups page and select the Invitations tab. From here you can see who's been invited, re-send invitations, and manage invitation status.