How to Set Up Your Employee Directory in Team Engine

Your Employee Directory in Team Engine is the foundation for employee messaging, surveys, referrals, and automations. You can add employees in two ways — by uploading a list or manually adding individuals.

📤 Option 1: Upload an Employee List

Go to the Directory tab on the left-hand menu.
Click Add Employee → Upload Employee List.

A pop-up window will appear with instructions and a sample template.

Team-Engine-Employee-List-Template.xlsx

Upload your completed spreadsheet, and Team Engine will begin processing it.
You’ll receive an email once the upload is complete and your directory is ready.

✅ Required Fields

First Name and Last Name
Phone Number (format: 000-000-0000 — do not include “+1”)
Start date
Employee identifier

📋 Recommended Fields

Nickname
Job Title
Email Address
Birthdate
Supervisor’s Full Name
Language Preference
Groups (e.g., Department, Location, Shift)

Most of the time, you can get a list by exporting it from an existing HR system like payroll, which will hopefully make this a simple process.

👉 Each group should have its own column — for example, a “Department” column with values like Warehouse or Office.

When sending messages or announcements, you can select any of these groups to target specific employees.

⚙️ Updating Your Directory

You can upload a new list at any time to:

Add new employees
Remove employees who are no longer active
Update or fill in missing information

Any employee not included in the latest list will be marked as quit/fired, so make sure to include all current employees when uploading.

➕ Option 2: Add Individual Employees

To manually add or edit employees:

Go to the Directory tab.
Click Add Employee to open the form.
Enter basic info, or click Add More Details to include optional fields like job title or supervisor.

This method is best for adding a few new hires or making small updates.

🗑️ Deleting or Combining Employees

If an employee leaves or was added by mistake, you have a few options:

Mark as Terminated: Keeps their record for reference (viewable under “All Employees”).
Delete Employee: Permanently removes the profile.
Combine Employees: Merge duplicate profiles into one.

To mark an employee as Terminated, open their profile and click Terminate. You will then have the option to select the termination status, indicate whether the employee is eligible for rehire, and choose to send an exit survey.

You can also Delete or combine employees. Deleting removes them from the list entirely, and this can be helpful if an employee is added incorrectly or by mistake. Combining employee profiles can be helpful if there are duplicates. To do this, click on an employee to view their profile. In the top right corner of the employee profile, click the three-dot icon and choose "Delete" or "Combine Employees".

To delete, simply click "Delete" and a screen will pop up asking you to confirm you want to delete this employee. To combine, click "Combine Employees" and a screen will pop up prompting you to choose another employee to combine the profile with. Select the other employee and then review the information, selecting the correct option if there are discrepancies, and then click submit and they will be combined.

🖼️ Add Profile Pictures to Employee Profiles

Make your directory more personal with profile pictures!

Open an employee’s profile from the Directory tab.
Click the pencil icon ✏️ on the profile photo area.
Upload or drag-and-drop an image (.jpg, .jpeg, or .png).

Images that were sent with messages can also be used. If an employee does not have a profile picture, you can use the default message template to request one from the employee.

For added convenience, the software uses machine learning to automatically crop and zoom to the largest face. It may take a few seconds for the image to load and populate. Users also have the option to manually adjust the cropping if needed. If an employee doesn't have a profile picture, their initials will be displayed instead.

❓ FAQs

Q: Can I sync or integrate my HRIS system with Team Engine?

🔄Simply upload your employee list, and we’ll take care of the rest for you! We’ve shifted to a more stable, dependable process behind the scenes, and our team will continue managing updates to ensure everything runs smoothly — just like you’re used to.

Q: Can I add custom fields like driver’s license expiration or certification dates?

🧩 Yes! You can add custom fields through your Organization Settings. Once created, they’ll appear in your directory and you may have it added for your employees so you can track details such as license numbers, expiration dates, or any other information that’s important to your team.

Q: What happens if my upload file has formatting issues?

🧾 If your file doesn’t upload successfully, Team Engine will email you with details about what went wrong. Common issues include missing headers, invalid phone number formats, or incorrect date formats. Use the provided sample file as a guide.

Q: Will uploading a new list overwrite my existing directory?

🔁 No — new uploads will update existing employee data, add new employees, and mark anyone missing as quit/fired. Always include all active employees in your latest list.

Q: Can I assign multiple groups to an employee?

✅ Yes! Separate multiple groups with a semicolon + space (e.g., “Warehouse; Night Shift”).

Q: Do I need to include supervisors in the list?

👥 Yes. Any supervisor listed must also appear as an employee in the same file so the system can correctly link reporting relationships.

Q: Can I export my current employee directory?

📤 Absolutely. Go to the Directory tab → Export Directory to download your data.

Q: Can I restore a deleted employee?

🕓 Deleted employees can’t be restored. If someone was deleted by mistake, you can re-add them manually or include them in your next upload.

Q: Can employees edit their own profiles?

🙋‍♀️ Not directly. Only admin users can edit employee profiles. However, you can message employees to request updated details or photos.