Adding New Fieldworkers: Manual, Invite, or Bulk Import
Creating a complete, accurate field-worker profile is the foundation for error-free scheduling, payroll, and compliance. OctopusPro gives you three on-boarding pathways—and they all feed the same central database, so dispatchers see live availability, finance sees bank details for ABA/BACS/NACHA exports, and auditors see an end-to-end activity trail:
- Add users manually – an admin keys in the worker’s data (best for one-off hires or in-house staff).
- Invite fieldworkers to self-register – send a secure sign-up link by e-mail, SMS, portal promo, or QR code; the contractor fills in their own contact, tax, and bank details, trimming data-entry time.
- Import dozens at once – upload a pre-filled CSV/XLS template to create up to 2 500 profiles at once—ideal for franchise roll-outs or seasonal ramp-ups when bulk onboarding is required in other FSM platforms as well.
Whichever route you choose, OctopusPro automatically sends activation instructions, logs every action for compliance, and flags any missing mandatory fields so workers can’t slip through the smart-scheduler without the right services, locations, hours, or bank info.
1 · Manual add (Admin-created profiles)
OctopusPro gives admins two entry points—Users (in Company Settings) and Fieldworkers (Fieldworkers List). Best for office hires or cases where HR already holds full worker data and wants total control over profiles before first login.
1.1 Settings ▸ Company Settings ▸ Users ▸ Add User
- Enter Display Name, First/Last Name, set Role = Fieldworker (mandatory).
- Add Email (required for activation) plus optional phones, timezone, address (Google-maps lookup).
- Click Save → choose Assign all active services (good for multi-trade hires) or Assign later (specialists). For more info, visit our guide on Customizing Fieldworker Active Services in Profile.
- Open the new profile to upload a photo, set fieldworker working hours, timezone, bank details, and allocate fieldworker service areas and locations.
Best for office hires or when you already have full worker data.
1.2 — Add a Fieldworker from the Fieldworkers listing page
- Path: Main Menu ▸ Fieldworkers ▸ Add Fieldworker
- What opens: The same “Add User” popup, but pre-filtered for fieldworkers.
- Role is locked to Fieldworker and cannot be edited.
- All other sections—personal info, contact details, address lookup—are identical to the generic Add User form.
- When to use: While reviewing the fieldworker list or capacity you can add a new fieldworker without navigating to Company Settings.
Activation e-mail: OctopusPro autogenerates a welcome e-mail with a secure “Set Password” link. Resend or revoke via Actions ▸ Resend invitation.
2 · Mandatory profile fields – why they matter
| Field | Operational impact |
|---|---|
| Email & Time-zone | Needed for activation link + correct appointment times. |
| Services Provided | Drives Find Availability matching. |
| Service Locations + Travel Radius | Feeds distance sorting, travel-time optimisation and mileage reports. |
| Working Hours | Feeds calendar and prevents after-hours bookings. |
Heads-up: The smart scheduler ignores any fieldworker missing the first four items (email & time-zone, at least one service, a valid service area, and working hours). Make completion part of your on-boarding checklist.
3 · Invite workers to self-register (save hours of data entry)
OctopusPro can create fully-populated fieldworker profiles without an admin typing a single line—you simply send an invitation link and let the contractor do the rest. Below are the different invitation channels plus a few pro-tips often overlooked.
| Channel | Click-path & limits | Worker experience | Admin notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Bulk e-mail invite | Fieldworkers ▸ Invite Fieldworkers → paste up to 200 e-mails (comma-separated). |
Receives a branded e-mail with a unique signup URL. Completes contact, tax ID, bank details, uploads licences, signs T&Cs, sets password. | Status shows Pending until activated. Use ⋮ Actions ▸ Resend / Revoke to chase or cancel. |
| 3.2 Customer-Portal promo box | Settings ▸ Customer Portal ▸ Homepage Promotions → Fieldworker signup promo box.• Enter headline & body text• Upload background image• Define Call-to-Action label (e.g., “Join our team”). |
Promo card appears on your portal home page. Tapping the button opens the same registration form—mobile-friendly and branded. |
Use this for passive recruiting; portal visitors see you’re hiring. |
| 3.3 Embed button on your own website | Copy the signup URL generated in the promo-box screen → paste into a website button or “Apply Now” link (add to your HTML or CMS). |
Prospects click and jump straight to your company’s registration form—no extra login required. | Ideal for job-boards, blog posts, QR codes on flyers, or social-media bio links. |
| 3.4 QR code / SMS link (optional) | Fieldworkers ▸ Invite Fieldworkers ▸ Copy signup URL → paste in SMS template or generate QR code before pasting. | Scan or tap on a phone; quick for on-site recruitment drives. | SMS sends require a connected Twilio number; carrier charges apply. |
| Add vs Invite | Add = admin completes profile manually.Invite = worker self-completes profile (faster at scale). | Admin still reviews Services, Locations, Hours in Job Settings before the scheduler can assign jobs. |
Quick setup checklist for the Customer-Portal promo box
- Settings ▸ Customer Portal ▸ Homepage Promotions
- In Fieldworker signup promo box:
- Headline – e.g., “We’re hiring qualified HVAC technicians”
- Body text – outline requirements or perks.
- Background image – upload a 1600×400 px banner.
- Button label – e.g., “Apply now”.
- Save → open your portal to preview. The card is responsive on mobile and desktop.
- Copy the Signup URL at the bottom of the promo settings if you also want to embed it on external pages, newsletters, or social posts.
To learn more visit Fieldworker sign-up promotion.
Why use self-registration?
- Cuts admin data-entry by up to 80 %—contractors supply their own bank, licence, and tax info.
- Ensures higher data accuracy; workers are responsible for keeping details up to date.
- Scales effortlessly during seasonal or franchise expansions—no spreadsheet juggling.
Pro-tips
- Customise invite e-mail in Settings ▸ Communications ▸ Templates & Canned Responses to match your brand voice and include next-step instructions (e.g., “Upload licence photo before Friday”).
- Track outstanding invites in Fieldworkers ▸ Filters ▸ Status = Pending Invitation and bulk-resend with one click.
- Once the worker activates, the profile-completion meter guides them to finish Services provided, Service Locations, and Working Hours—no extra chasing for HR.
4 · Bulk-import fieldworkers via CSV/XLS
| Step | What to do | Key points / common pitfalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Download template | Fieldworkers ▸ Import Fieldworkers ▸ Download sample file |
Template already contains mandatory columns: display_name, first_name, last_name, role, email, city. |
| 2. Fill the sheet | Add up to 2 500 rows. • Keep role as fieldworker.• Enter a plaintext password (will be SHA-encrypted on upload).• Optional columns: mobile, state, postcode, timezone, latitude/longitude, bank details, licence number. |
• Leave blank if data unknown—worker can finish later.• Check state/city spellings match OctopusPro lists to avoid rejects. |
| 3. Validate & split if needed | Make sure every row has name + e-mail + city. Split larger workforces into multiple files (max 2 500 rows each). | File size limit is 5 MB; save as CSV UTF-8 to avoid encoding errors. |
| 4. Upload file | Import Fieldworkers ▸ Upload file → choose CSV → Preview list. | Preview highlights missing mandatory cells before final import. |
| 5. Review “Failed Rows” | After import, OctopusPro shows a summary: Imported ✔ / Failed ✘. Download the error list, fix, and re-upload just those rows. | Typical errors: duplicate e-mail, invalid state code, missing role. |
| 6. Assign services | When prompted, choose Yes, assign all services or No, I’ll assign manually. | You can later bulk-assign services via Fieldworkers ▸ Bulk Actions ▸ Assign Services. |
| 7. Notify workers (optional) | Send activation e-mails in bulk: Fieldworkers ▸ Filters ▸ Status = Pending Invitation → Invite Fieldworkers. | Workers complete profile (bank, tax, licences) and hit 100 % completion meter. |
Why import? Perfect for franchises, gig-platform launches, or seasonal hospitality crews—create thousands of ready-to-dispatch profiles in minutes rather than hours of manual data entry.
5 · After creation: finish Job Settings
New accounts start at 40-60 % on the profile-completion meter. Ask fieldworkers to log in (mobile app or web portal) and complete the remaining items:
| Category | Required fields | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Services & Price Tiers | Tick services, enter pay-rate or commission per tier. | Scheduler can only match jobs to services the worker is authorised for, and payroll uses the rate when calculating “Pay Fieldworker” and batch exports. |
| Approved Locations & Travel Radius | Default base address, service areas, max-travel km/mi. | Controls who appears in Find Availability and distance sorting; also used for mileage reporting. |
| Working Hours & Shift Patterns | Regular weekly hours, custom time-off, public-holiday preferences. | Prevents after-hours bookings and enables “Auto-Switch to Awaiting Update” triggers at the right times. |
| Licences & Certifications | Trade licence number, expiry date, insurance proof. | Compliance filter blocks unlicensed workers from regulated job types (e.g., gas fitting, electrical). |
| Bank Details | Bank name, BSB/Sort/ABA code, account number, branch address. | Needed for single payments and bulk ABA/NACHA/BACS exports. |
| Vehicle & Tools (optional but recommended) | Vehicle type, registration, tool list. | Allows dispatchers to assign work needing special equipment (e.g., ladder, drain camera). |
| Profile Photo & e-Signature | Headshot; digital signature (PNG/SVG). | Photo appears in customer portal and e-mails; signature prints on invoices and job sheets. |
| Calendar Sync | Google/Outlook integration link. | Pushes bookings to external calendar and imports personal “busy” blocks. |
| Notification Preferences | Choose push, SMS, or e-mail for job alerts and reminders. | Reduces missed updates; each channel can be toggled per worker. |
| Emergency & Tax Details | Emergency contact, tax/SSN, T-shirt size (for PPE). | Completes HR records and eliminates back-and-forth during onboarding. |
Important: The smart scheduler will exclude any fieldworker missing:
• at least one service ✔
• one available location ✔
• defined working hours ✔
• active status ✔
Encourage workers to hit 100 % completion—many admins add a small bonus or unlock app features (e.g., route-optimisation) once the meter is full.
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