Skip to content

Users and Business Units (Admins)

Manage users

1) Open Users. 2) Add users manually or import in bulk. 3) Assign roles and business units. 4) Send invitations if required.

User data fields

Typical fields you will see or manage on a user:

  • Email: unique identifier, lowercased for matching
  • Display name: shown in the UI and audit logs
  • Role: permission set for the user
  • Business units: one or more units the user belongs to
  • Status: invited, active, or pending (depends on org workflow)

Roles and access (summary)

  • ConsultantAdmin: admin access for multiple clients
  • OrgAdmin: org-level admin access
  • PolicyAuthor: create and edit policies
  • PolicyApprover: approve or request changes
  • OrgUser: acknowledge assigned policies
  • AuditorReadOnly: view-only access

Bulk user import

1) Open Users > Import. 2) Upload a CSV. 3) Choose options (send invites, allow updates). 4) Review import history and resolve errors.

CSV format

Use a UTF-8 CSV file with a header row. Required columns depend on your org settings, but the common fields are below.

Columns (required by import):

  • display_name (string, required)
  • email (string, required)
  • role (string, required)
  • business_groups (string, optional, list of business units; business_units is accepted as an alias)

Download the template: policyhq/user-guide/assets/user-import-template.csv

Example CSV

display_name,email,role,business_groups
Alex Lee,alex.lee@example.com,OrgAdmin,IT;Security
Priya Sharma,priya.sharma@example.com,PolicyAuthor,HR
Mina Choi,mina.choi@example.com,OrgUser,Finance;Procurement
Chris Patel,chris.patel@example.com,PolicyApprover,Compliance

Data types and validation

  • display_name: required. Use the full name shown in the UI.
  • email: required and must be valid. Duplicates are updated if updates are allowed.
  • role: must match one of the allowed roles exactly.
  • business_groups: list of existing unit names. Separate with ; or ,.

Allowed roles for import

  • OrgUser
  • PolicyAuthor
  • PolicyApprover
  • OrgAdmin
  • ConsultantAdmin

Import preview statuses

  • Valid: no issues detected
  • Warning: row can import but may create new business units or update an existing user
  • Error: row cannot import and must be fixed

Common import options

  • Send invites: emails users after import so they can sign in.
  • Allow updates: updates existing users instead of rejecting duplicates.

Business unit creation during import

If the CSV lists a business unit that does not exist, PolicyHQ will create it automatically and assign the user to it. To avoid unintended units, use exact existing names.

Manage business units

1) Open Business Units. 2) Create, edit, or retire units. 3) Assign users and policies to the appropriate unit.

Business unit data

Business units help organize policies and user access. Typical fields:

  • Name (string, required)
  • Type (string enum): department, division, location, or custom
  • Status (enum): active or retired
  • Owner (optional): user responsible for the unit

Business unit tips

  • Keep names stable to avoid breaking CSV imports.
  • Retire units instead of deleting to preserve history and audits.