Synchronizing Targets via XLSX

Import vs Sync — what's the difference?

	Import	Sync
Adds new users	✅	✅
Updates existing users	❌	✅
Best for	First-time setup	Ongoing roster management

Use Sync whenever you want to keep PhishGrid up to date with your HR system or Active Directory export.

When to sync

Monthly: Catch new joiners and update job titles or group memberships
After a reorg: Update department groupings to reflect the new structure
After offboarding: Remove or update departed employees so they don't appear in campaigns
Before a campaign: Ensure your target list is current before a big simulation

Prepare your file

Use the same XLSX format as import:

Column	Required	Notes
`Email`	✅	Used as the unique identifier — must match exactly for updates to work
`First Name`	✅
`Last Name`	✅
`Job Title`	Optional	Will be updated if user already exists
`Contact Number`	Optional
`Group`	Optional	Reassigns users to the named group

Important: Email is the unique key. If a user's email in the file matches an existing target, PhishGrid will update their details. If it's new, they'll be added.

Sync steps

Export your latest user roster from HR/AD as a CSV or XLSX
Format it to match the PhishGrid column structure
Go to Targets in the left sidebar
Click Sync Targets
Upload the file
Click to execute — PhishGrid will update existing users and add new ones

What sync does NOT do

Sync does not delete users who are absent from the file. If an employee leaves, you'll need to remove them manually from the Targets list, or exclude them from groups to prevent them from appearing in campaigns.

Best practice: scheduled sync cadence

Set a recurring calendar reminder to sync your targets monthly. Tie it to your HR offboarding process — the moment someone leaves the company, they should be removed from PhishGrid groups to avoid skewing campaign results with undeliverable emails.