Using Bulk Update Templates

Use bulk update templates to make changes to many existing records at once, which helps save time, reduce manual effort, and apply updates more consistently across OneTrust. Different templates support different record types and may include specific requirements or limitations.

Important:

If you need to upload a file to generate new records, please refer to Using Bulk Import Templates.

Step 1: Export existing records

Before you can update existing records, you must complete an export of those records from the necessary screen(s). The following procedure can be used for Privacy Automation inventory types, like processing activities, data elements, assets, legal entities, and vendors.

Refer to specific product documentation on how to export other record types.

  1. On the Data Mapping Automation menu, select the type of inventory record you want to update. The respective Inventory List screen appears.

  2. Click the Export button. The Export Inventory modal appears.

  3. Select the Export All option button.

    Note:

    OneTrust recommends using the export to help build the import template. However, please validate the columns in the import template as the columns may differ when compared to the export.

  4. Click the Export button. A task is initiated for the export.

  5. Click the Notifications icon in the upper right-hand corner. The Notifications popover appears.

  6. Click the export you want to download. The file downloads to your local system.

Step 2: Download the update template

After you have downloaded your existing records, you can download the required template to update existing records.

  1. Click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner to access Global Settings.

  2. On the Global Settings menu, select Data import > Import templates. The Import templates screen appears.

  3. Download the update template that corresponds with the type of records you want to update. For a list of available templates, see Available Bulk Update Templates.

Step 3: Update the template with your data

Once you have downloaded the necessary template, you will update the template with the data you want to add to the application.

  1. Click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner to access Global Settings.

  2. On the Global Settings menu, select Data import > Import templates.

  3. Download the update template which corresponds to the inventory you want to update.

  4. Copy and paste the data from the exported inventory spreadsheet into the update template spreadsheet.

    • The first example below shows an exported inventory spreadsheet for processing activities.



    • The second example shows the rows that were copied from the exported inventory spreadsheet and outlines the changes a user made using the Update Processing Activities template.



  5. Complete the update template spreadsheet with the additional changes you want to make.

    Note:

    The bulk update process does not support the following characters when updating multiple inventory records: /, |, and ;. A new row is needed for each inventory record.

Step 4: Import the update template

After you have added the data into the update template, you can import the template to update the existing records in OneTrust. To view the status and result of your bulk update, select Data Import > Bulk Import on the Global Settings menu.

Note:

If there was an error in the upload, click the link in the Result column for the import to download a report indicating the errors.

  1. Click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner to access Global Settings.

  2. On the Global Settings menu, select Data import > Bulk import. The Bulk import screen appears.

  3. Click the Bulk import button. The New import modal appears.

    Note:

    The Bulk import button is also available on the Import templates screen.

    Field
    Description
    Import Name

    Enter a name for the import.

    Import Description

    Enter a brief description of the import.

    Import Type

    Select the type of import which corresponds to the template you are using.

    File

    Click the Upload File button to select the field you want to import. Use the file explorer to select the spreadsheet you want to import.

  4. Click the Submit button. 

Entering values

Attribute values

  • Data has to be entered into bulk update templates in specific ways to ensure success.

  • Attribute values entered through bulk import are validated against the same criteria as those entered in the platform. 

  • If an attribute does not accept "allow other", only values listed on the Options sheet in the template can be entered.

  • Options are case sensitive. If the value is not entered exactly as it appears on the Options sheet in the template, the update will produce an error.

  • Use the pipe symbol | only to separate multiple selected attribute values in multiselect fields. Do not use it in names, free-text fields, or single-value fields.

Type

Description

Multiple Attribute Values

You can enter multiple values for multiselect attributes.

Enter the values separated by pipe symbols | without a space, for example:

CODE 
Value1|Value2|Value3
Note:

If you use a vertical bar | to update the value of a text attribute, the update will fail. Only use this character to indicate multiple selections for an attribute which supports multiselect.

Single Attribute Values

For single attribute values, enter only one value. If an attribute is set up to only receive single values, entering multiple values on the bulk import template will cause the import to fail.

User Type Attribute Values

User type attribute values require either a valid email address or GUID to be entered. For user type attribute fields, such as the Business Process Owner field or the Representative Name field, enter the email address or GUID of the user.

Note:

If the Allow Other check box is selected for a user type attribute, you can add the email addresses of users who do not exist in the OneTrust system. If an email address is entered for a user who does not exist in the OneTrust system, an invited user will be created in the system and the user will not receive an email notification.

Blank values

  • If a required field is left blank, the import will fail. For more information on which fields are required, see Bulk Update.

  • If an optional field is left blank, the current data in OneTrust will be overwritten as blank.

  • If an optional column does not need to be updated, remove the column from the updated template spreadsheet. The existing data will remain in OneTrust.

  • If only certain data within a column needs to be updated, copy the existing contents of the column from the exported inventory spreadsheet and paste the contents into the update template spreadsheet to prevent the existing content from being overwritten. Then complete any updates to the content, as necessary.

Important:

Bulk updating inventory records in Data Mapping Automation

If you want to clear a field, you must add an <EMPTY> placeholder. If an <EMPTY> placeholder is not used, the current value will be kept, instead of being replaced with a blank field. Leaving a field blank during a bulk update of Data Mapping Automation inventory records will not overwrite existing data.

This behavior only applies when bulk updating Assets, Vendors, Processing activities and Entities in Data Mapping Automation. Bulk updates for all other records are unchanged.

Duplicate values

You cannot import duplicate attributes or duplicate attribute values. This is done to preserve data integrity, avoid ambiguous updates, and keep bulk import behavior consistent with the platform validation.

Deadline field format

  • Deadline fields within bulk import templates require the following date format: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.SSSZ.

  • Within a separate sheet, you can use the following formula to convert regular dates containing YYYY-MM-DD to the required date format: =TEXT(A2,"YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.000Z").



  • Once converted to the required date format, you can copy the cell content and paste it into the necessary bulk import template. Ensure that you use the Values paste option to remove the formula from the sheet before importing.

Available Bulk Update Templates

Template

Description

Bulk update risk library

Use this template to bulk update risks in the risk library

Create/Update Consent Data Subjects

Use this template to bulk create/update Consent data subjects with data elements. Up to 50K rows per file.

Create/Update Data Subject Consent

Use this template to bulk create or update data subject consent profiles. Up to 50K rows per file.

Import/Update Person Data

Use this template to import new HR (person) data or to update any data for existing person records.

Update AI agents

Use this template to update AI agents in bulk.

Update assets

Use this template to update assets in bulk.

Update business objective

Utilize this template to bulk update objectives.

Update contacts

Use this template to update contacts in bulk.

Update control implementations

Use this template to update control implementations in bulk.

Update controls library

Use this template to update entries in the controls library in bulk.

Update data assets

Use this template to bulk update data assets.

Update data elements

Use this template to update data elements in bulk.

Update engagements

Use this template to update engagements in bulk.

Update evidence task implementations

Use this template to update evidence task implementations in bulk.

Update exceptions

Use this template to update exceptions in bulk.

Update inventory attributes

Use this template to update inventory attributes in bulk.

Update inventory relationships

Use this template to update inventory relationships in bulk.

Update issues

Use this template to update issues in bulk

Update legal entities

Use this template to update legal entities in bulk.

Update localization

Use this template to update localization terminology in different languages in bulk.

Update nth parties

Use this template to bulk update nth parties.

Update policies

Use this template to update policies in bulk.

Update privacy notices

Use this template to update privacy notices in bulk.

Update procedures

Use this template to update procedures in bulk.

Update processing activities

Use this template to update processing activities in bulk.

Update relationship types

Use this template to change the relationship types of inventory relationships

Update risks

Use this template to update risks in bulk.

Update standards

Use this template to update standards in bulk.

Update templates

Use this template to update templates in bulk.

Update third parties

Use this template to update third parties in bulk.

Update users

Use this template to update users in bulk.

Update vendors

Use this template to update vendors in bulk.