What columns does the applicants CSV need?
Four required columns: name, email, role_ref and resume_file. Everything else is optional, and unknown columns are ignored rather than rejected.
Updated August 18, 2026 · 6 min read
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Column reference
| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| name | textRequired | Full name as you want it shown on the scorecard. |
| textRequired | Used to match re-uploads to an existing candidate. Must be unique per role. | |
| role_ref | textRequired | Must match a value in the roles CSV. This is what attaches the applicant to a rubric. |
| resume_file | textRequired | Filename inside the ZIP, including the extension. Case-sensitive. |
| phone | textOptional | Shown on the scorecard. Not used in scoring. |
| linkedin_url | urlOptional | Used for profile enrichment where the plan includes it. |
| applied_at | ISO 8601 dateOptional | Defaults to the upload time if absent. Affects ordering, not scoring. |
A minimal file
Comma-separated, UTF-8, with a header row. Quote any field that contains a comma.
name,email,role_ref,resume_file
Rina Putri,rina@example.com,BE-2026-01,rina-putri.pdf
Adi Santoso,adi@example.com,BE-2026-01,adi-santoso.pdf
"Chen, Mei",mei@example.com,BE-2026-01,mei-chen.docxresume_file must match the filename in the ZIP exactly, including case and extension. A mismatch here is the single most common upload failure.
Errors you might see
- resume_file not found in archive
- The filename in the CSV does not exist in the ZIP. Usually a case difference, or a missing extension.
- role_ref does not match any role
- The value is not present in the roles CSV. Upload both files in the same batch.
- duplicate email for role
- Two rows share an email on the same role. Keep one — the second is not a separate applicant.
- missing required column
- The header row is missing one of the four required names. Header spelling is exact, but order does not matter.
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