How to bulk add user names into SP list with grid mode

Question

Hi Team

I need a work around where I can add usernames into name column which feeds straight off our organisation directory.

I don't want to change the field into a free text column and this is the only column I can't bulk add without any manual input.

I've provided a screenshot of how it looks when in grid mode

The below screenshot is what I need to do for it to save

I want to be able to paste it in once without needing to go through each entry.

Thanks,
Harry

Answer 1

Hi @Harry N Nomikos
Currently I have not reproduced your problem on my site. I create a person or group column and edit in grid view, everything seems to be OK, when I type in a part of one's name, the whole information will appear (Did I understand it wrong?) :

You could change a list/site to check whether this issue persist.

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Answer 2

Hi @Harry N Nomikos
You could bulk add value to list column according to a CSV using powershell, as CSV is easier to be bulk edited, we could complete it by using CSV then add the value to SharePoint list.

$SiteURL = "https://crescent.sharepoint.com/sites/PMO"  
$ListName = "Projects"  
$CSVFilePath = "C:\Temp\FieldTemplate.csv"  
   
Try {     
    #Connect to the site  
    Connect-PnPOnline -Url $SiteURL -Interactive         
       
    #Get the List  
    $List = Get-PnPList -Identity $ListName  
   
    #Get Data from the CSV file  
    $CSVData = Import-Csv -Path $CSVFilePath  
   
    #Process each row in the CSV  
    ForEach($Row in $CSVData)  
    {  
        Try {  
                Write-host "Adding Column '$($Row.DisplayName)' to the List:" -f Magenta  
                #Check if the column exists in list already  
                $Fields = Get-PnPField -List $ListName  
                $NewField = $Fields | where { ($_.Internalname -eq $Row.Internalname) -or ($_.Title -eq $Row.DisplayName) }  
                If($NewField -ne $NULL)   
                {  
                    Write-host "`tColumn $Name already exists in the List!" -f Yellow  
                }  
                Else  
                {  
                    #Create the field based on field type  
                    Switch ($Row.Type)  
                    {  
                        'Single Line of text' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Text -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Multiple lines of text' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Note -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Number' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Number -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Person or Group' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type User -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Date and Time' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type DateTime -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Yes or No' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Boolean -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Currency' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Currency -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Choice' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Choice -Choices @($Row.Data.Split(",")) -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Hyperlink or Picture' {  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type URL -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Managed Metadata' {  
                            Add-PnPTaxonomyField -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -TermSetPath $Row.Data -List $ListName -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                        }  
                        'Lookup' {  
                            #Get Lookup options - first part represents the Lookup Parent list, second part for lookup field in the parent list  
                            $LookupOptions = $Row.Data.Split(";")  
                            Add-PnPField -List $ListName -Type Lookup -DisplayName $Row.DisplayName -InternalName $Row.Internalname -Required:([System.Convert]::ToBoolean($Row.IsRequired)) -AddToDefaultView | Out-Host  
                            Set-PnPField -List $ListName -Identity $Row.Internalname -Values @{LookupList=(Get-PnPList $LookupOptions[0]).Id.ToString(); LookupField=$LookupOptions[1]}  
                        }  
                        Default {  
                            Write-host "`tColumn Type '$($Row.Type)' not Found!" -f Red  
                        }  
                    }  
                }  
            }  
        Catch {  
            write-host -f Red "`tError Adding Column '$($Row.DisplayName)' to List:" $_.Exception.Message  
        }  
    }  
}  
Catch {  
    write-host -f Red "Error:" $_.Exception.Message  
}  

For more information, you could refer to:
https://www.sharepointdiary.com/2021/02/powershell-to-create-multiple-fields-in-sharepoint-online-list-from-a-csv.html

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link.

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Answer 3

Hi @Harry N Nomikos
Per my knowledge, currently there is no OOTB method or other workaround except powershell to bulk add value to person or group column. In UI we could only copy the names to each field one by one.

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Answer 4

You can achieve it with following way:

• Combine the DisplayName and Email fields in the following format: DisplayName,#Email.
• Separate each team member's information with a semicolon (;).

See output for following data:

  John Doe,#john.doe@example.com; Jane Smith,#jane.smith@example.com

  "ProjectTeam": [
      {
          "@odata.type": "#Microsoft.Azure.Connectors.SharePoint.SPListExpandedUser",
          "Claims": "i:0#.f|membership|john.doe@example.com",
          "DisplayName": "John Doe",
          "Email": "john.doe@example.com",
          "Picture": "https://example.com/userphoto/john.doe",
          "Department": "Engineering",
          "JobTitle": "Software Engineer"
      },
      {
          "@odata.type": "#Microsoft.Azure.Connectors.SharePoint.SPListExpandedUser",
          "Claims": "i:0#.f|membership|jane.smith@example.com",
          "DisplayName": "Jane Smith",
          "Email": "jane.smith@example.com",
          "Picture": "https://example.com/userphoto/jane.smith",
          "Department": "Marketing",
          "JobTitle": "Marketing Manager"
      }
  ]