Bulk update user profiles with LDAP directory or API

You can update user profiles with data from your organization's LDAP directory or other sources with the following methods:

• Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS)—Use to synchronize user data in your existing LDAP directory with your Google Directory. This method also synchronizes groups, contacts, and organizations. For instructions, go to Sync user data with Active Directory or an LDAP server.
• Directory API—Use to programmatically update many profiles at once. After you turn on API access, learn how to update a user account.

Rich profile information connects users

When you add information to user profiles:

• Individual and group addresses autocomplete in Google Workspace services like Gmail, Google Docs, and Drive.
• Calendar intelligently suggests meeting rooms based on the location and number of guests (requires Calendar setup).
• Users find profile information in Google Workspace services. For example, when users point to or tap someone’s profile photo, they open a person information card.
   

  
   

• Users see organization relationships. If you add a manager email to user profiles, Directory automatically generates a reporting chain. Available in Google services on Android and iOS  and in Google Cloud Search on all devices.
   

  

What you can update

You can add, edit, or delete the following information:

• Secondary email address—An address that is outside your domain
• Phone numbers, physical addresses
• Desk location (if you set up buildings in Calendar)
• Job title, manager email, department, and cost center
• Employee ID and employee type
• Organization-specific custom attributes
• A user's primary email address and display name

You can also let users update some of their profile settings, including name, photo, and work location. Note: Gmail users can change their display name themselves.

How the Directory displays profile information

Person information card
 

		Name
		Profile photo
		Email
		Phone number
		Job title / Department
		Desk location: Building, floor, floor section
		Links

Contacts sidebar in Gmail
 

		Name
		Job title / Department
		Email
		Phone number
		Desk location: Building, floor, floor section
		Manager's email address
		Reports: Based on reports' manager's email address

User profile fields

To set the profile information that is shared throughout Google services, edit the following fields.

Profile value	Example	Admin console	Directory API	GCDS
Name	Sasha Lee	Rename user	name	Given name Family name
Profile photo		Photo	Users.photos	Not available
Email address	[e-mail]	Primary email	primaryEmail	Primary email
Phone number	[phone]	Phone	phones[] Note: Only these attributes are updated in the Admin console: Home Work Mobile Enterprise Voice	Work phone numbers Work mobile phone numbers Home phone numbers Fax numbers Mobile phone numbers Assistant's number
Address	123 Google Way, Inktown, CA 99999	Address	addresses[].formatted*	Street Address P.O. Box City State/Province ZIP/Postal Code Country/Region
Job title	Account Manager	Job title	organizations[].title	Job title
Manager's email	[e-mail]	Manager's email	relations[].type.manager	Manager's DN
Department	Marketing	Department	organizations[].department	Department
Organization	Ink 42	Change organization name	organizations[].name	Company name
Desk location	Building B-2-151C	Building ID Floor name Floor section	locations[] with type=desk	Building ID Floor name
Links	Directory | Personal site	Not available	websites[]	Websites

*The Directory API allows both structured address data broken out by fields and unstructured address data as represented by the addresses[].formatted field, and they are not synced to each other. If you have structured address data and update the addresses[].formatted field, we recommend also updating your structured address fields for that user.

Related topics

For other ways to update user profiles, go to:

• Set up and manage the Directory
• Add information to a user's Directory profile
• Create custom attributes for user profiles
• Update a user with Directory API
• Sync user data with Google Cloud Directory Sync