Bulk update user profiles with LDAP directory or API

The following methods let you update user profiles with data from your organization's LDAP directory or other source.

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 update many profiles at once programmatically. After you enable API access, learn how to update a user account.

Rich profile information connects users

When you add profile information to user profiles, people in your organization find it in many Google services:

Individual and group addresses autocomplete as users enter them in Google 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 services. For example, when users point at or tap someone’s profile photo, they open a person information card.
Users see organization relationships. If you add a manager email for all user profiles in an organization, then Google automatically generates a reporting chain. For example, this is used for People recommendations and Post analytics in Currents. Available in Google services on Android and iOS, as well as in 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 (manager email required for some Currents features)
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 profile displays information

Person information card

Name

Profile photo

Phone number

Job title / Department

Desk location: Building, floor, floor section

Links

Contacts sidebar in Gmail

Name

Job title / Department

Phone number

Desk location: Building, floor, floor section

Manager's email address

Reports: Based on reports' manager's email address

Available user profile fields

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

Profile value	Example	Admin console field	Directory API property	GCDS attribute
Name	Elisa Beckett	Rename user	name	Given name Family name
Profile photo		Photo	Users.photos	Not available
Email address	elisa.beckett@ink-42.com	Primary email	primaryEmail	Primary email
Phone number	1 949-555-0198	Phone	phones[]	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	kat.deburgh@ink-42.com	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

* When you update user profiles with the Directory API, we recommend you update both the addresses[].formatted property and individual address properties. Individual address properties aren't synchronized to the Admin console or Directory.