Bulk Photo Upload

Bulk photo upload lets you import an entire photo library and automatically match images to people in your roster by filename. Instead of uploading photos one at a time, you select a batch — from local files, a ZIP archive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Google Drive — and CaptrID handles the matching.

How it works

Choose a source → Select photos → Review matches → Upload

Choose your source — local files, a ZIP archive, OneDrive, or Google Drive
Pick a match strategy — match filenames to UID (default), name, or any roster field
Select photos — browse and select the images you want to import
Review matches — CaptrID shows you which photos matched, which need attention, and which didn’t match anyone
Upload — confirmed matches are uploaded and appear in the session’s approval queue

Photos uploaded this way go through the same approval workflow as any other submission. You’ll see them in your session’s Submissions tab alongside on-site captures and self-uploads.

Where to find it

There are two entry points for bulk upload:

Entry point	Where	What it does
Session Detail → Overview tab → Bulk Upload Photos	Inside an active photo session	Uploads photos into the session as pending submissions
Master List Detail → People tab → Import Photos	Inside a master list	Creates a temporary session, uploads, auto-approves, and syncs photos back to the master list in one step

The Import Photos button on the master list is the fastest way to get photos attached to your roster. It handles the full pipeline — session creation, upload, approval, and sync — in a single flow.

Setting up a bulk upload

Step 1: Choose a source

Select where your photos are coming from:

Local Files — select multiple images from your computer, or upload a ZIP archive
OneDrive — sign in with your Microsoft account and browse folders
Google Drive — use the Google Picker to select files

OneDrive and Google Drive import require a Pro plan or higher. On the Starter plan, you’ll see an upgrade prompt. Local file upload is available on all plans.

Step 2: Choose a match strategy

Tell CaptrID how to match filenames to people:

Strategy	How it works	Example
UID (default)	Filename matches the person’s UID value	`STU001.jpg` matches UID `STU001`
Name	Filename matches a name field	`Jane Smith.jpg` matches “Jane Smith”
Custom field	Filename matches any session field you choose	`EMP-4821.jpg` matches employee ID `EMP-4821`

Filenames are compared without the file extension. So STU001.jpg, STU001.png, and STU001.jpeg all match the same way.

Step 3: Select photos

How you select photos depends on your source: Local files:

Click Select Files to pick individual images, or Upload ZIP to upload an archive
Supported formats: JPEG, PNG
ZIP archives are extracted automatically — nested folders are flattened

OneDrive:

A sign-in popup opens — sign in with any Microsoft account
Browse your folders using the grid view with thumbnails
Select individual files or entire folders

Google Drive:

The Google Picker opens — search or browse your Drive
Select the files you want to import

Step 4: Review matches

After selecting photos, CaptrID analyses filenames and shows results across three tabs:

Tab	Meaning	Action needed
Matched (green)	Filename exactly matches a roster member	Ready to upload — no action needed
Needs Review (amber)	Filename is a close but not exact match (>70% similarity)	Confirm or reassign the suggested match
Unmatched (red)	No match found for this filename	Manually assign to a person using the search dialog, or skip

Bulk upload review screen showing three tabs: Matched with green indicators, Needs Review with amber indicators, and Unmatched with red indicators — Review screen with matched, needs review, and unmatched tabs showing photo previews and match status

To manually assign an unmatched photo:

Click Assign next to the unmatched photo
Search for the person by name, UID, or any field
Select the correct person
The photo moves to the Matched tab

Step 5: Upload

Once you’re happy with the matches:

Optionally enable Auto-approve — this approves all uploaded photos immediately (useful when importing from a trusted source like a professional photographer)
Click Upload
A progress bar shows per-file upload status
When complete, you’ll see a summary of successful uploads, skipped files, and any errors

Upload progress screen with per-file status indicators and an overall progress bar — Upload progress showing individual file status and overall completion percentage

Using a CSV manifest

If your ZIP archive contains a manifest.csv file, CaptrID uses it to map filenames to roster members instead of relying on filename matching. This is useful when filenames don’t match any roster field (e.g. camera-generated names like IMG_4821.jpg). The CSV should have at least two columns:

Column	Purpose
`filename`	The image filename inside the ZIP (e.g. `IMG_4821.jpg`)
The match field (e.g. `uid`, `student_id`)	The value to match against in your roster

Example manifest.csv:

filename,uid
IMG_4821.jpg,STU001
IMG_4822.jpg,STU002
IMG_4823.jpg,STU003

A CSV manifest overrides the filename matching strategy. If a manifest is present, CaptrID uses it regardless of which match strategy you selected.

Importing photos to a master list

The Import Photos button on the master list detail screen runs the entire pipeline in one step:

Creates a temporary photo session linked to the master list
Walks you through the bulk upload flow (source, matching, review)
Uploads matched photos as submissions
Auto-approves all submissions
Generates and applies a ChangeSet to sync photos back to the master list

This is the fastest way to attach photos to your roster — particularly useful for:

Photographer deliveries — import a folder of images after a photo day
Annual photo refresh — replace outdated photos in bulk
Migration from another system — bring your existing photo library into CaptrID

The temporary session and ChangeSet are created automatically. You don’t need to manage them — but they’re visible in your session list and audit logs for traceability.

Plan limits

Feature	Starter	Pro	Business	Enterprise
Local bulk upload	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CSV manifest matching	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
OneDrive import	—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Google Drive import	—	Yes	Yes	Yes

Tips

Use consistent filenames — the simplest approach is naming files with the person’s UID (e.g. STU001.jpg). If your photographer can do this, matching is automatic.
Use a manifest for camera files — if filenames are camera-generated (IMG_xxxx.jpg), include a manifest.csv in your ZIP to map them.
Review before uploading — take a moment to check the Needs Review tab. Fuzzy matches are often correct, but it’s worth confirming.
Enable auto-approve for trusted sources — if the photos come from a professional photographer, auto-approve saves time. You can always reject individual photos later.
Import to master list for one-click setup — the “Import Photos” flow on the master list handles everything. Use it when you just want to get photos attached to people quickly.
Check your plan — OneDrive and Google Drive import require Pro or higher. Local file upload works on all plans.

Getting Started

Setting Up Your Organisation

Managing Rosters

Running Sessions

Syncing Data

ID Cards & Credentials

Compliance & Data

Capturer Guide

More

How it works

Where to find it