The bulk grant import feature allows you to efficiently issue or record large batches of equity or token grants into Pulley. Instead of creating grants one at a time, you can import up to 5,000 grants in a single upload using a standardized Excel template, reducing what used to take hours down to just minutes.
⚠️ Bulk importing is only supported for the following grant types:
Equity: Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Tokens: Token Options and Restricted Token Units (RTUs)
This feature is particularly valuable during:
High-volume grant events (new hire waves, annual equity refreshes)
Company onboarding and migration to Pulley
Post-fundraising grant issuances
Recording historical grants
Who can use bulk import
Bulk grant import is available to users with the following access levels:
Full Admin Access
Admin with Read/Write Access
HR Admin
| Note: Admin with Read Only Access or Billing Access cannot use this feature.
Important notes on bulk grant uploads
Supported grant types
Bulk import is currently available only for the following equity and token types:
Equity: Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Tokens: Token Options and Restricted Token Units (RTUs)
All other grant types and equity instruments can still be input via the forms and spreadsheet editor functionalities.
Template customization
The Excel templates are standardized and cannot be customized. All uploads must conform to the inherent structure of the bulk upload templates found within Pulley. These have been crafted to ensure consistency and reliability.
Relationships
While Pulley allows for the creation of custom relationships within your workspace, the bulk import spreadsheet templates are not able to utilize these at this time. All relationships need to adhere to Pulley’s default employee relationships.
Import limits
Maximum grants per upload: 5,000 grants
If you need to import more than 5,000 grants, break your file into multiple batches and upload them separately.
How to import grants in bulk
Initiating a bulk grant upload follows a similar initial flow to adding new grants within the Pulley account with the caveat that you will need to select the Multiple section during input to access and upload via the bulk feature.
Step 1: Access the bulk import feature
Select the + New button in the top-left of the Pulley Dashboard
Choose Add signed agreement to cap table (Existing Contract), or E-sign options, SAFEs, RSUs, Shares, and more (New Contract)
Select your grant type:
Grants: RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) and Options (Stock Options)
Tokens: RTUs (Restricted Token Units) and Token Options
On the grant issuance page, select Multiple to access the bulk import option
Click Import to begin the upload process
Step 2: Download and complete the template
Click Download Template to get the Excel file
The template includes two sheets/tabs:
Grants Data Sheet: Where you enter all grant information
Reference Data Sheet: Lists valid values for specific fields
| Note: Templates are grant-type specific and available in each grant's addition section in Pulley.
Understanding required fields
In the Grants Data sheet, columns indicated as required must be populated for every grant. All other fields without the required label are optional, but recommended for thorough records.
Using the reference data sheet
The reference data sheet provides valid values for key fields:
Relationship types: Only standard employment relationships are supported, custom relationship types are not currently compatible with bulk functionality
Stakeholder types: Individual or Institution
Vesting schedules: Pre-configured vesting schedule names
Federal exemptions: Available tax exemption options
Acceleration options: Vesting acceleration terms
Supported currencies: Valid currency codes
👉 Important: If your vesting schedule names in Pulley don't exactly match those listed in the Reference Data sheet, update the template to include your actual vesting schedule names, even if they function identically.
Step 3: Populate your grant data in the template
Enter grant information for each stakeholder in the Grants Data sheet
Ensure all required fields are completed
Reference the Reference Data sheet for valid values
Complete any optional fields you want tracked in Pulley
💡 Before Uploading, we recommend performing a reconciliation to verify:
All stakeholders who should receive grants are included
Grant quantities are correct
Vesting schedules match your records
All required information is complete and accurate
Step 4: Upload your completed template
Save your completed Excel file
In Pulley, click Import again
Click Upload and select your file
Step 5: Review and validate your import
After uploading, Pulley automatically displays a validation spreadsheet showing your uploaded data with warnings and color-coded cells for troubleshooting:
Color-Coded Indicators:
Yellow highlighted rows: New stakeholders who will be created in Pulley along with their grants
Red highlighted cells: Errors that must be corrected before proceeding
Summary Information: The summary section displays key metrics to help you validate your import:
Number of grants: Total grants being added in this batch
Number of units: Total units/shares across all grants in the batch
Number of stakeholders: Count of employees/entities receiving grants (new and existing)
Remaining pool balance: Projected units remaining in your share pool after these grants are issued
Review this summary carefully to ensure the pool impact matches your expectations and you have sufficient shares available.
Step 6: Save for Review
Once you've verified the information is correct:
Click Save for Review
All grants will be saved as Drafts in Pulley
Managing Your Drafts:
After saving, your grants appear on the Drafts page where you can:
Send for Board Approval: Route drafts through your board approval workflow before adding to the cap table
Add to Cap Table: Immediately finalize and add grants to your active cap table (if no board approval is required)
Assign Reviewers (optional): Designate team members to review drafts before finalization
| For more information about working with drafts, see our guide →
💡 Drafts will remain in the Drafts section until you take one of these actions, they do not automatically finalize.
Troubleshooting
Red Cell Errors
Red Cell Errors
If you see red highlighted cells in the upload preview:
Common formatting errors:
Date formats: Ensure dates follow the format specified in the template (typically
MM/DD/YYYY)Number formats: Remove commas, currency symbols, or special characters from numeric fields
Required fields: Check that all required columns are populated for every row
Invalid values: Verify entries match valid options from the Reference Data sheet (e.g., vesting schedule names, stakeholder types)
Duplicate entries: Ensure you're not creating duplicate grants for the same stakeholder
How to fix:
Note which cells are highlighted in red
Download the template again or refer to your original file
Correct the errors in your Excel file
Re-upload the corrected file
Yellow rows (new stakeholders)
Yellow rows (new stakeholders)
Yellow highlighted rows indicate new stakeholders being added to Pulley. This is expected if you're issuing grants to people not yet in your system. However, verify:
The stakeholder name is spelled correctly
Email addresses are accurate
This isn't an accidental duplicate of an existing stakeholder
File upload fails
File upload fails
If your file won't upload:
Verify the file is in Excel format (.xlsx or .xls)
Check that the file size isn't excessively large
Ensure you haven't modified the template structure (column order, sheet names)
Try closing and reopening the Excel file, then re-saving before upload
Vesting schedule not found
Vesting schedule not found
If you receive errors about vesting schedules:
Confirm the vesting schedule name in your file exactly matches a vesting schedule that exists in your Pulley account
Check for typos, extra spaces, or capitalization differences
Create the vesting schedule in Pulley first if it doesn't exist, then retry your import