How to update reporting data in closed Viva Glint surveys

Microsoft Viva Glint Advanced Configuration Uploads and Data Apps allow you to perform retroactive updates to survey data. Use this guidance to determine which retroactive update option best meets your needs.

Attributes that don't require retroactive updates

Some attributes in Viva Glint always reference the most current information and don't require retroactive updates. These attributes include:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email Address
• Employee ID
• Time Zone
• Survey Language
• Dashboard Language
• Personal Email

Factor in Survey Program type

Recurring and Ad Hoc survey programs represent a point in time for all respondents, and updates for multiple users for one time period can be applied in bulk with retroactive update options. Employee Lifecycle and Always-On survey programs, however, are ongoing. Surveys generate for individual users at many points throughout the lifetime of these surveys, making it difficult to pinpoint users' data in the past and apply updates, especially for Manager Hierarchy data.

Employee Lifecycle and Always-On surveys

Ongoing survey types like Lifecycle and Always-On can have the same user respond multiple times in a survey cycle that may need a retroactive update. Viva Glint retroactive updates don't currently support attribute value updates to multiple records for the same user during a retroactive update. An admin can remove users who have multiple records when preparing a file of corrected user data.

If duplicated users aren't removed, admins see a:

• "Failed to run the data app RETROACTIVE_PULSE_UPDATE" error message when using the RETROACTIVE_PULSE_UPDATE Data App.
• "FAILED" State for the Retroactive User Updates upload, with the following File error in the Upload Job Details:
  • System error: Failed to find user_staging_record with externalUserId=[user@contoso.com], which is not supposed to happen at all because User object with the same ID was previously loaded."

Data update options

There are three to update reporting data for closed survey cycles in Viva Glint:

1. Zero-upload retroactive updates (Recommended for non-manager hierarchy updates): This option allows updates to be performed outside of the Advanced Configuration page, requiring no file uploads. It supports direct retroactive changes to reporting data through the UI for eligible survey programs. Use Survey Programs > Actions > Retroactive Updates.

2. Manager hierarchy updates: Use Advanced Configuration > Data Apps > RETROACTIVE_PULSE_UPDATE to update manager relationships and reporting lines.

3. Non-manager hierarchy updates: Use Advanced Configuration > Uploads > Retroactive User Updates to update attributes such as function, region, or custom fields.

Survey Programs: Retroactive Updates (Recommended)

Viva Glint now offers a streamlined way to retroactively update reporting attributes for closed survey cycles—without requiring any file uploads. This new experience is available directly in the Survey Programs page and is designed to simplify the update process for administrators.

• Although zero file uploads are required, an optional csv file upload is available for defining the people in your update.

How to use

1. Navigate to Survey Programs in the Viva Glint Configuration.

2. Select the desired program.

3. From the Actions dropdown, choose Retroactive Updates.

4. Select your closed cycle.

5. Search and select the participants that need an update. This can be done with zero file upload, or an optional CSV file.

6. Select the attribute that needs an update, select the historical value, and enter the new value. Please repeat this in a new row for additional attributes.

7. Upon finishing steps 1-6, submit and review your changes.

• Only closed cycles will appear in your cycle selection dropdown. Live and upcoming cycles are not eligible for retroactive update.

• New attribute values must be different from the respective historical value.

Data Apps: RETROACTIVE_PULSE_UPDATE

Update Manager Hierarchy information for closed surveys by uploading corrected users to Viva Glint, running the RETROACTIVE_PULSE_UPDATE Data App, and reverting user data to current information after the update.

Uploads: Retroactive User Updates

To retain current employee information, upload a file of all or some users in your closed survey to apply new values to past versions of data. Viva Glint recommends the "Survey Programs" data update option for a simpler user experience.