Sterling is a background check provider that many companies use to validate identity information. Drata supports a one-way connection that lets you upload background check results from Sterling. After upload, Drata maps the results to personnel records to support compliance tracking.
Prerequisites & Data Access
You must be able to sign in to your Sterling account with the correct permissions to export background check reports in CSV format.
Your Sterling export must include these columns
Applicant email address
Order status
Full applicant name
Order completed date and time
Drata uses these fields to accurately map the background check to the correct person.
Drata only consumes the data you manually upload. No direct API connection or bi-directional sync is supported.
Permissions & Data Table
Permission / Scope | Why It’s Needed | Data Accessed (Read Only) |
Ability to export CSV reports from Sterling | Provides the data required for compliance mapping in Drata | Background check results and metadata |
Optional: Report URL | Adds direct reference to original report for audit review |
|
Step-by-Step Setup
Step 1: Export the Background Check CSV from Sterling
Sign in to Sterling using your administrator credentials.
Use Find a Candidate to locate an individual (name or ID).
Open the candidate’s profile.
In the Screening History section, locate the completed report.
Select the report icon.
Download the report in CSV format.
Verify the CSV includes all required columns.
Applicant email address
Order status
Full applicant name
Order completed date and time
Note: Sterling typically provides background check results one candidate at a time. If you need to upload multiple background checks to Drata, combine the individual CSV files into a single CSV before uploading. Ensure the final file contains the required columns.
Step 2: Obtain the Sterling background check report URL (Optional)
Open the completed report in your browser.
Copy the URL from the address bar.
Save the link to include in Drata for reference.
Including this URL adds a reference back to the original report for auditing purposes.
Step 3: Upload Background Check Results to Drata
Go to the Connections page in Drata.
Select the Available Connections tab.
Search for Sterling, then select Connect.
(Optional) Enter the Sterling background check report URL to store the source link in the Personnel page.
Upload your Sterling CSV file to add background check records.
Uploading this file allows Drata to track who has completed a background check and who has not.
Verification the upload
To confirm successful upload and compliance mapping:
Go to the Personnel page.
Apply the filter: Not Compliant > Background Check.
This view highlights individuals who are missing background check data based on your Sterling upload.
This helps you quickly identify and address any compliance gaps in your personnel records.
To review all uploaded records:
Go to the Connections page > Manage background checks
View the imported records.
Reviewing uploaded records helps you verify the data transfer was successful and complete.
CSV Import process
Since Sterling’s API doesn't currently support direct data retrieval for background screenings, we’ve created a streamlined CSV import process to ensure your records stay up to date in Drata.
Follow the steps below to export your data from Sterling and sync it with your Drata account.
Export your report from Sterling
To get started, log in to your Sterling Looker reporting tool and download a CSV report of your background screenings.
Prepare your CSV file
For a successful upload, your CSV must include the following column headers exactly as shown:
OrderID
Applicant email address
Order Status
Full Applicant Name
Order Completed Date Time
Upload to Drata
Once your file is ready:
Navigate to the Connections page in Drata.
Open the Sterling connection to find the upload section.
Upload your CSV file.
Add your Sterling Reporting URL: Enter the link to your background check reporting page. Drata will add this link to your personnel records, allowing you to jump directly to an employee's status on the Sterling platform with a single click.