Setting up third-party user provisioning with Merge.dev

Deel supports inbound user provisioning from some HRIS or IT systems through Merge.dev. This integration automatically creates Persons Without a Contract (PWACs) in Deel for IT and Engage use cases.

PWACs are users who don’t have an active contract in Deel but still need access to Deel products like IT, Engage, or HRIS. They are designed for non-payroll use cases only and cannot be used for Contractor, EOR, or Payroll use cases. If a worker needs a contract later, you can create one either through the contract creation flow or directly from the worker’s profile.

This article explains how to connect your HRIS or IT system to Deel using Merge.dev and provision PWACs automatically.

In this article

• Before you begin
• Step 1. Prepare Merge.dev integration
• Step 2. Connect the integration
• Step 3. Activate worker data sync
• Record sync logic for HRIS systems via Merge.dev
• Step 4. Sync data manually

Before you begin

To successfully complete this setup, you’ll need:

• A user with an admin role and permission to manage apps and integrations in Deel
• A user with an admin role in your external system where provider-specific authorization requires it

We recommend checking Getting started with third-party user provisioning to understand how PWACs work in Deel before following this guide.

Step 1. Prepare Merge.dev integration

Before connecting Deel to Merge.dev, you need to configure your external system so that it can sync worker data into Deel. 

Follow the instructions from Merge.dev for one of the supported integrations:

• Charlie
• Dayforce
• Google Workspace
• Gusto
• Humaans
• JumpCloud
• Justworks
• Keka
• Microsoft Entra
• Paycor
• Sage HR
• Workday
  • Via OAuth
  • Via Integration System User (ISU)
• Zoho People

If your third-party integration is not listed above, you can make a request through your Deel IT representative. Following this, we will conduct a quality assessment with Merge.dev to evaluate whether to start supporting the new integration.

Step 2. Connect the integration

In this section, we’ll guide you through how to connect Deel to Merge.dev.

To connect to Merge.dev:

1. In the left sidebar, select Apps & Automation to expand its submenu, then select App Store.
2. If an optional Apps & Integrations welcome prompt appears, dismiss it using I'll do that later or the X so that you can access the App Store search.

1. In the Find apps field, enter Merge.dev, then select the Merge.dev result.

1. On the Merge.dev integration page, select Connect Merge.dev.

1. In Enter your HR Provider below, select the HR Provider field and choose the provider your organization uses. The form saves automatically, and Connect & go to settings remains unavailable until you select a provider.

1. Confirm the correct provider is shown, then select Connect & go to settings.

1. Complete the provider-specific authorization in the Merge.dev connection window. Some providers require an administrator. For example, Charlie displays an administrator requirement and provides a link that can be shared with the appropriate administrator.

After connecting the integration, you can now activate the worker data sync.

Step 3. Activate worker data sync

Merge.dev must be connected and authenticated with valid credentials before plugins and worker-import controls are available.

To activate the worker data sync:

1. Return to the Merge.dev integration from Apps & Automation > App Store. Search for and open Merge.dev if needed.
2. Open the Plugins and settings tab. Depending on your page layout, this may be labeled Plugins.
3. Locate Worker data sync for non-payroll, click Enable, then select Confirm in the confirmation dialog.
4. If available for your setup, configure automatic invitations and map Deel fields to values from your HRIS, then select Continue. See the PWACs integration reference for a complete list of supported fields.

Use filtering to avoid duplicates

If you are importing PWACs and you also use Deel Payroll, to avoid duplicates, you must exclude workers who already have a contract that is managed through Deel from the sync. You can do so using the AI filter when reviewing the list of workers.

1. On the Import workers tab, review which worker profiles to import based on your set criteria, and use the AI filter to exclude workers who already have Deel contracts if needed.
2. Select Continue to import, then select Sync in the Ready to Sync pop-up modal to start importing the selected worker profiles.

The selected worker profiles will be imported into Deel from your HRIS. You’ll receive a notification once the import is completed.

If Merge.dev authentication is invalid

If the integration shows Disconnected and Your authentication is invalid, credentials have expired or are invalid and you cannot enable the plugin or import workers.

• Select Reconnect Merge.dev.
• Complete the reconnection with valid Merge.dev credentials.
• Return to Plugins and settings after the disconnected warning is cleared, then resume this step.

Record sync logic for HRIS systems via Merge.dev

When a new employee record in your HRIS (for example, Workday, BambooHR, or HiBob) passes the integration filter criteria, Deel automatically attempts to sync it and either create or link a worker profile.

• If the work or personal email matches an existing worker profile in Deel, a new one is not created. Deel links the existing profile to the HRIS record using the external provider ID provided through Merge.dev
• If there is no email match, Deel creates a new worker profile and links it automatically to the HRIS record using the external ID
• Once the record is linked, any future updates in your HRIS, such as name or email address changes, are automatically reflected in Deel  

This process applies only to HRIS integrations that sync worker information.
For identity provider (SSO) integrations such as Okta or Entra ID, Deel manages user access but does not create or update worker profiles.

Step 4. Sync data manually

Although worker data sync runs automatically once per day, you may want to trigger a manual sync:

• If you’ve made important changes in your HRIS and need them reflected in Deel immediately
• If you notice missing data or errors that suggest the last sync didn’t complete correctly

To sync manually:

1. In the left sidebar, select Apps & Automation to expand its submenu, then select App Store.
2. Search for Merge.dev in Find apps and open the Merge.dev result.
3. Verify that the integration is connected. A connected integration displays Sync Merge.dev.
4. Select Sync Merge.dev once and wait for Deel to display the confirmation notification that the sync was initiated.

If Connect Merge.dev is shown instead of Sync Merge.dev, the integration is not connected and a manual sync cannot be run yet. Complete the connection workflow in Step 2, then return here.

If no confirmation notification appears, refresh the integration page, verify that Merge.dev is still connected, and initiate the sync again only if Sync Merge.dev is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PWACs be converted to workers with a Deel contract later?

Yes. If a PWAC later needs a contract, you can create one through the standard contract creation flow or directly from the worker's profile in Deel.

How often does worker data sync run automatically?

Automatic sync runs once per day. Trigger a manual sync for immediate updates from the Merge.dev integration page.

Troubleshooting