diff --git a/generic/templates/generic/trainees_bulk_update.html b/generic/templates/generic/trainees_bulk_update.html
index 109a97d0..10b828ce 100644
--- a/generic/templates/generic/trainees_bulk_update.html
+++ b/generic/templates/generic/trainees_bulk_update.html
@@ -33,7 +33,21 @@
                             <td><pre style="margin:0">{{ r.raw }}</pre></td>
                             <td>{{ r.norm_name }}</td>
                             <td>{{ r.grade }}</td>
-                            <td>{% if r.matched_user %}<a href="{% url 'account_profile' r.matched_user.username %}">{{ r.matched_user.first_name }} {{ r.matched_user.last_name }}</a>{% else %}<span style="color:red">No match</span>{% endif %}</td>
+                            <td>
+                                {% if r.matched_user %}
+                                    <a href="{% url 'account_profile' r.matched_user.username %}">{{ r.matched_user.first_name }} {{ r.matched_user.last_name }}</a>
+                                {% else %}
+                                    <div>
+                                        <span style="color:red">No match</span>
+                                        <div>
+                                            <input type="text" id="user-search-input-{{ r.row_index }}" placeholder="Search users..." style="width:220px" />
+                                            <button type="button" onclick="searchUsers({{ r.row_index }})">Search</button>
+                                        </div>
+                                        <div id="user-results-{{ r.row_index }}"></div>
+                                        <input type="hidden" name="manual_user_{{ r.row_index }}" id="manual_user_{{ r.row_index }}" />
+                                    </div>
+                                {% endif %}
+                            </td>
                             <td>{{ r.supervisor_text }}</td>
                             <td>{% if r.matched_supervisor %}<a href="{% url 'generic:supervisor_detail' r.matched_supervisor.pk %}">{{ r.matched_supervisor.name }}</a>{% else %}<span style="color:red">No match</span>{% endif %}</td>
                         </tr>
@@ -48,3 +62,56 @@
         {% endif %}
 
 {% endblock %}
+
+{% block extra_scripts %}
+    <script>
+        function searchUsers(rowIndex) {
+            const input = document.getElementById('user-search-input-' + rowIndex);
+            const q = input ? input.value.trim() : '';
+            const resultsDiv = document.getElementById('user-results-' + rowIndex);
+            const hiddenInput = document.getElementById('manual_user_' + rowIndex);
+            resultsDiv.innerHTML = 'Searching...';
+            fetch("{% url 'generic:user_search' %}?q=" + encodeURIComponent(q))
+                .then(r => r.json())
+                .then(data => {
+                    resultsDiv.innerHTML = '';
+                    if (!data || !data.results || data.results.length === 0) {
+                        resultsDiv.innerHTML = '<div><em>No users found</em></div>';
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    const ul = document.createElement('ul');
+                    ul.style.listStyle = 'none';
+                    ul.style.padding = '0';
+                    data.results.forEach(function(item){
+                        const li = document.createElement('li');
+                        li.style.margin = '4px 0';
+                        const btn = document.createElement('button');
+                        btn.type = 'button';
+                        btn.textContent = 'Select';
+                        btn.style.marginLeft = '8px';
+                        btn.onclick = function(){
+                            hiddenInput.value = item.id;
+                            resultsDiv.innerHTML = '<div>Selected: ' + escapeHtml(item.text) + '</div>';
+                        };
+                        li.innerHTML = '<strong>' + escapeHtml(item.text) + '</strong>';
+                        li.appendChild(btn);
+                        ul.appendChild(li);
+                    });
+                    resultsDiv.appendChild(ul);
+                })
+                .catch(function(err){
+                    resultsDiv.innerHTML = '<div style="color:red">Error searching users</div>';
+                    console.error(err);
+                });
+        }
+
+        function escapeHtml(unsafe) {
+            return unsafe
+                .replace(/&/g, "&amp;")
+                .replace(/</g, "&lt;")
+                .replace(/>/g, "&gt;")
+                .replace(/\"/g, "&quot;")
+                .replace(/'/g, "&#039;");
+        }
+    </script>
+{% endblock %}
diff --git a/generic/urls.py b/generic/urls.py
index 4b0c3aed..6d4fb9cc 100755
--- a/generic/urls.py
+++ b/generic/urls.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
         views.SupervisorAutocomplete.as_view(model=Supervisor),
         name="supervisor-autocomplete",
     ),
+    path("user-search/", views.user_search, name="user_search"),
     path(
         "cids/manage/<int:pk>/update", views.CidUserUpdate.as_view(), name="update_cid"
     ),
diff --git a/generic/views.py b/generic/views.py
index eb584762..e3512665 100644
--- a/generic/views.py
+++ b/generic/views.py
@@ -3067,13 +3067,12 @@ class GenericViewBase:
 
         Accepts POST or GET parameters:
         - category: integer primary key of category (optional)
-                - status: one of the status codes (AC, OD, ER, RJ, IP), or 'UNREVIEWED' or 'ANY'
-                    If not supplied, the default behavior is to return only unreviewed questions.
+        - status: one of the status codes (AC, OD, ER, RJ, IP), or 'UNREVIEWED' or 'ANY'
         """
 
         # Read filters
         category = request.POST.get("category") or request.GET.get("category")
-        status = request.POST.get("status") or request.GET.get("status") or "UNREVIEWED"
+        status = request.POST.get("status") or request.GET.get("status") or "ANY"
         # How many matching questions to skip (useful for Skip button). Expected integer >= 0.
         try:
             skip = int(request.POST.get("skip") or request.GET.get("skip") or 0)
@@ -4277,7 +4276,7 @@ def trainees_bulk_update_from_spreadsheet(request):
 
         current_grade = None
 
-        for line in lines:
+        for idx, line in enumerate(lines):
             if not line:
                 continue
 
@@ -4340,6 +4339,7 @@ def trainees_bulk_update_from_spreadsheet(request):
             preview.append(
                 {
                     "raw": line,
+                    "row_index": idx,
                     "name": name_part,
                     "norm_name": norm_name,
                     "first": first,
@@ -4355,7 +4355,21 @@ def trainees_bulk_update_from_spreadsheet(request):
             updated = 0
             skipped = 0
             for row in preview:
-                user = row.get("matched_user")
+                # Check for a manual override from the submitted form
+                manual_key = f"manual_user_{row.get('row_index')}"
+                manual_val = request.POST.get(manual_key)
+
+                user = None
+                if manual_val:
+                    try:
+                        user = User.objects.get(pk=int(manual_val))
+                    except Exception:
+                        user = None
+
+                # Fall back to automatic match
+                if not user:
+                    user = row.get("matched_user")
+
                 if not user:
                     skipped += 1
                     continue
@@ -4385,6 +4399,22 @@ def trainees_bulk_update_from_spreadsheet(request):
     )
 
 
+@user_is_cid_user_manager
+def user_search(request):
+    """Simple JSON endpoint to search users by name/email for manual matching."""
+    q = request.GET.get("q", "").strip()
+    results = []
+    if q:
+        qs = User.objects.filter(
+            Q(first_name__icontains=q) | Q(last_name__icontains=q) | Q(email__icontains=q)
+        ).order_by("last_name", "first_name")[:50]
+
+        for u in qs:
+            results.append({"id": u.pk, "text": f"{u.first_name} {u.last_name} ({u.email})"})
+
+    return JsonResponse({"results": results})
+
+
 def create_trainee(request, context=None):
     return create_user(request, context, trainee=True)