diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep.java
index afe3c9f1..94032fe5 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep.java
@@ -32,16 +32,20 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.processes.BackendStep;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.StorageAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QUserFacingException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepOutput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.storage.StorageInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.savedbulkloadprofiles.SavedBulkLoadProfile;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.implementations.bulk.insert.filehandling.FileToRowsInterface;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.implementations.bulk.insert.model.BulkInsertMapping;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.implementations.bulk.insert.model.BulkLoadFileRow;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.implementations.bulk.insert.model.BulkLoadProfile;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.implementations.bulk.insert.model.BulkLoadProfileField;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.CollectionUtils;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.JsonUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.ValueUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.BooleanUtils;
 
@@ -63,12 +67,37 @@ public class BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep implements BackendStep
    {
       try
       {
-         BulkInsertStepUtils.handleSavedBulkLoadProfileIdValue(runBackendStepInput, runBackendStepOutput);
+         QRecord savedBulkLoadProfileRecord = BulkInsertStepUtils.handleSavedBulkLoadProfileIdValue(runBackendStepInput, runBackendStepOutput);
 
-         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         // read process values - construct a bulkLoadProfile out of them //
-         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-         BulkLoadProfile bulkLoadProfile = BulkInsertStepUtils.getBulkLoadProfile(runBackendStepInput);
+         BulkLoadProfile bulkLoadProfile;
+         if(BulkInsertStepUtils.isHeadless(runBackendStepInput))
+         {
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if running headless, build bulkLoadProfile from the saved profile record //
+            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            if(savedBulkLoadProfileRecord == null)
+            {
+               throw (new QUserFacingException("Did not receive a saved bulk load profile record as input - unable to perform headless bulk load"));
+            }
+
+            SavedBulkLoadProfile savedBulkLoadProfile = new SavedBulkLoadProfile(savedBulkLoadProfileRecord);
+
+            try
+            {
+               bulkLoadProfile = JsonUtils.toObject(savedBulkLoadProfile.getMappingJson(), BulkLoadProfile.class);
+            }
+            catch(Exception e)
+            {
+               throw (new QUserFacingException("Error processing saved bulk load profile record - unable to perform headless bulk load", e));
+            }
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // read process values - construct a bulkLoadProfile out of them //
+            ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            bulkLoadProfile = BulkInsertStepUtils.getBulkLoadProfile(runBackendStepInput);
+         }
 
          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          // put the list of bulk load profile into the process state - it's the //
@@ -183,21 +212,32 @@ public class BulkInsertReceiveFileMappingStep implements BackendStep
          /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          runBackendStepOutput.addValue("bulkInsertMapping", bulkInsertMapping);
 
-         if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(fieldNamesToDoValueMapping))
+         if(BulkInsertStepUtils.isHeadless(runBackendStepInput))
          {
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            // just go to the prepareValueMapping backend step - it'll figure out the rest. //
-            // it's also where the value-mapping loop of steps points.                      //
-            // and, this will actually be the default (e.g., the step after this one).      //
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            runBackendStepInput.addValue("valueMappingFieldIndex", -1);
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            // if running headless, always go straight to the preview screen next //
+            // todo actually, we could make this execute, right?                  //
+            ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+            BulkInsertStepUtils.setNextStepStreamedETLPreview(runBackendStepOutput);
          }
          else
          {
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            // else - if no values to map - continue with the standard streamed-ETL preview //
-            //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-            BulkInsertStepUtils.setNextStepStreamedETLPreview(runBackendStepOutput);
+            if(CollectionUtils.nullSafeHasContents(fieldNamesToDoValueMapping))
+            {
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // just go to the prepareValueMapping backend step - it'll figure out the rest. //
+               // it's also where the value-mapping loop of steps points.                      //
+               // and, this will actually be the default (e.g., the step after this one).      //
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               runBackendStepInput.addValue("valueMappingFieldIndex", -1);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               // else - if no values to map - continue with the standard streamed-ETL preview //
+               //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+               BulkInsertStepUtils.setNextStepStreamedETLPreview(runBackendStepOutput);
+            }
          }
       }
       catch(Exception e)
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertStepUtils.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertStepUtils.java
index b0db3ad0..c52cd299 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertStepUtils.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/processes/implementations/bulk/insert/BulkInsertStepUtils.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.GetAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunBackendStepOutput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.processes.RunProcessInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.storage.StorageInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.savedbulkloadprofiles.SavedBulkLoadProfile;
@@ -69,6 +70,18 @@ public class BulkInsertStepUtils
 
 
 
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public static void setStorageInputForTheFile(RunProcessInput runProcessInput, StorageInput storageInput)
+   {
+      ArrayList<StorageInput> storageInputs = new ArrayList<>();
+      storageInputs.add(storageInput);
+      runProcessInput.addValue("theFile", storageInputs);
+   }
+
+
+
    /***************************************************************************
     **
     ***************************************************************************/
@@ -144,13 +157,37 @@ public class BulkInsertStepUtils
    /***************************************************************************
     **
     ***************************************************************************/
-   public static void handleSavedBulkLoadProfileIdValue(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput, RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStepOutput) throws QException
+   public static QRecord handleSavedBulkLoadProfileIdValue(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput, RunBackendStepOutput runBackendStepOutput) throws QException
    {
       Integer savedBulkLoadProfileId = runBackendStepInput.getValueInteger("savedBulkLoadProfileId");
       if(savedBulkLoadProfileId != null)
       {
          QRecord savedBulkLoadProfileRecord = GetAction.execute(SavedBulkLoadProfile.TABLE_NAME, savedBulkLoadProfileId);
          runBackendStepOutput.addValue("savedBulkLoadProfileRecord", savedBulkLoadProfileRecord);
+         return (savedBulkLoadProfileRecord);
       }
+
+      return (null);
    }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public static boolean isHeadless(RunBackendStepInput runBackendStepInput)
+   {
+      return (runBackendStepInput.getValuePrimitiveBoolean("isHeadless"));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   public static void setHeadless(RunProcessInput runProcessInput)
+   {
+      runProcessInput.addValue("isHeadless", true);
+   }
+
 }