diff --git a/unit-tests/files/csv-import-test.csv b/unit-tests/files/csv-import-test.csv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a47f3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unit-tests/files/csv-import-test.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+category,subcategory,groupname,manager,member,member,viewer
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group1,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group2,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group3,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group4,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
diff --git a/unit-tests/files/header-with-suffixes.csv b/unit-tests/files/header-with-suffixes.csv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1962d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unit-tests/files/header-with-suffixes.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+category,subcategory,groupname,manager:alice,member:bob,member:charlie,viewer:dan
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group1,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
+test-automation,csv-test,csv-test-group2,groupmanager@yoda.test,researcher@yoda.test,datamanager@yoda.test,viewer@yoda.test
diff --git a/unit-tests/test_importgroups.py b/unit-tests/test_importgroups.py
index 33bed5f..730e463 100644
--- a/unit-tests/test_importgroups.py
+++ b/unit-tests/test_importgroups.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def test_fully_filled_csv_line_1_9(self):
             "manager": ["m.manager@yoda.dev"],
             "member": ["p.member@yoda.dev"],
             "viewer": ["m.viewer@yoda.dev"],
-            "expiration_date": ["2025-01-01"],
+            "expiration_date": ["2030-01-01"],
             "schema_id": ["default-3"],
         }
         expected = (
@@ -42,7 +42,34 @@ def test_fully_filled_csv_line_1_9(self):
             ["p.member@yoda.dev"],
             ["m.viewer@yoda.dev"],
             "default-3",
-            "2025-01-01",
+            "2030-01-01",
+        )
+        result, error_msg = _process_csv_line(d, args, "1.9")
+        self.assertTupleEqual(expected, result)
+        self.assertIsNone(error_msg)
+
+    def test_fully_filled_csv_line_1_9_with_suffixes(self):
+        # Confirm support the old csv header format still (with ":nicknameofuser")
+        args = {"offline_check": True}
+        d = {
+            "category": ["test-automation"],
+            "subcategory": ["initial"],
+            "groupname": ["groupteama"],
+            "manager:alice": ["m.manager@yoda.dev"],
+            "member:bob": ["p.member@yoda.dev"],
+            "viewer:eve": ["m.viewer@yoda.dev"],
+            "expiration_date": ["2030-01-01"],
+            "schema_id": ["default-3"],
+        }
+        expected = (
+            "test-automation",
+            "initial",
+            "research-groupteama",
+            ["m.manager@yoda.dev"],
+            ["p.member@yoda.dev"],
+            ["m.viewer@yoda.dev"],
+            "default-3",
+            "2030-01-01",
         )
         result, error_msg = _process_csv_line(d, args, "1.9")
         self.assertTupleEqual(expected, result)
@@ -129,6 +156,19 @@ def test_error_fields_1_8(self):
         self.assertIsNone(result)
         self.assertIn("1.9", error_msg)
 
+    def test_parse_csv(self):
+        args = {"offline_check": True}
+        parse_csv_file("files/csv-import-test.csv", args, "1.9")
+
+    @patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_parse_csv_with_header_suffixes(self, mock_stderr):
+        args = {"offline_check": True}
+        parse_csv_file("files/header-with-suffixes.csv", args, "1.8")
+
+        # This header format not supported in 1.9 and higher
+        with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+            parse_csv_file("files/header-with-suffixes.csv", args, "1.9")
+
     @patch('sys.stderr', new_callable=StringIO)
     def test_parse_invalid_csv_file(self, mock_stderr):
         # csv that has an unlabeled header
diff --git a/yclienttools/importgroups.py b/yclienttools/importgroups.py
index de34018..f419dd9 100644
--- a/yclienttools/importgroups.py
+++ b/yclienttools/importgroups.py
@@ -41,10 +41,21 @@ def parse_csv_file(input_file, args, yoda_version):
 
         # Check that all header names are valid
         possible_labels = _get_csv_possible_labels(yoda_version)
+        labels_with_optional_suffix = ['viewer', 'member', 'manager']
         for label in header:
             if label not in possible_labels:
-                _exit_with_error(
-                    'CSV header contains unknown field "{}"'.format(label))
+                found_match = False
+                for opt_label in labels_with_optional_suffix:
+                    if label.startswith('{}:'.format(opt_label)):
+                        found_match = True
+
+                if found_match and yoda_version not in ('1.7', '1.8'):
+                    _exit_with_error(
+                        'This script does not support headers with suffixes in '
+                        'Yoda version 1.9 and higher. Field with suffix: "{}"'.format(label))
+                elif not found_match:
+                    _exit_with_error(
+                        'CSV header contains unknown field "{}"'.format(label))
 
         duplicate_columns = _get_duplicate_columns(header, yoda_version)
         if (len(duplicate_columns) > 0):
@@ -146,11 +157,11 @@ def _process_csv_line(line, args, yoda_version):
             if not is_valid:
                 return None, '"{}" is not a valid username.'.format(item_list[i])
 
-        if column_name.lower() == 'manager':
+        if column_name.lower() == 'manager' or column_name.lower().startswith('manager:'):
             managers = item_list
-        elif column_name.lower() == 'member':
+        elif column_name.lower() == 'member' or column_name.lower().startswith('member:'):
             members = item_list
-        elif column_name.lower() == 'viewer':
+        elif column_name.lower() == 'viewer' or column_name.lower().startswith('viewer:'):
             viewers = item_list
 
     # perform additional data validations