If you need to bring contact information into the CRM, the Upload Contacts feature makes it straightforward. With a few clicks, you can import a single contact or a whole group. Simply upload your spreadsheet and you're up and running.

Preparing Your File

Before uploading, prepare your CSV file: make sure it's in .csv format, contains only one spreadsheet, and is under 30MB. The file should include a header row that matches the CRM fields for a smooth import.

  • Include Essential Columns: Make sure your spreadsheet has key columns such as name, email, and phone number. Matching these fields correctly during import will help avoid errors or missing data.
  • Assign Contact Owner: Assign a contact owner by including the user's name in either the "FirstName LastName" or "LastName FirstName" format. Both names are required for the system to recognise the user during the upload.
  • Format Phone Numbers: For most cases, phone numbers should be formatted in E.164 (e.g., +1 1234567890) to be recognised as valid. Formats like 123-456-7890 or (123) 456-7890 are also accepted when the country is set to the US.
  • Acceptable Date Formats: Use date formats such as mm/dd/yyyy and yyyy/mm/dd. You can also use separators like '/' '-' or '.'.
  • Tag Formatting: Tags can be listed in formats like "Value 1, Value 2, Value 3" to ensure they are accurately recognised during import.

Steps for Importing Contacts

The import process has four steps: Start, Upload, Map, and Details.

Start by selecting the Import icon at the top right of the Contacts tab.

Start

Start importing Contacts and Opportunities by selecting the relevant objects (Contacts and/or Opportunities), and then click on Next.

Upload

Select the "Upload a File" button and navigate to the relevant folder on your device to find your file. You can choose how Opportunities and Contacts are imported. The system uses "Emails" and then "Phone numbers" as the default unique identifier for contacts. You can also choose other fields for Deduplication from the Settings.

Click the Next button to proceed.

Map

Map the columns from your CSV file to the corresponding objects and fields.

Use the preview column to verify matches.

Verify

In the final step, you can Create a Smartlist for newly created contacts from the import, Add contacts to Workflows by selecting the desired workflow in the dropdown, and Add tags to contacts by selecting from existing tags or creating new ones to categorise your contact list.

Review the import by cross-checking the CSV and making sure the mapping aligns with your goal. By ticking the compliance checkbox, you confirm that all contacts have explicitly opted in to receive communications from your company. Complete the import by clicking the "Start Bulk Import" button. You can track progress in the Bulk Actions tab.

This keeps your contact import efficient, accurate, and adaptable to your needs.