Importing Contacts and Opportunities via CSV

Bringing large numbers of contacts and opportunities into your CRM is simple with the CSV import feature. This guide will walk you through preparing your file, mapping your data, and completing the import successfully.

Before You Begin

Before starting an import, please ensure you meet the following requirements:

• User Permissions: You must have Admin-level access to import contacts.
• File Format: Your file must be in CSV (.csv) format.
• File Size: The file size must be under 30MB. If your file is larger, please split it into smaller files.
• Single Sheet: The CSV file must contain data on a single sheet.
• Header Row: The first row of your CSV must contain headers that name your columns. At least one header should correspond to a field in the CRM.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Mismatched Headers: Ensure your CSV column headers match the names of fields in the CRM.
• Blank Required Fields: Each row must have at least one required field populated, such as Name, Email, or Phone.
• Phone Number Formatting: Remove special characters like spaces, dashes, or parentheses from phone numbers.
• Duplicate Records: Clean your list to remove duplicate entries before importing.

How to Import Contacts and Opportunities

You can start the import process from two places in the CRM:

• Navigate to Contacts > Smart Lists and click the Import Contacts button.
• Navigate to Opportunities and click the Import button in the top-right corner.

Both methods will open the same import wizard, where you can choose to import Contacts, Opportunities, or both at the same time.

Choose What To Import

First, select whether you are importing Contacts, Opportunities, or both.

Upload Your CSV File

Click Next, then click Upload File to select your CSV file from your computer. After the file is uploaded, you will be asked to choose how to import the records. You can select to only create new records, only update existing ones, or perform both actions.

Note: By default, the system will search for existing contacts by email first. If no match is found by email, it will then search by phone number.

Mapping Columns to Fields

You must map each column from your CSV file to the correct field in the CRM. A few important points:

• If you check the Don't update Empty Values option, fields that already contain data will not be overwritten if the corresponding cell in your CSV is empty.
• If you do not wish to import data from a specific column, you can leave it unmapped. You must then check a box to confirm you want to proceed without mapping all columns.
• You can import contacts with multiple email addresses and phone numbers; these will be added as secondary contact details.
• If a contact and an opportunity are on the same row in the CSV, they will be automatically linked together.

Reviewing and Completing the Import

Review your field mappings carefully. Before finishing, you have the option to:

• Create a new Smart List from the imported contacts.
• Add the imported contacts to a Workflow.
• Apply a new Tag to the imported contacts.

You must select a checkbox to confirm you are ready to import all contacts and opportunities before you can complete the process.

Monitor Import Status

After starting the import, you can monitor its progress from the Bulk Actions page, which is accessible from both the Contacts and Opportunities sections. Click the Show Stats button to see detailed statistics. If there are errors, you can download an error log from the Error tab to help identify and fix issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my CSV file is larger than 30MB?

You will need to split the file into smaller sections, each under 30MB, and import them separately.

Can I import contacts with multiple emails or phone numbers?

Yes. The system will add additional emails and phone numbers as secondary contact details without replacing the primary ones.

How does the CRM handle duplicate contacts?

The system will automatically merge contacts if it finds a match based on email or phone number, updating the existing record instead of creating a duplicate.

Can I update existing contacts with a CSV import?

Yes. During the import setup, you can choose the Update Only or Create & Update option.

What should I do if my import fails?

Check the Import Status Page and download the error log. Use the information in the log to correct the issues in your CSV file and try the import again.

Why are all my imported contacts set to DND for all channels?

If you include a DND (Do Not Disturb) column in your CSV, the system applies it to all communication channels. To set DND for specific channels only, you should use a Workflow and tags instead of the DND column during import.