Overview
Import contacts into your CRM in bulk using a CSV file. This feature lets you add multiple contacts at once, mapping your data to CRM fields like name, email, phone, and company information.
Before You Start
Make sure you have:
Edit permissions - Admin or member role required (viewers cannot import)
A CSV file - Saved in UTF-8 encoding
Clean data - Remove duplicate emails and blank rows before uploading
Download the CSV template from the import page to ensure your file has the correct column structure.
Step 1: Navigate to Import
Go to CRM > People in your dashboard sidebar. Click the Import People button in the top-right corner.
Step 2: Upload Your CSV File
On the import page, drag and drop your CSV file into the upload zone, or click Choose a .CSV file to browse your computer.
If you need a template with pre-formatted headers, click Download template before uploading.
The system automatically parses your file after upload. You'll see a success message when processing completes.
Step 3: Map Your Columns
Match each column from your CSV to the corresponding CRM field using the dropdown menus. The system auto-maps common headers like "email" or "first name."
Required fields:
Email - Used to identify and update existing contacts
Name - First/last name or full name (minimum 1 character)
Optional fields:
Phone (E.164 format recommended, e.g., +1-123-456-7890)
Company Name
Job Title
Tags (comma-separated, e.g., "lead,high-priority")
Social profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)
Address details
Hover over any column to preview up to 10 sample values from your file. When finished, click Next Step.
Step 4: Review and Validate Data
The validation screen shows a preview of your contacts with editable fields. Any errors appear highlighted in red with error messages.
Common validation errors:
Invalid email format - Email must follow standard format ([email protected])
Missing required fields - Email or name not mapped or empty
Duplicate emails - Warning shown if multiple rows use the same email
You can edit any cell directly in the table or remove invalid rows using the trash icon. Toggle Show only rows with errors to focus on issues. Click Next Step when ready.
Step 5: Confirm and Import
Review the import summary showing how many contacts will be created versus updated.
Toggle Update existing contacts on email match if you want to skip updates and only create new records. When ready, click Import records.
After import completes, you'll see a success message with the number of contacts created and updated. The system redirects you to the People table where your new contacts appear.
After Importing
Your imported contacts are now available in the CRM. You can:
Filter by Recently Added to review new contacts
Link contacts to companies if company names were included
Use bulk actions to merge duplicates or assign to deals
Add imported contacts to cold email campaigns using tags
Create notes, tasks, or appointments for individual contacts
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Upload Failures
Problem: "Invalid file format. Please upload a CSV" Solution: Convert your file to CSV format using Google Sheets or Excel. Ensure UTF-8 encoding when saving.
Problem: "File too large" or "Exceeds row limit" Solution: Split your file into smaller batches (under 2MB and 1,001 rows each). Import each batch separately.
Validation Errors
Problem: "Invalid email" appears for valid-looking addresses Solution: Check for extra spaces, special characters, or missing @ symbols. Edit directly in the validation table.
Problem: "Missing required field" during mapping Solution: Ensure at least one column is mapped to Email and another to Name. Remap if needed.
Import Failures
Problem: "Successfully imported 0 records" despite validation passing Solution: Check your plan limits in Settings > Billing. Free plans have contact quotas that may block imports. Upgrade or contact support.
Problem: Imported contacts don't appear in the People table Solution: Refresh the page or check table filters. There may be a brief sync delay for large imports.
Best Practices
Clean your data first - Remove duplicates and blank rows in Excel or Google Sheets before uploading
Standardize formats - Use consistent data formats and lowercase emails for better matching
Use the template - Download and populate the CSV template to avoid mapping errors
Test with small batches - Import 10-20 contacts first to verify mappings before uploading larger files
Add tags during import - Use the tags column to organize contacts by source, campaign, or status
Related Articles
CRM Overview - Understanding the People tab and CRM structure
How to Add a Company to the CRM - Linking imported contacts to companies
How to Create a New Cold Email Campaign - Using imported contacts in campaigns