AI Acquisition
Cold Email Agent

Creating a Campaign with Manually Uploaded Leads

Overview

You can create campaigns by manually uploading your own leads via a CSV file. This guide walks through the CSV upload process during campaign creation, from selecting the upload option to mapping and validating your data.

This article focuses on the manual CSV upload step. For complete campaign creation instructions, see How to Create a New Cold Email Campaign.

Before You Start

Make sure your CSV file meets these requirements:

  • File format: .CSV with UTF-8 encoding

  • File size: Less than 100MB

  • Row count: Up to 20,000 rows (split larger files into batches)

  • Required columns: Email, Name, and Industry

Download the CSV template from the upload screen to ensure your file has the correct format and headers.

Creating A Campaign for Manually Uploaded Leads

Step 1: Start a New Campaign

In the Cold Email Agent, click the New Campaign button.

New Campaign button in Cold Email Agent interface

Step 2: Name Your Campaign

Type a name for your campaign and click Next.

Campaign name input field with Next button

Step 3: Choose the "Upload Your Own" Option

On the Add Leads screen, select Upload Your Own and click Next.

Upload Your Own option selected on Add Leads screen

Step 4: Upload Your CSV

Click Choose a .CSV file to select your file, or drag and drop it into the upload area.

CSV file upload area with Choose file button

Mapping CSV Columns

Step 5: Map Your Data

After your file uploads, you'll see the column mapping screen. Match each column from your CSV to the correct lead attribute using the dropdown menus.

The system will automatically map common column names (like "email" to Email). You can preview sample data by hovering over dropdown options.

Column mapping interface showing CSV columns mapped to lead attributes

You must map the Email, Name, and Industry columns before proceeding. The Next Step button will remain disabled until these required fields are mapped.

Once you've mapped all required columns, click Next Step.

Validating Your Data

Step 6: Review and Verify

On the validation screen, review your imported data in the table. The system will highlight any issues:

  • Red highlights: Invalid or missing data in required fields

  • Tooltips: Hover over highlighted cells to see error details

You can edit values directly in the table to fix errors. Use the Show only rows with errors toggle to focus on problematic entries.

Data validation screen with Next Step button

Rows with errors will be skipped during import. The screen shows how many valid records will be imported.

When you're satisfied with the data, click Next Step.

Completing Campaign Setup

Step 7: Continue to Next Steps

After importing your leads, you'll move to the next step in the campaign creation wizard, where you can set up email sequences, configure sending accounts, and launch your campaign.

Campaign setup screen showing next steps in the wizard

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Upload Failed or CSV Won't Parse

If your file fails to upload:

  • Verify the file is in CSV format with UTF-8 encoding

  • Check that file size is under 100MB

  • Split large files (over 20,000 rows) into smaller batches

  • Remove special characters or formatting from column headers

Validation Errors

Common validation issues include:

  • Invalid email addresses: Check for typos, missing @ symbols, or incomplete domains

  • Missing required fields: Ensure Email, Name, and Industry are populated for each row

  • Invalid phone numbers: Use standard phone number formats

Leads Not Showing After Import

If imported leads don't appear in your campaign:

  • Refresh the page to update the lead count

  • Check filters in the Leads tab to ensure you're viewing all records

  • Verify that rows without errors were successfully imported (check the validation screen summary)

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