Importing Contacts

Import multiple contacts at once by uploading a CSV file.

Preparing Your CSV File

Required Columns

Your CSV must include these columns:

• email
• firstName
• lastName

Optional Columns

Add any of these standard fields:

• phone
• note
• tags
• defaultAddressCompany
• defaultAddressAddress1
• defaultAddressAddress2
• defaultAddressCity
• defaultAddressProvinceCode
• defaultAddressCountryCode
• defaultAddressZip
• defaultAddressPhone

Custom Fields

Include any custom field names as column headers. Values will be imported automatically.

Sample CSV File

Download a sample CSV directly from the import dialog, or use this format:

firstName,lastName,email,phone,defaultAddressCity,defaultAddressProvinceCode,defaultAddressZip,tags,volunteerSkills
Person1,Last1,person1@example.org,555-0101,Springfield,IL,62701,volunteer;events,Phone Banking;Event Support
Person2,Last2,person2@example.org,555-0102,Chicago,IL,60601,donor;supporter,Fundraising;Outreach
Person3,Last3,person3@example.org,555-0103,Peoria,IL,61602,phonebank;canvassing,Research;Social Media

Import Process

The import wizard has 5 steps:

1. Upload

Click Choose File or drag and drop your CSV file.

Click Download Sample CSV to get a template file.

2. Mapping

The system auto-maps CSV columns to contact fields. Review and adjust mappings if needed.

Required fields (must be mapped):

• Email
• First Name
• Last Name

Optional fields can be:

• Mapped to standard fields
• Mapped to custom fields
• Skipped

3. Preview

Review the first 5 contacts to verify the import looks correct.

Check that data appears in the right fields.

4. Import

Click Start Import to begin. Progress bar shows:

• Total contacts
• Successful imports
• Failed imports with errors

5. Complete

Review import results:

• Number of contacts imported
• Any errors or skipped rows

Import Behavior

• Duplicate emails in your list are skipped
• Invalid data rows are reported with specific errors
• Unmapped columns are added as custom fields automatically

Handling Errors

Duplicate Emails

Contacts with emails already in the list are skipped. Update existing contacts manually if needed.

Invalid Data

Common issues:

• Missing required fields (email, firstName, lastName)
• Invalid email format
• Wrong data type for custom fields

The import report shows which rows failed and why.

CSV Format Requirements

• Use UTF-8 encoding
• First row must be column headers
• Use commas as delimiters

Best Practices

• Test with a small file first (5-10 contacts)
• Review the preview before importing
• Keep a backup of your original CSV
• Clean your data before import (remove duplicates, fix formatting)
• Use consistent naming for custom fields

Troubleshooting

Import Fails Completely

• Check file is valid CSV format
• Ensure required columns are present
• Verify file encoding is UTF-8

Some Contacts Skipped

Check import report for specific errors. Common issues:

• Duplicate emails
• Missing required fields
• Invalid email addresses

Custom Fields Not Importing

• Ensure custom fields exist in your organization
• Column names must match field names exactly
• Check data types in your CSV match field definitions

Next Steps

• Managing contacts
• Custom fields
• Segments