CRM People import starter CSV

This spreadsheet has the column names Spacebrain expects for people (your contacts). Fill it in, import a few rows as a test, then import the rest. It's for anyone adding contacts for the first time, or tidying an export from another tool before importing it.

Download crm-people-import-starter.csv

first_name,last_name,email,phone,title,department,company_name,linkedin_url,address,city,state,country,postal_code,notes
Test,Contact,[email protected],+12025550123,Operations Manager,Operations,Example Company,https://www.linkedin.com/in/example,123 Example Street,Vancouver,BC,Canada,V6B 1A1,INTERNAL TEST - delete after verification

Before you begin

• Role: Editor or higher in the workspace you're importing into.
• The right workspace: check the name at the top of the left sidebar.
• A spreadsheet app that can save as CSV (UTF-8), such as Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
• Permission to hold these contacts. Importing an email address doesn't give you permission to email that person.

What each column is for

Delete any columns you don't need. Keep the first row as column names, one person per row, and don't merge cells.

Fill it in

1. Download the file and open it in your spreadsheet app.
2. Replace the sample row with your own details first, so your test import is you. Add a note like TEST - delete after checking.
3. Add two or three more real contacts for the test.
4. Save as CSV (UTF-8). The file must be 10 MB or smaller.

Import it

1. Go to CRM → People and select Import.
2. Upload: choose your file.
3. Match fields: check each column is matched to the right Spacebrain field (for example phone → Phone). Choose Skip this column for anything you don't want to import.
4. Leave Update existing records if match is found off for your first test. Turn it on later if you want to update people who are already in Spacebrain; they'll be matched by email.
5. Check file: review any errors or warnings and the preview.
6. Review & import: select Start Import.
7. Results: check the numbers for Created, Updated, Skipped and Failed.

What you should see: your test contacts in CRM → People. Open your own record and check each detail landed in the right field.

When the test looks right, add the rest of your contacts to the file and import again.

Worked example

Maya's test file has 4 rows. The results show 3 Created and 1 Failed. She selects Download Error Report and sees that one row had no email address. She adds the email, imports that one row again, and gets 1 Created. Then she imports her full list of 350 contacts.

If something goes wrong

For more help, see CRM import troubleshooting.

FAQ

Can I import companies or leads with this file?

This file is for people. For companies or leads, go to Settings → Migrations, choose the record type and select Download blank template to get the right columns. See Move from another CRM.

Can I undo an import?

Not automatically. Keep your original file, and test with a few rows first.

Where do I record consent to contact someone?

Use a field your team has agreed on, such as a custom field for consent source and date. Only fill it in if you actually have that consent.

Next step

Read more about records and imports, or set up the new lead follow-up automation.