How to Import and Export Companies and Contacts and Using CSV

Introduction

Managing your contacts and companies efficiently is crucial for any business, and this comprehensive guide provides detailed instructions for importing and exporting data using CSV files. Whether you're looking to bulk upload new contacts, update existing company information, or export your data for backup purposes, you'll find step-by-step procedures and essential best practices. The guide covers everything from preparing your CSV files with the correct template structure to troubleshooting common import issues.

In this article

1. How to Import Companies with CSV
2. How to Export Companies to CSV
3. How to Import Contacts with CSV
4. How to Export Contacts to CSV
5. Best Practices for CSV Operations
6. Troubleshooting Common Issues

How to Import Companies with CSV

To import companies using a CSV file:

1. Navigate to the Companies tab
2. Click the arrow (▼) on the New button
3. Select Import from CSV from the dropdown menu

Preparing Your Company CSV

1. Use our Company CSV Template: 🔗 Link to Download a Template
2. Ensure all required fields are properly formatted

Company CSV Template Structure

Upload and Import Process

1. Drag and drop or click to upload your CSV file
2. Check Update existing companies if you want to update records with matching IDs:

• If checked: Companies with matching IDs will be updated with new information from your CSV
• If unchecked: Companies with matching IDs will be skipped - even if you've changed their data in the CSV file

3. Click Import to process

Handling Company Import Results

The results dashboard will show:

• Records Processed - Total number of companies in your CSV file
• ✅ Records Added - New companies successfully created in the system
• ✅ Records Updated - Existing companies that were updated with new information (only if "Update existing companies" was checked)
• ⏯️ Records Skipped - Existing companies that were skipped because "Update existing companies" wasn't checked
• 🔺 Records Had Errors - Companies that couldn't be imported due to validation errors

If some records couldn't be imported:

1. Review errors in the data grid
2. Hover over warning icons for details
3. Common company errors:

• Invalid status values (must be "ACTIVE" or "INACTIVE")
• Unsupported currency codes (must be supported by your account)
• Missing required fields (Company Name, Status, Currency)
• Invalid Company Numeric ID (use "AUTO" or leave empty for new companies)

How to Export Companies to CSV

To export your Companies:

1. Go to the Companies tab
2. Click Export to CSV
3. A CSV file with all your companies will be generated and downloaded

How to Import Contacts with CSV

To import contacts using a CSV file:

1. Navigate to the Contacts tab
2. Click the arrow (▼) on the New button
3. Select Import from CSV from the dropdown menu

Preparing Your CSV File

Before importing, you need to prepare your CSV file correctly:

1. Download and use our CSV Import Template: 🔗 Link Download a Template
2. Ensure your CSV includes all required fields

Contact CSV Template Structure

Uploading Your CSV File

In the Import Contacts modal, you can Drag and drop your CSV file into the designated area or click Upload File to browse and select your file

Import Options

Before importing, you'll see an option to Update existing contacts. What does this mean?

• If you check this box: We'll update any contacts that already exist in your system (based on their ID) with the new information from your CSV
• If you leave it unchecked: We'll skip any contacts that already exist - even if you've changed their data in the CSV file. These records won't be updated and will appear as skipped in your import results

Import Process

After uploading your file, you'll see a green success area with a file. Click Import to start processing your contacts. If there's an error, check your connection and try again.

Import Results

After processing, you'll see the Import Results dashboard showing:

• Records Processed - Total number of records in your CSV file
• ✅ Records Added - New contacts successfully created
• ✅ Records Updated - Existing contacts that were updated with new information (only if "Update existing contacts" was checked)
• ⏯️ Records Skipped - Existing contacts that were skipped because "Update existing contacts" wasn't checked
• 🔺 Records Had Errors - Contacts that couldn't be imported due to validation errors

Handling Import Errors

If some records couldn't be imported:

1. Review the error data grid below the results
2. Each error row shows the problematic record, a warning icon indicating the error, hover over the icon for detailed error information
3. Common errors include: ID contains letters (must be numbers only), missing required fields (First Name, Last Name) or invalid data format
4. Click to download a CSV file containing only the failed records
5. Correct the errors in the downloaded file
6. Re-upload the corrected file

How to Export Contacts to CSV

To export your contacts to a CSV file:

1. Go to the Contacts tab
2. Click the Export CSV button
3. Your contact list will be instantly downloaded as a CSV file containing all current contacts.

Best Practices for CSV Operations

1. Always back up your data before performing bulk updates
2. Test with a small batch first to ensure your CSV format is correct
3. Review the template carefully to understand required fields and formats
4. Use the update option cautiously - it will overwrite existing data
5. Keep your CSV files organized with clear naming conventions

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Upload fails: Check file format (must be .csv), verify internet connection
• All records show errors: Review template format, ensure proper column headers
• ID errors: Ensure IDs contain only numbers, no letters or special characters
• Status errors: Use only accepted values (e.g., "ACTIVE" or "INACTIVE")
• Missing data errors: Fill in all required fields before importing

Updated on: 17/06/2025