Uploading Contacts to Contact Lists in Bulk

A quick way to create a contact list is to upload a contact list you already have, by importing it from a file. You can include your custom contact fields such as greeting or salutation with each contact record. You can import files of these types:

XLS (1MB size limit)

XLSX, TXT, or CSV (5MB size limit)

To ensure that the file you upload conforms to the current format, you can export your contact list to use as a template. See Exporting a Contact List for more information.

1. Navigate to your Contact Lists page.
2. Click the name of the contact list to which you want to add contacts, to open it.

3. Click Add Contacts > File Import.

   

4. In Upload Contacts, provide the following information:
   • Click Upload to select the file to import. 
   • If the file has a header row, check the File contains a header row option.

   • If Opt-In Authorization is enabled for your account, specify how the contacts that will be added to the list will opt in to receiving your communications to this contact list..  You can either use a general statement that all users are automatically opted in, or specify that each one should receive an email asking them to give their confirmation.  If an email is sent for opt-in, it's based on the email template associated with the contact list in the Confirmation Email tab. For more information, see About Confirmation Emails for Contact Lists.

     

5. Click Import.

6. Map the header columns to data fields, to confirm which contact field in portal records should be populated with the values from each field in the upload file.

   If a column is named the same as a standard contact field (eg. Email),  a suggested mapping isadded automatically. You can change it if required.

   Columns with non-standard names have Ignore Column set as a default. You can choose to include the field in the import by selecting a mapping to a field (standard or custom contact field).

   Standard contact fields are listed in the General area of the drop down list

   Custom contact fields are shown in the Custom area of the drop down list.

   For information about custom contact fields, see Custom Fields.

   

   If you can't see the field you want in the drop-down, you can create your own.

   Important

   Bypassing the mapping step or incorrectly mapping your fields may prevent your contact list from uploading.

7. Click Upload Contacts. You will receive an onscreen message with the import results.

   

   If any rows failed the import (for example if the contact already exists), you can click a link to download information about those rows.

Attempts to populate the company name correctly are made if there is any doubt about its accuracy in the imported record:

• If it was not included - the company information is populated based on the contact email domain. For example, jim@apple.com will result in Apple, Inc. contact information being added.
• If it appears misspelled or incomplete, based on existing records - the correct company name will be added. For example, an entry for Lent Solution would be updated to Lent Solutions if a record with that company name already exists. If the correction is not wanted, you can update it. Only one attempt is made to correct the name.