Import contacts from a CSV file

Prepare the file

Use one header row, then one contact per row. Only the email column is required. Commas, semicolons, tabs and pipes all work as separators. Files can be up to 200 MB.

The quickest route is Download CSV template on the import page. Its column names are recognised automatically, so a file built from it needs no mapping at all. The template also includes a column for each custom field your workspace already has.

email,first_name,last_name,company,job_title,phone,country,city
ada@example.com,Ada,Lovelace,Analytical Engines,Mathematician,+40 700 000 000,Romania,Bucharest

Run the import

1. 1Go to Contacts → Import and select your CSV file.
2. 2Map columns. Sendtim matches common headers such as “Email address”, “First name” or “Company” on its own. Check each field and change any mapping that is wrong. The email field must be mapped before you can continue.
3. 3Any column left over can become a custom property: type a property key next to it, such as plan, or leave it blank to ignore the column.
4. 4Check the Preview of the first rows.
5. 5Under Options, pick the lists the imported contacts should join, and decide whether to Update existing contacts.
6. 6Select Start import.

Progress appears under Recent imports, with how many contacts were created, updated and rejected.

How existing contacts are handled

Contacts are matched by email address, ignoring differences in case. With Update existing contacts on, a matched contact takes the values from the file, but only where the file has a value: an empty cell never wipes data you already hold. With it off, matched contacts are left as they are.

Consent

Tick These contacts have given marketing consent only if you hold documented opt-in for everyone in the file. Sendtim then records consent with today’s date and “import” as the source, which is what you would show if someone asked how you got their address.