Overview
The Lead Importer allows you to import new leads, update existing leads in bulk, and import lead custom properties and record sets using CSV files.
This article explains how to prepare and upload CSV files, map CSV columns to lead fields, save mappings for future use, and monitor imports through completion.
It also explains how to update existing leads and record sets using duplicate matching and overwrite options.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, prepare your data in a CSV file. The required format varies slightly depending on the type of import, as described below.
Setting Up Your CSV File for New Lead Import
To import new leads, add column headers such as Contact and DBA to the first row of your CSV file. Each subsequent row should represent one lead.
Setting Up Your CSV File for Record Set Import
To import record sets for existing leads, include a Lead ID column to associate each record set with the correct lead. Each CSV row represents one record set, so multiple rows can use the same Lead ID. In the example below, four Owner record sets will be added to lead 54562.
To find Lead IDs to use with your import, open My Leads and switch to Table view. If necessary, use the gear icon to add the Lead ID column, then click Export to download a CSV file.
Setting Up Your CSV File for Custom Property Import
To import custom properties for existing leads, include a Lead ID column and a separate column for each custom property you want to update.
The example below shows a CSV file prepared to update the Processor, Pricing Type, and Referral Partner properties for four leads.
By default, custom properties are updated using the values entered in their respective CSV columns. In this example, the Processor property is updated with the values Fiserv North, TSYS FSP, and Paysafe.
The values in your CSV file must match the configured custom property values exactly. For example, if a Processor value is "Fiserv North", enter that exact text in the CSV file.
Alternatively, you can update custom properties using their value IDs. These IDs are listed in the ID column on the custom property values page.
The following CSV file contains the same four leads as the previous example but uses value IDs instead of the corresponding text values.
Both approaches produce the same result.
To use value IDs instead of text values, enable Use Custom Property Values IDs for Mapping during the import process, as described in the custom property import section below.
Importing New Leads from a CSV File
To begin, select Lead Importer under My Leads in the navigation menu.
Upload your CSV file, then click Save & Continue.
On the mapping page, configure the lead settings and map your CSV columns to the corresponding lead fields. The settings at the top of the page include lead category, status state, assigned users, group, campaign, and source.
The lead settings selected at the top of the page apply to all leads in the import.
To map a CSV column, drag it from the left side of the page onto the corresponding lead field on the right. You can also drag in the opposite direction.
When a CSV column is mapped, the corresponding lead field turns green.
Alternatively, click the pencil icon next to a CSV column and search for the appropriate lead field in the dropdown list.
After mapping your fields, click Save in the top-right corner. A confirmation window appears, as shown below.
Review your mappings, then click Continue Without Saving Mapping or Save Mapping & Continue to proceed.
Choose Save Mapping & Continue to save your mappings for future imports. You can access saved mappings using Manage Mappings on the mapping page.
The Lead Import page displays files at different stages of the import process. Expand the Pending Imports section.
Your uploaded CSV file appears under Pending Imports. Click the Start Import icon on the far right to begin importing the data.
Before importing, you can optionally enable email validation so that only leads with valid email addresses are imported.
To enable email validation, click Manage Plans. To proceed without email validation, click Import Only.
Your CSV file moves to the import queue and appears under Import in Progress. The import starts automatically, typically within 10 minutes of starting the job.
When the import is complete, you receive an email and a pop-up notification. The file then moves to Finished Imports.
Updating Lead Fields with the Lead Importer
You can also use the Lead Importer to update existing leads in bulk.
To do this, select the lead field used to identify duplicates during the field-mapping step.
In the example below, E-mail is selected. The Lead Importer checks whether each email address in the CSV file already exists in the CRM.
If a matching lead is found, its information is updated according to the settings in the Overwrite column. You can either replace an existing value with the imported value or populate the field only if it is empty.
If a CSV row does not match an existing lead, a new lead is created using the information in that row.
Importing Lead Custom Properties
To import custom properties for existing leads, open Lead Importer and upload your CSV file in the Import Lead Custom Properties section.
After selecting the file, click Save & Continue to open the field-mapping page.
On the mapping page, drag CSV columns from the left onto the corresponding fields in the Custom Property tab on the right. Use the four-arrow handle next to each CSV column name.
In the Custom Property tab, you can also configure User Auto-Assign rules, enable Auto Update Lead Fields (based on the Custom Property Reference Info settings), and choose to map using Custom Property Value IDs instead of value names.
If you enable Use Custom Property Values IDs for Mapping, your CSV file must include the corresponding numeric value IDs in the appropriate columns.
See the Prerequisites section for an example of how to prepare a CSV file using custom property value IDs.
Mapped fields are highlighted in green. To remove a mapping, click the red X icon next to the CSV column on the left.
After mapping your fields, click Save in the top-right corner.
A pop-up window displays your mappings and settings for review. If everything is correct, choose one of the two options at the bottom to proceed to the import stage.
Select Save Mapping & Continue to save the mapping for future imports.
You can access saved mappings using Manage Mappings on the mapping page.
At the final stage, your CSV file appears in Pending Imports.
Expand Pending Imports to view your jobs. Each new job is validated to check for conflicts involving the custom properties being imported.
Validation can take a few minutes, depending on the CSV file size.
When validation is complete, a green upload icon appears in the Actions column. Click it to start the import.
A confirmation message appears, as shown below.
The job moves to Import in Progress, where you can monitor its status.
When the import is complete, the job moves to Finished Imports.
Use the icons in the Actions column to view the field mappings or revert the import if needed.
Importing Lead Record Sets
The Lead Importer also supports CSV imports for lead record sets. You can use it to add record sets to existing leads or update existing record sets.
Adding New Record Sets
To add record sets to existing leads, open Lead Importer and select or drag your CSV file into the Import Lead Record Sets section.
After selecting the file, click Save & Continue to open the field-mapping page.
On the mapping page, use the two dropdowns at the top to select the CSV column containing the Lead ID and the record set tab you want to update.
Drag the CSV columns from the left to the corresponding record set fields on the right using the four-arrow handle next to each CSV column name.
Mapped record set fields turn green. To remove a mapping, click the red X icon next to the CSV column on the left.
After mapping your fields, click Save in the top-right corner.
Review your mappings in the pop-up window, then choose one of the two options at the bottom to proceed to the import stage.
Select Save Mapping & Continue to retain the mappings for future imports. You can access them using Manage Mappings on the mapping page.
At the final stage, your CSV file appears in Pending Imports.
Expand Pending Imports to view your jobs. The icons in the Actions column let you delete a job, edit its field mappings, or start the import, in that order.
Click the green upload icon to start the import.
A confirmation message appears, as shown below.
The job moves to Import in Progress, where you can monitor its status.
When the import is complete, the job moves to Finished Imports.
Use the icons in the Actions column to view the field mappings or revert the import if needed.
Updating Existing Lead Record Sets
In addition to adding record sets, you can use the record set importer to update existing record sets with new information.
To identify existing records, select a lead field from the Check for Duplicates By dropdown.
In the example below, the lead Email field is used to check for existing records. The Overwrite checkboxes are also selected to replace existing record set field values with those from the CSV file.
With these settings, the importer checks for an existing record set associated with a lead whose email address matches the address in the CSV file.
If a matching record set exists, it is updated with the information from the CSV file.
If no matching record set exists, the CSV data is added to the lead as a new record set.