Importing Leads from CSV

Bulk import leads from a spreadsheet or CSV file. Learn how to prepare your data, map columns, and import hundreds of leads at once to get started quickly.

10 minutes
Beginner

Importing Leads from CSV

Save time by importing multiple leads at once from a CSV file or spreadsheet.

Preparing Your CSV File

Before importing, prepare your CSV file with the following columns:

Required Columns

  • first_name or firstName
  • last_name or lastName
  • email

Optional Columns

  • phone
  • destination or desiredDestination
  • budget - Single budget amount (not min/max)
  • departureDate or departure_date - Trip departure date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  • returnDate or return_date - Trip return date (YYYY-MM-DD)
  • status - Trip status (NEW, QUALIFIED, PLANNING, QUOTED, FOLLOWING_UP, BOOKED, etc.)
  • source
  • notes - Will be imported as an Activity record (type "NOTE")
  • assignedTo or assigned_to (email address of team member)

CSV Format Example

Here's an example CSV file:

first_name,last_name,email,phone,destination,budget,departureDate,returnDate,status,source,notes
John,Smith,john@example.com,555-0100,Italy,6500,2025-06-01,2025-06-15,PLANNING,Website,Interested in Tuscany region
Jane,Doe,jane@example.com,555-0101,Greece,4000,2025-07-10,2025-07-24,QUALIFIED,Referral,Looking for island hopping
Bob,Johnson,bob@example.com,555-0102,Japan,12500,2025-09-01,2025-09-15,NEW,Email,First time visiting Asia

Note:

  • budget is a single number (the system will create a trip with this budget)
  • departureDate and returnDate should be in YYYY-MM-DD format
  • notes will be imported as an Activity record with type "NOTE"
  • status can be trip statuses like NEW, QUALIFIED, PLANNING, QUOTED, etc.

Importing Your CSV

Step 1: Navigate to Import Page

  1. Go to Leads page
  2. Click "Import Leads" button (usually near the "Add Lead" button)
  3. Or go directly to /dashboard/leads/import

Step 2: Upload Your CSV File

  1. Click "Choose File" or drag and drop your CSV file
  2. Select your CSV file
  3. Wait for the file to upload

Step 3: Map Columns

The system will try to automatically match your columns. Review and adjust:

  1. Match columns - Map your CSV columns to LeadsFollow fields
  2. Review preview - See a preview of how your data will be imported
  3. Check for errors - Fix any validation errors before importing

Step 4: Review and Import

  1. Review the import summary:
    • Total rows
    • Valid rows
    • Errors (if any)
  2. Click "Import Leads"
  3. Wait for the import to complete

Handling Import Errors

If you see errors during import:

Common Issues

Missing Required Fields

  • Ensure all leads have first name, last name, and email
  • Remove or fill in rows with missing required data

Invalid Email Format

  • Check email addresses are properly formatted
  • Remove invalid email addresses

Duplicate Emails

  • The system may skip duplicates
  • Review duplicate leads manually

Invalid Status Values

  • Status can be trip statuses: NEW, QUALIFIED, PLANNING, QUOTED, FOLLOWING_UP, BOOKED, IN_PROGRESS, COMPLETED, CANCELLED, DEAD
  • Fix invalid statuses before importing

Notes Import

  • Notes from the CSV are imported as Activity records (type "NOTE")
  • They appear in the Timeline and Notes sections of the lead detail page
  • Notes are stored per trip, not per lead

Tips for Successful Imports

  1. Clean your data first - Remove empty rows, fix formatting issues
  2. Use consistent formats - Dates in YYYY-MM-DD format, phone numbers, etc.
  3. Validate emails - Make sure email addresses are valid
  4. Check status values - Use exact status names (all caps)
  5. Single budget field - Use one budget number, not min/max
  6. Include dates - Add departure and return dates for accurate trip creation
  7. Test with a small file - Import 5-10 leads first to verify format
  8. Save your original file - Keep a backup of your CSV file

Exporting Leads

You can also export your existing leads to CSV:

  1. Go to Leads page
  2. Click "Export" button
  3. Choose export format (CSV)
  4. Download the file

This is useful for:

  • Creating backups
  • Making bulk edits in spreadsheet software
  • Migrating data

Related Guides

Next: Learn about lead statuses and what they mean →

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