Migrating from another CRM or spreadsheet? Importing contacts via CSV is the fastest way to bring your existing customer data into SalesSheet.ai. This guide covers preparing your file, mapping fields correctly, and handling common import scenarios to ensure a smooth data migration.
Antes de Comecar
- Export your contacts to CSV format from your previous system
- A spreadsheet program (Excel, Google Sheets) to review and clean your data
- At least one column with email addresses (required field)
- Admin or Member permissions in SalesSheet.ai
Prepare Your CSV File
Before importing, you need to format your CSV file correctly. Open your contact data in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet program.
Required format: Your file must have column headers in the first row that describe what each column contains (like "First Name," "E-mail," "Empresa," etc.). SalesSheet uses these headers to map data to the correct fields.
E-mail addresses are required: Every contact must have a valid email address. This is the unique identifier SalesSheet uses to prevent duplicates. Rows without email addresses will be skipped during import.
Clean your data: Before importing, review your spreadsheet for:
- Duplicate entries: Remove duplicate contacts to avoid creating multiple records for the same person
- Invalid characters: Remove line breaks within cells (use spaces instead) and check for stray characters
- Consistent formatting: Ensure phone numbers and addresses use consistent formats
- Empty columns: Delete completely empty columns to simplify field mapping
- Extra rows: Remove summary rows, totals, or notes at the bottom of your data
Recommended columns to include: First Name, Last Name, E-mail, Phone, Empresa, Job Title, Address, City, State, Zip Code, Country, and any custom fields relevant to your business (like Lead Source, Industry, Deal Size, etc.).
Save as CSV: Once your data is clean, save the file as CSV (Comma delimited). In Excel, use File > Save As > CSV. In Google Sheets, use File > Download > Comma Separated Values (.csv). Name your file something descriptive like "contacts-import-feb-2026.csv."
Navigate to Contatos Import
Log into your SalesSheet.ai account and click Contatos in the left sidebar. This opens your contacts list view showing all existing contacts.
In the top-right corner of the Contatos page, click the Import button (it may appear as an upload icon or "Import Contatos" depending on your screen size). A dropdown menu appears with import options.
Select Import from CSV. This opens the CSV import wizard, which will guide you through the upload and mapping process step by step.
Upload Your File and Map Columns
On the first screen of the import wizard, you'll see a file upload area. Click Choose File or drag and drop your CSV file into the designated area.
SalesSheet.ai will analyze your file and display a preview showing the first 5 rows of data. Review this preview to ensure your file uploaded correctly and the data looks as expected.
Click Next: Map Fields to proceed to the column mapping screen. This is the most important step - it tells SalesSheet which column in your CSV corresponds to which field in the CRM.
Field Mapping Interface: You'll see each column from your CSV on the left, with a dropdown menu on the right to select which SalesSheet field it should map to.
SalesSheet's AI will attempt to auto-map fields based on column names. For example, if your CSV has a column named "E-mail Address," it will automatically map to the E-mail field. Review these suggestions carefully - sometimes the AI needs correction.
Mapping guidelines:
- E-mail (required): Must be mapped to ensure contacts import properly
- First Name and Last Name: Map these separately if your CSV has them split, or map "Full Name" if they're combined (SalesSheet will split automatically)
- Phone Number: Map to the primary phone field; SalesSheet accepts various formats and will standardize them
- Empresa Name: Maps to the organization field and creates company records automatically
- Campos Personalizados: If you have data that doesn't match standard fields (like "Lead Temperature" or "Produto Interest"), you can create custom fields on the fly or map them to existing custom fields
- Skip Columns: Select "Do Not Import" for any columns you don't need in SalesSheet
Some advanced mapping options include:
- Tags: If you have a column with categories or labels, map it to "Tags" to organize contacts
- Owner: If your CSV includes which rep owns each contact, map this to assign ownership automatically
- Date Fields: Map dates like "Created Date" or "Last Contato" to track history
Once you've mapped all relevant fields, click Next: Review.
Review Import Settings
Before finalizing the import, you'll configure how SalesSheet handles potential issues:
Duplicate Handling: Choose what happens when a contact with the same email already exists:
- Skip duplicates: Don't import contacts that already exist (recommended for first-time imports)
- Update existing: Overwrite existing contact data with information from the CSV (use this to update contact records)
- Create anyway: Import as new contacts even if duplicates exist (not recommended)
Import Owner: Decide who owns the imported contacts. You can assign them all to yourself, distribute them among team members, or use the owner information from your CSV file if you mapped that field.
Tag All Imports: Optionally add a tag like "Imported Feb 2026" or "Migrated from HubSpot" to easily identify and filter these contacts later.
Review the summary showing:
- Total contacts in file: 1,247
- Valid contacts to import: 1,198
- Skipped (missing email): 32
- Potential duplicates: 17
If everything looks correct, click Start Import.
Monitor Import Progress and Confirm Success
SalesSheet will begin processing your import. For small files (under 1,000 contacts), this usually takes 30-60 seconds. Larger imports may take several minutes.
You'll see a progress bar showing the import status. You can safely navigate to other pages while the import runs - SalesSheet will notify you when it completes.
Once finished, you'll see a success message with details:
- Contatos successfully imported: 1,198
- Contatos updated: 15
- Contatos skipped: 34
- Errors: 0
Click View Import Report to download a detailed CSV log showing which contacts imported successfully, which were skipped, and why. This helps you identify and fix any contacts that didn't import correctly.
Click Go to Contatos to see your newly imported contacts in the contacts list. Use filters or the search bar to verify that your data imported correctly and fields are populated as expected.
Post-import verification: Spot-check 5-10 contact records to ensure:
- All fields mapped correctly and data appears in the right places
- Empresa names created proper organization records
- Tags applied correctly
- Ownership assigned as intended
- Custom fields populated with the right information
Dica Pro: Test with a Small Sample First
If you're importing thousands of contacts, create a test CSV with just 20-50 sample contacts first. Import this small file to verify your field mapping and settings work correctly. Once you confirm everything imports perfectly, delete the test contacts and import your full file. This prevents having to clean up thousands of incorrectly imported contacts.
O que Esperar After Importing
After a successful CSV import, your contacts are immediately available in SalesSheet.ai:
- All imported contacts appear in your Contatos list and can be filtered, searched, and segmented
- Empresa records are automatically created for unique company names
- Contato owners receive notifications about their newly assigned contacts (if applicable)
- You can immediately start engaging with these contacts via email, calls, and AI chat
- Imported contacts are included in all analytics, reports, and dashboard widgets
- If you connected Gmail, SalesSheet will automatically match and sync future emails with these contacts
Import history is saved in Settings > Data Management > Import History, where you can re-download import reports or reverse imports if needed.
Solucao de Problemas
My CSV file won't upload or shows an error
Ensure your file is a true CSV format, not an Excel file renamed to .csv. Re-save it from your spreadsheet program using "CSV (Comma delimited)" format. Check that your file size is under 10MB - if larger, split it into multiple smaller files. Remove any special formatting like merged cells, formulas, or embedded images. Make sure the file isn't open in another program while uploading.
Some contacts are being skipped during import
Download the import report to see why specific contacts were skipped. The most common reason is missing email addresses - add emails to those rows and re-import. Invalid email formats (like missing @ symbol) also cause skips. Some contacts may be skipped as duplicates if they already exist - change your duplicate handling setting to "Update existing" if you want to update them instead.
Data is importing into the wrong fields
This happens when field mapping is incorrect. You can delete the incorrectly imported contacts (use the import tag to find them easily), then re-import with corrected field mapping. Double-check that each CSV column maps to the intended SalesSheet field. Pay special attention to similar-sounding fields like "Phone (Movel)" vs "Phone (Work)."
How do I import contacts with multiple phone numbers or addresses?
For the initial import, choose the primary phone number or address to map. After import, you can manually add additional phone numbers and addresses to individual contact records. Alternatively, create separate CSV columns like "Phone_Movel" and "Phone_Work" and map them to different phone field types if your account supports multiple phone fields.
Can I reverse an import if something goes wrong?
Yes! Va para Configuracoes > Data Management > Import History and find your recent import. Click "Reverse Import" to delete all contacts from that specific import. This only works within 30 days of import and won't delete contacts that have been modified or had activity added after import. For best safety, add a unique tag during import so you can easily identify and manage those contacts.