How to Prepare a Contact List Before Importing It
Clean fields, map headers, inspect duplicates and keep permission records before a contact import.
A clean import starts with a clear source and a defined purpose. Keep one contact per row, use stable column names, and decide which identifier distinguishes records. An email address may change, so avoid merging records solely on a loosely normalized name.
A practical way to apply it
Before upload, remove unused fields, normalize whitespace and country codes, validate date formats, and check encoding. Map each source column to a destination field and preview sample rows. Decide whether a duplicate should update an existing record, be skipped or be reviewed manually.
Before using the pattern
Run a small sample through the field mapping first. Inspect leading zeros, accents, date formats and blank values; spreadsheet software can silently change them. Compare duplicate candidates using the chosen identifier and review ambiguous matches manually. Keep the import file, source and permission evidence available only to people who need them.
A worked example
Keep relationship status separate from permission to send. A spreadsheet’s “customer” label does not tell you whether the person agreed to receive a newsletter or sales outreach. Retain the source, time and scope of the permission in the system responsible for it.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not import fields just because they are available. Restrict access and retention according to the actual business need. For a general newsletter, do not require a company or job title. Review the preview before confirming any future import.