---
title: Import contacts from a CSV file
description: Bring contacts in from a spreadsheet or another CRM in four steps, upload, map columns, preview and import.
search:
  keywords: [upload contacts, csv, spreadsheet, excel, google sheets, bulk add, import leads, map columns]
related:
  - /import-and-export/import-into-contacts-or-leads
  - /import-and-export/how-csv-duplicates-are-merged
  - /import-and-export/import-from-other-crms
  - /import-and-export/switch-from-follow-up-boss
  - /contacts-and-leads/tags
---

Click **Import** at the top of **Contacts** or **Leads** to open **Import contacts**. Which list you start from decides whether people come in as contacts or as leads (see [Import into Contacts or Leads](/import-and-export/import-into-contacts-or-leads)).

![The CSV import page](/blume-assets/content/docs/12-import-and-export/images/import-csv.png)

Importing contacts from a CSV file.

## Before you start

- Save your file as CSV. Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets all can.
- The first row should hold the column names, such as First name, Email and Phone.
- Each row needs at least a name, an email or a phone number. Rows with none of them are skipped.

1. **Upload**

    Drop the file on the page, or click **Choose file**.

2. **Map columns**

    Each column in your file has a menu for the Relivo field it fills: **First name**, **Last name**, **Email**, **Phone**, **Company**, **Lead source**, **Lead type**, **Address**, **City**, **State**, **ZIP**, **Tags** or **Notes**. Common column names are matched for you. Choose **Skip this column** for anything you don't want. The first row's values show beside each column so you can check.

3. **Preview**

    Click **Preview**, which shows how many rows the file has. You see the first 10 rows as Relivo will read them. Click **Back** to change the mapping.

4. **Import**

    Click **Import**, which also shows the row count. When it's done, **Import complete** shows how many new contacts were added, how many duplicates were merged and how many rows were skipped.

## How values are read

- **Lead type**: words like Buyer, Seller, Buyer & Seller, Investor, Renter or Tenant are understood. A blank or unrecognized type becomes **Buyer**.
- **Tags**: separate several tags in one cell with commas.
- **Phone**: 10-digit US numbers get the +1 country code. Write other countries' numbers with + and the country code. A cell like "N/A" counts as blank.
- **Notes**: kept with the contact and included in both exports, for new contacts and when a merge adds to them. Imported notes don't appear on the contact's record or timeline, so add anything you need to see there on their **Notes** tab.
- Names: a column called Name fills **First name**. A row with an email or phone but no name is saved as "Unknown", which a later import can fill in.
- Everyone you import starts at the first lead stage, **New Lead**.

:::tip
Importing the same file again is safe for rows with an email or a phone number: they merge into the existing contacts instead of creating copies. A row with only a name has nothing to match on, so it comes in again as a new contact.
:::