How to Import Leads from a CSV File in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Overview
CSV import brings existing lead data into CrmLeaf in bulk, so a spreadsheet of prospects, a list from an event or records from a previous system can be loaded without manual entry. Import is normally the first thing you do after configuring pipelines, and the work you do preparing the file determines the quality of your CRM for the rest of its life.
How It Works
You prepare a CSV file, upload it, map its columns to CrmLeaf lead fields, and run the import. The imported records then behave exactly like manually created leads.
Prepare CSV → Upload → Map columns → Import → Verify and assign
- Imported leads are ordinary lead contacts and are subject to the same ownership-based visibility and organisation filtering as any other lead.
- Imported records land in the organisation workspace you are working in, so select the correct workspace before importing.
- Custom fields defined for leads can be populated from the file, provided the file contains a column for each one.
- Where an imported lead should be worked as an opportunity, a deal is still needed. Deals arriving from the public form are created automatically; imported records may need deals created for them.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Create the lead custom fields the file needs before importing.
- Run large or first-time imports.
- Assign the imported leads to agents.
User
- Import a list of leads, if your role permits adding lead records.
- Verify and correct the imported records you own.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- Access to the CRM module with permission to add lead records.
- The correct organisation workspace selected.
- A CSV file, cleaned and de-duplicated, with one lead per row.
- Any lead custom fields created in advance, if the file includes them.
- Lead agents created, if you intend to assign owners as part of the import.
For Administrators
Step 1: Prepare the account before the file
What to do: Confirm the lead sources and categories your file references already exist, and create any lead custom fields the file will populate. Importing into an account that is not configured produces records you have to correct one at a time.
What to verify: Every column in your file has a destination in CrmLeaf.
Step 2: Run a small trial import first
What to do: Cut the first few rows into a separate file and import that. Check the result before committing the full list.
What to verify: Names, email addresses, lead companies, agents and custom field values all arrived in the correct fields.
For Users
Step 1: Clean the file before you upload it
Use one row per lead and one clear header row. Remove duplicate email addresses, split combined name columns, and use a single consistent date and number format throughout. Save the file as CSV.
Step 2: Open the lead list and start the import
Select Import and select your CSV file. If a sample file is offered, Download it and match your columns to it before uploading, because that is the fastest way to avoid mapping errors.
Step 3: Map the columns
Match each column in your file to the matching CrmLeaf lead field, including custom fields. Leave a column unmapped rather than sending it to an approximate destination.
Step 4: Run the import and read the result
Start the import and wait for it to finish. Read any messages reported for rows that were not accepted, correct those rows in the file, and import only the corrected rows in a second pass.
Step 5: Verify the imported records
Open several imported leads and check the values against your file. Confirm the lead company is linked where expected and that the owning agent is correct.
Step 6: Assign and create deals
Assign the imported leads to agents so they fall inside the right people's visibility, then create deals for the prospects you intend to pursue and set a first follow-up date on each one.
Expected Result
The accepted rows appear as lead contacts in Lead Contacts in the current organisation, with their mapped values populated, ready to be assigned to agents and given deals.
Service Organisation Context
Most service organisations arrive with a book of past and prospective clients in a spreadsheet — a referral list, event contacts, or records from a previous system. Import is how that becomes a working pipeline, and the preparation matters because imported records inherit the same ownership-based visibility as anything else: rows without an agent can be invisible to a team working an owned scope. Imported leads are ordinary lead contacts, so a deal is still created for each opportunity the firm intends to pursue. Firms running several offices as separate organisation workspaces should confirm the workspace before importing. The same bulk load serves any edition migrating an existing customer or prospect list.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Always trial a few rows before importing a full list. Correcting a mis-mapped bulk import is far more work than repeating a small test.
- Import does not create deals. Create deals for imported leads you intend to work, or they will not appear on the lead board.
- Check the selected organisation before importing. Records imported into the wrong workspace will not be visible to the team that needs them.
- Where the imported data is personal data, confirm you have a lawful basis for holding it and record consent where that applies to you.
Common Scenarios
Example: migrating from a spreadsheet. A team holds 900 prospects in a spreadsheet. The Administrator creates the missing custom fields, imports 10 rows as a test, corrects two column mappings, then imports the remaining rows and assigns them across four agents.
Example: an event list. A representative imports 60 badge scans from a trade show, sets the source consistently on the file so reporting attributes the pipeline to that event, then creates deals only for the contacts who asked for a quotation.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Rows are rejected. | A mandatory field is empty in those rows, or a value does not match an existing option. | Complete the mandatory columns, align values with your configured sources and categories, and re-import the corrected rows only. |
| Values appear in the wrong field. | Column mapping was incorrect. | Delete the affected records, correct the mapping and import again. |
| Custom field values are missing. | The custom fields were not created before the import, or were not mapped. | Create the fields, then re-import or update the records. |
| Duplicate leads were created. | The source file contained the same email address more than once. | De-duplicate the file before importing and remove the duplicates already created. |
| Imported leads cannot be found. | They were imported into a different organisation, or they are outside your permission scope. | Switch to the correct organisation and confirm your Lead permission scope. |
| Import is not available. | Your role does not permit adding lead records. | Ask an Administrator to grant the permission or to run the import. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the import create deals as well as leads?
No. CSV import creates lead contacts. Create deals for the leads you intend to pursue.
Can I import lead companies too?
Whether lead companies can be imported, and whether they are created automatically from a company column, is not documented. Confirm with your product team before planning the file.
Can I use import to update existing leads?
Update-on-import behaviour is not documented. Treat import as a way to create records.
Who owns imported leads?
Assign the owning agent as part of the import if the file contains it, or assign the records after import so they fall inside the right people's visibility.
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