Admins can quickly and easily upload contact data into their Givebacks site by selecting Contacts and All Contacts on the toolbar, then clicking Add Contact and selecting Upload New from CSV. Please download the template, add your data, and upload the template. After importing, your contacts will be accessible under the 'Contacts > All Contacts' section for easy management.
Ensure that all contacts have first name, last name, and a valid email address. Avoid including duplicate email addresses, as duplicates in the directory will be skipped. The system automatically identifies duplicate email addresses and skips them during the import to maintain a clean directory. For rows that are missing email addresses, those rows will not be added to the contacts. This ensures that every entry in the system has a valid and unique email address as required for contact record creation.
Importing Contacts
To import contacts, follow these steps.
Note: This import only adds contacts to your contacts list. It does NOT add or update membership records. Here’s how to enter paid members individually. Contact imports only add names and contact details, while memberships are managed separately under the Memberships > Members section.
It’s also essential to check for duplicated email addresses and ensure accurate list entries. Pay special attention to the subscription and privacy preferences of the contacts to prevent unexpected omissions during the import. When re-importing a corrected file, the system ensures there are no duplicates by matching email or phone numbers. This safeguard helps maintain database integrity. During the import process, if duplicate email addresses are found, the system retains only the first occurrence of each email address and removes subsequent duplicates. This ensures that every contact maintains a single, unique record, improving data integrity.
From the toolbar, select Contacts and All Contacts.
Click the Add Contact button and select Upload New from CSV.
Click Sample Contacts CSV Template to download the template.
Fill out the template without changing the header row. Save as a .csv file.
Notes:
First Name, Last Name, and Email are required.
Phone number is optional, but needed to receive text messages.
Lists must be entered exactly as titled on the Lists page. Multiple lists can be added with a comma separating them.
The template is customized to show the List and Property Options. Use the data in row 2 as a guide for the formatting of those fields. Do not include that row in your final import.
Upload the completed template by clicking the blue Add Contact button and selecting Update New from CSV. Click Select File.
Common Causes of Import Failures
Missing Required Fields: If a row lacks a first name, last name, or email address, it will not be imported.
List Type Issues: Importing to a dynamic list without defined criteria can block submissions. Switching to a manual list often resolves the issue.
Contact Privacy Settings or Preferences: Imported contacts may not appear in the directory immediately due to their subscription status or privacy preferences.
Status Code 500 Error: This error often arises due to invalid or missing email addresses in the import file. To address this, ensure all email entries are in a valid format and conduct thorough checks before re-importing.
Results will be emailed
Once the import is complete, the results will be emailed to the person who submitted the import. If there are any errors in the import before the import starts, you may see an error message with instructions. If there are any rows with erroneous or invalid data, the import will skip those rows and try to run to completion.
Additionally, keep an eye out for dynamic list errors or privacy preferences that might block certain contacts from appearing even after a successful import.
Troubleshooting Steps
Double-check that your file includes all required fields (first name, last name, and email).
Review your import file for duplicate email addresses and remove any duplicates.
Verify that the lists you are importing to are not dynamic lists and only manual lists.
If you encounter a "Request failed with a status code 500" error, review the import file for missing or invalid email addresses. Importing in smaller batches can help isolate problematic records, enabling more precise corrections.
Best Practices for Smooth Imports
Always use the standard CSV template provided by Givebacks to ensure compatibility.
Validate your file before import by reviewing its format and required fields.
Perform imports during non-peak hours to avoid potential platform delays.
Use unique identifiers (email addresses) to ensure no duplicates.
Start with smaller test batches for initial imports to identify and address potential issues early, minimizing disruptions for larger datasets.
Questions? Click the "?" icon to contact Givebacks Support.