Importing Contacts

Bulk import contacts into Captivated using a CSV file. Administrators and Users who have been granted Contact Import permission can import up to 10,000 contacts at a time.

Before importing, take a few minutes to review and clean your data. A well-organized file helps prevent import errors and ensures information like names, phone numbers, Tags, and Notes are added correctly.

Before You Import

Your import file should:

• Be saved as a CSV with UTF-8 encoding
• Include a header/title for each column
• Have first and last names in separate columns
• Include the appropriate mobile phone number for each contact
• Be reviewed for duplicate, incomplete, or inaccurate information

Review your file carefully before importing, especially when updating existing contacts. Depending on the options you select during the import, existing Tags, Notes, and other contact information may be updated or replaced.

Preparing Your CSV

Captivated allows you to map information from your spreadsheet to fields within a contact record.

Available fields include:

• Prefix
• First Name
• Last Name
• Suffix
• Salutation
• Company Name
• Phone Number
• Email
• Tags
• Notes

The following fields are searchable within Captivated: First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Phone Number, and Tags.

Separate First and Last Names

First and last names should be stored in separate columns.

This is especially important when using merge fields such as {{salutation}}, which allows Captivated to personalize a message using only the contact’s first name.

If your spreadsheet has a single Full Name column:

1. Insert an empty column next to the name column.
2. Select the name column.
3. In Excel, select Data → Text to Columns.
4. Choose Delimited.
5. Select Space as the delimiter.
6. Select Finish.

Review the results afterward. Contacts with prefixes, suffixes, middle names, or multi-word last names may need to be corrected manually.

Fix Names in ALL CAPS

If names are formatted in all capital letters, Excel’s PROPER formula can make them easier to use in personalized messages.

For example:

MICHAEL SCOTT → Michael Scott

1. Insert a new column next to the existing name column.
2. Enter the PROPER formula referencing the appropriate cell. For example: =PROPER(A2)
3. Press Enter.
4. Drag the formula down to apply it to the remaining contacts.

This prevents a personalized message such as Hi {{salutation}} from displaying as Hi MICHAEL.

Choose a Mobile Number When Multiple Numbers Exist

Your source file may contain several phone-number fields, such as:

• Mobile Phone
• Home Phone
• Business Phone
• Preferred Phone

If needed, you can use an Excel IF formula to create a single Import Phone column based on the order in which you’d like Excel to look for an available number.

For example:

=IF(AM2<>"",AM2,IF(AK2<>"",AK2,AH2))

This tells Excel to use the first available value from the phone-number columns you’ve specified.

Review the resulting Import Phone column before uploading your file to make sure the appropriate numbers were selected.

Remove Names or Other Text from Phone Numbers

Phone-number fields should contain phone numbers rather than names or other text.

If your source data includes additional information in the same column:

1. Select the affected column.
2. Navigate to Data → Text to Columns.
3. Choose Fixed Width.
4. Set the break immediately after the phone number.
5. Complete the split and review your results.

Administrator Contact Import Video Walkthrough

Import Your Contacts

Where you access Contact Import depends on your Captivated permissions.

Administrators: Navigate to Administration → Import Contacts.

Users with Contact Import permission: Navigate to Contacts and select the option to import contacts.

Select your prepared CSV file to begin.

If your organization uses Contact Ownership, you’ll also have the option to configure ownership during the import.

Map Your Columns

After uploading your CSV, map each column in your spreadsheet to the corresponding Captivated contact field.

For example:

CSV Column	Captivated Field
First	First Name
Last	Last Name
Mobile	Phone Number
Email Address	Email
Customer Type	Tags
Account Notes	Notes

Carefully review your field mapping before continuing. Data that isn’t mapped to a Captivated field will not be imported.

Updating Existing Contacts

During your import, pay close attention to the options for handling contacts that already exist in Captivated.

Depending on the information being imported, you’ll have options to update or not import existing information.

You’ll also need to determine how Captivated should handle existing Tags and Notes.

Add vs. Replace

Add keeps the contact’s existing information and adds the information from your CSV.

Replace removes the existing information for that field and replaces it with the information contained in your CSV.

Use Replace carefully. If a contact already has Tags or Notes you want to keep, replacing that information may remove the existing data.

Take a moment to review these selections before starting the import.

Complete the Import

Once you’ve:

1. Uploaded your CSV
2. Mapped your columns
3. Reviewed how existing contacts should be handled
4. Reviewed your Tags and Notes settings
5. Configured Contact Ownership, if applicable

select Import.

After the import is complete, a confirmation banner will display the number of contacts imported.

Giving a User Contact Import Permission

Administrators can allow non-Administrator Users to import contacts.

Navigate to:

Administration → Users → Select User → Edit → Advanced Settings → Contact Import

Enable Contact Import and save your changes.

The User can then access the import functionality from the Contacts section.

Non-Administrator Contact Import Video Walkthrough

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I seeing odd symbols or text after selecting my file?

Make sure your spreadsheet is saved as a CSV with UTF-8 encoding, rather than an Excel .xlsx file.

In Excel, use Save As and select the appropriate CSV UTF-8 file format before trying the import again.

Why didn't my contacts import?

First, check that:

• Your CSV has column headers.
• First Name, Last Name, and Phone Number are mapped correctly.
• Your phone-number column doesn’t contain letters or other invalid information.
• The fields containing the information you want imported were mapped during the import.

What is a Tag?

Tags help organize and group contacts in Captivated. They can also be used to build recipient audiences for Announcements.

Why don't I see Contact Ownership?

Contact Ownership is not enabled for every Captivated organization.

If your organization would like to use Contact Ownership, contact your Captivated Administrator or Captivated Support.

Why don't I see the option to import contacts?

Contact Import is permission-based.

If you’re not an Administrator and don’t see the import option, ask your Captivated Administrator to enable Contact Import under your User’s Advanced Settings.

Need Help?

Before completing a large import, it’s a good idea to carefully review your file, field mapping, and update settings.

If you’re unsure about your import setup, chat with Captivated Support using the Support option in the left-hand menu or text 317.316.3600.