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Contacts

Importing Contacts and Contact people

File preparation, field mapping, duplicate handling policy, and the test import process.

Last updated 20 days ago

The import function is used when you need to create or update multiple Contacts records simultaneously. Since incorrect column mapping can alter many records, it is recommended to perform the initial import using a small test file.

Where to find the import function

  1. Open Contacts.
  2. Select the Contacts import option from above the list or from the additional actions menu. The Contact people import may be listed separately.
  3. If you do not see the import action, check the import settings and the permissions for the Contacts module.

Preparing the file

The system accepts CSV, XLS, or XLSX files, depending on the specific environment's import format. Include one Contact or one Contact person per file row.

Before uploading:

  1. Enter clear column headings in the first row.
  2. Remove completely empty rows and merged cells.
  3. Ensure phone numbers and email addresses are in a consistent format.
  4. For corporate Contacts, verify the name and company code.
  5. For Contact people, verify the first name, last name, and the information used to link them to the organization. 6. Keep only the columns you intend to map to Hanna fields.

Uploading and mapping columns

  1. Select the file in the import window and upload it.
  2. If the form asks, indicate whether the first row of the file contains column headers.
  3. The system will display the file columns and the Hanna fields.
  4. Select the corresponding Hanna field for each file column.
  5. Select the option to skip any unnecessary columns.
  6. Verify that no file column is accidentally mapped to the wrong field.

Examples:

  • Map "Company" to the Contact name;
  • "Company code" – to the company code;
  • "Email" – to the email field;
  • "City" – to the city;
  • "First Name" and "Last Name" – to the corresponding Contact person fields.

If the import form includes an option for individuals, select it only for files where the rows describe individuals (Contacts). This option changes how fields are interpreted: personal data is used instead of the company name and code.

Importing Contact person differs from importing individuals (Contacts). Contact person is an organization representative, while Contact is an independent Contact card.

Duplicate handling modes

The following modes may be offered in the import window:

  • Skip duplicates does not create a row if an existing record is found based on the selected criteria.
  • Create and mark match creates a new record but flags it as a potential duplicate.
  • Update existing Contact overwrites the fields of the found Contact record with values ​​from the file.

The specific fields used to search for duplicates depend on the import form and system settings. Company code, email, or phone number are commonly used. Do not use the update mode until you have verified—using a small test file—which existing record will be selected.

Performing a test import

  1. Prepare a file with 3–5 rows covering typical scenarios.
  2. Upload the file and map the columns.
  3. Select the safest duplicate handling mode.
  4. Run the import.
  5. Check the results for the number of created, updated, skipped, and failed rows.
  6. Open each test record in the Contacts list and verify the fields. 7. Only then import the entire file using the same mapping.

The import may trigger the same assignment, custom field, or integration rules as manual creation, though this depends on your system configuration. During the test import, check not only the fields but also the assignees, notifications, and other automated actions.

Common issues

  • Empty mandatory fields result in the row being skipped or an error occurring.
  • The spreadsheet program may convert a company code or phone number into a numeric format, removing any leading zero.
  • A first name and surname entered in a single cell may not map correctly if the form expects two separate fields.
  • An incorrect organization identifier may leave the record unassigned or assign it to the wrong entity.
  • Update mode may overwrite valid existing data with empty or outdated values ​​from the file.

The import process may complete partially: some rows are created, while erroneous ones are rejected. Before re-importing a corrected file, check the records already created to avoid generating duplicates.

After a large import, save the import results and the error list so that you can correct only the failed rows.

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