Bulk importing is the fastest way to add or update large groups of contacts or companies in Conversion. Whether you’re pulling in leads from an event, migrating lists from another system, or cleaning up data in your CRM, the CSV importer gives you control over how records are created, updated, and synced.
Step 1: Prepare your CSV
Start with our sample CSV template. This ensures your columns align with Conversion’s defaults and avoids mapping issues later.
Contacts must include an
emailcolumn. Without it, the contact will be skipped.Companies must include a
domaincolumn. This is how we uniquely identify a company.Each additional column should match the variable key name in Conversion (not the display label you see in the UI). For example, if the variable key is
first_name, that should be the header in your CSV — not “First Name” or “Given Name.”
⚠️ Important: If your headers don’t match the exact key names, we’ll do our best to auto match them during import. Still, you should carefully review the mapping before completing the upload.
Step 2: Upload your CSV
Navigate to the Contacts or Companies section and choose Import from CSV. Upload your file, and Conversion will scan your headers.
Exact matches: If a column header matches a variable key name, it will map automatically.
Close matches: If your header is similar (e.g.,
fnameinstead offirst_name), we’ll suggest a mapping in the Import Config screen.Unmatched fields: If we can’t confidently match a column, it will show as unmapped. You can manually map it to an existing variable or skip it.
Step 3: Configure your import
Once the file is uploaded, you’ll see the Import Configuration screen. This is where you decide how Conversion should handle your data.
Field Mapping
Review each column from your CSV and ensure it maps to the correct variable in Conversion.
If something is auto matched incorrectly, update it manually.
Remember: mappings are based on variable key names, not the friendly names you see in the Variables tab.
Overwrite Settings
Toggle overwrite if you want new values from your CSV to replace existing values.
Example: If a contact already has a
Job Titlevalue, overwriting will update it. If overwrite is off, existing data will remain.
Subscription Settings
You can subscribe imported contacts so they are eligible for messaging.
If you leave this off, contacts will be imported but unsubscribed.
Audience Assignment
Add the imported group to an existing audience.
Or create a new audience (e.g., “Webinar Attendees August 2025”) for quick segmentation later.
CRM Sync
If you have HubSpot or Salesforce connected, you can sync imports directly.
Conversion will respect deduplication rules and update existing records accordingly.
Step 4: Automatic company associations
When you import contacts, Conversion automatically associates them to companies based on their email domain.
If the domain matches an existing company in Conversion, the contact will be linked to it.
If no match is found and the domain is not a generic provider (like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo), Conversion will automatically create a new company record for that domain.
This ensures that new contacts are always tied to the right account structure, keeping CRM and audience segmentation clean.
Step 5: Track your import
After you complete the import, you can monitor its progress in Settings > Jobs.
Each import job will display the type (Contacts or Companies), status (Not started, Processing, Completed), and the requested time.
Once finished, you can Download the associated file for reference. This includes a record of the uploaded data and can be used for troubleshooting.
Best practices
Always start with the sample CSV to minimize mapping errors.
Check variable key names in the Variables tab before preparing your file.
Review auto matched fields during import config — don’t assume everything mapped perfectly.
Use audiences to keep imported cohorts grouped for follow-up campaigns.
Confirm overwrite rules carefully to avoid unintentional data loss.
Sync with your CRM if you want Conversion to immediately push updates back to Salesforce or HubSpot.
Required fields recap
Contacts:
emailCompanies:
domain
Everything else is optional but recommended for personalization and segmentation.