Customers & CRM

Contact Import Failing? Common Formatting Errors and Fixes

Troubleshoot failed contact imports in Local Business Pro by fixing common CSV and data formatting issues.

intermediate 5 min read import failing csv formatting
Book a demo Calculate missed-call revenue

Quick Answer: Import failures usually come from formatting issues: missing columns, special characters, wrong file type, or improperly formatted phone numbers. Download the template and match your data exactly.

Common Import Errors

  • Missing required columns: Name is required for each row
  • Wrong file format: Use CSV (.csv) or Excel (.xlsx)
  • Special characters: Remove or escape quotes, commas in fields
  • Phone number format: Include area codes, remove dashes or spaces
  • Empty rows: Remove blank rows at the end of your file
  • Header mismatch: Column names must match expected fields

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Download the template from the import dialog
  2. Open your data in Excel or Google Sheets
  3. Copy your data into the template format
  4. Check for blank cells in required fields
  5. Format phone numbers consistently (digits only or standard format)
  6. Save as CSV (comma-separated values)
  7. Try the import again

Phone Number Formatting

Acceptable formats:

  • 5551234567
  • 555-123-4567
  • (555) 123-4567
  • +1 555-123-4567

Problems:

  • Missing area code: 123-4567 ❌
  • Extra characters: 555.123.4567 ext 5 ❌

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: The import says 'invalid file' but it's a CSV. Why?
A: The file might be corrupted or saved in wrong encoding. Try re-saving from Excel as 'CSV UTF-8'.

Q: Some rows imported but others failed. What happened?
A: The preview should show which rows had errors. Common causes are missing names or malformed data in those specific rows.