Chapter 14: CSV Lead Import Wizard
Whether you are migrating from an old spreadsheet, uploading offline leads from a weekend property exhibition, or loading a database of existing investors, the CSV Lead Import Wizard (/settings/imports) makes bulk onboarding fast, safe, and error-free.
#1. Preparing Your Spreadsheet (Best Practices)
Before uploading, taking two minutes to review your spreadsheet ensures a 100% clean import:
#Recommended File Format:
- Save your spreadsheet as a standard
.csv(Comma Separated Values) or.xlsxfile. - Ensure the first row contains column headers (e.g., Full Name, Phone Number, Email, Project, City, Notes).
#Sample Ideal Spreadsheet Layout:
| full_name | phone | project | city | budget | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amitabh Verma | 9876543210 | amitabh@example.com | Palm Meadows | Mumbai | 1.2 Cr | Looking for 3BHK East-facing |
| Sneha Joshi | 9123456780 | sneha@example.com | Skyline Towers | Pune | 85 L | Possession by Diwali |
| Dr. Kulkarni | 9822012345 | kulkarni@example.com | Palm Meadows | Pune | 1.8 Cr | Self-use, 4BHK |
Phone Number Formatting: Phone numbers do not need complex country code formatting. SG Lead Pro automatically strips out spaces, hyphens, and parentheses (e.g., +91 (987) 65-43210 cleanly becomes 9876543210).
#2. The 4-Step Import Wizard Walkthrough
Navigate to Upload Leads in the sidebar (or go to Settings $\rightarrow$ CSV Imports).
| Step | Phase | Key Action |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Upload File & Pick Project | Select CSV file and assign default project |
| Step 2 | Visual Column Mapping | Map spreadsheet columns to CRM lead attributes |
| Step 3 | Duplicate Rules & Team Allocation | Choose duplicate handling rules and lead assignees |
| Step 4 | Background Import & Success Report | Queue batch processor and download audit summary |
#Step 1: Uploading the File
- Click the blue
Upload New CSVbutton. - Drag and drop your
.csvfile into the upload dropzone, or click Browse File. - Select the Default Target Project (e.g., "Palm Meadows"). If individual rows in your spreadsheet contain different project names, you will be able to map that column in Step 2.
- Click Continue to Column Mapping.
#Step 2: Visual Column Mapping
The wizard inspects the first five rows of your spreadsheet and displays an interactive mapping interface. For each CRM field, select the corresponding column header from your file:
| CRM Field | Direction | Your Spreadsheet Column Header |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Full Name | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "full_name" or "Client Name" |
| Primary Phone | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "phone" or "Mobile Number" |
| Email Address | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "email" or "Email ID" |
| Interested Project | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "project" or "Campaign" |
| City / Location | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "city" or "Residence Area" |
| Budget / Requirement | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "budget" or "Price Range" |
| Notes / Remarks | $\leftarrow$ | Dropdown: "notes" or "Comments" |
Automatic Header Recognition: If your spreadsheet uses common column names like "Name", "Phone", or "Email", SG Lead Pro pre-selects the correct mappings automatically!
#Step 3: Duplicate Handling Rules & Assignment
Before processing the rows, choose how you want the system to handle phone numbers that already exist in your CRM:
- Skip Duplicates (Recommended):
- If a phone number in the spreadsheet already exists in your database, the system skips it and does not create a duplicate record.
- Update Existing Leads:
- If the lead already exists, the system updates their requirements, project interest, and appends the new notes to their existing profile without creating a new lead.
- Allow All / Create New:
- Creates a new record even if the phone number already exists (useful if you deliberately maintain separate project-specific records).
Assign to Sales Team:
- Choose whether to assign all imported leads to a Specific Agent, assign them equally via Round-Robin to a Team, or leave them in the Unassigned Pool for later distribution.
#Step 4: Import Processing & Audit History
- Click Start Import.
- The import runs in the background. You do not need to keep the screen open—you can continue working elsewhere in the CRM!
- When the import completes, a detailed summary report is displayed:
- Total Rows Processed: e.g.,
500 - Successfully Created: e.g.,
482 - Duplicates Skipped: e.g.,
16 - Invalid Rows (e.g., missing phone): e.g.,
2
- Total Rows Processed: e.g.,
- You can download an Error Log CSV that isolates any failed rows with the exact reason (e.g., "Row 45: Phone number has only 7 digits"), making it easy to fix and re-upload.