A CSV imports cleanly when it is UTF-8 encoded, has headers in the first row, and formats each column consistently. This page covers the rules; the walkthrough covers the clicks.
File requirements
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | CSV (comma-separated values) |
| Encoding | UTF-8 |
| Maximum rows | 10,000 per file |
| Maximum size | 10MB |
| Headers | Required in the first row |
In Excel, use Save As → CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited). Excel's default CSV encoding breaks accented characters.
Required columns
Only one column is required per record type:
| Record type | Required column |
|---|---|
| Companies | Name |
| People | Name |
| Opportunities | Name |
| Tasks | Title |
| Notes | Title |
Every other column is optional; a blank cell simply leaves that field empty.
Custom field columns
Name custom field columns with the prefix custom_fields_ followed by the
field's code:
custom_fields_industry
custom_fields_emails
custom_fields_website
Find each field's code in Settings → Custom Fields, under the Code column. The wizard also auto-maps close names, so a column called "Industry" usually lands on the Industry field without the prefix. The prefix makes the match exact.
Format values by field type
| Field type | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Plain text | Technology |
| Number | Digits only, no symbols | 50000 |
| Date | YYYY-MM-DD, DD/MM/YYYY, or MM/DD/YYYY | 2024-03-15 |
| Valid email(s), comma-separated | john@acme.com,jane@acme.com |
|
| Select | The exact option label | Enterprise |
| Multi-select | Comma-separated option labels | CRM,Analytics |
| Boolean | true/false, yes/no, or 1/0 | true |
Do
- Include headers in the first row.
- Quote values that contain commas:
"Last, First". - Keep one consistent format within each column, especially dates.
- Test with a small sample (5-10 rows) before importing the full file.
Don't
- Use Excel's default encoding; pick "CSV UTF-8".
- Mix date formats in the same column (
2024-03-15and03/15/2024). - Include currency symbols in numbers; use
50000, not$50,000. - Leave empty rows at the end of the file.
Get a ready-made template
Export a few existing records from any list. The exported file includes the
id column and every custom field your workspace uses, already named
correctly. Delete the rows, keep the headers, and fill in your data.