Week 6 of 8

Contact Importing and Data Hygiene

Importing is the fastest way to break a clean CRM. Prepare, tag, and verify every import.

An import is a bulk action. Every mistake multiplies by the number of rows. A single unchecked box can push thousands of contacts into a live nurture, damage sender reputation, and violate consent rules.

Data hygiene is the ongoing discipline that keeps the CRM trustworthy after the import: duplicate management, standardized formatting, and periodic cleanup.

This week is not just about uploading a spreadsheet. It is about protecting the CRM from bad data, accidental automation, duplicate records, poor formatting, and unclear consent. A clean import gives the rest of the system reliable data to work with. A bad import creates cleanup work, deliverability risk, and workflow confusion.

Why This Matters

An import can accidentally push thousands of contacts into a live nurture. Consent, formatting, and tagging must be handled before the file is uploaded.

What Usually Goes Wrong

Uploading a raw CSV with duplicate rows and inconsistent columns
Phone numbers in mixed formats that break SMS
First and last names in the same column
Contacts landing in workflows the moment they are imported
No import tag, so the batch can never be reviewed later
No documented consent source for the imported list

Pre-Import CSV Cleanup

One row per contact, no merged cells.
First name and last name in separate columns.
Email column standardized (all lowercase, no spaces).
Phone column in E.164 format (+15551234567).
Remove obvious duplicates by email and phone.
Remove rows without a valid email or phone.
Add a source column and an import-batch column.

Import Risk Levels

Not every import has the same risk.

Low-risk import

A small list of known contacts with clear consent, clean formatting, and no active workflow triggers attached.

Medium-risk import

A larger list from an event, old CRM, partner referral source, or manual spreadsheet where formatting and consent need review.

High-risk import

A list with unclear consent, old contacts, mixed sources, duplicate records, missing phone or email data, or contacts that may trigger live workflows.

Note

Never treat a high-risk import like a quick upload. High-risk imports should be cleaned, tagged, segmented, and reviewed before any communication is sent.

Consent Before You Import

Do not import a list into an active marketing nurture unless you can point to how those contacts opted in. If you cannot confirm consent, keep those contacts out of marketing workflows and broadcast campaigns. Import only when there is a valid business reason to store the record, tag the consent status clearly, and do not send marketing unless proper permission is obtained.

Document the consent source for every list (form, event, purchase, referral).
Tag imports without clear consent so they are excluded from broadcast sends.
Avoid purchased or scraped lists. They can create consent, deliverability, and reputation risk, especially if sent from your primary sending domain.

Note

Consent and compliance rules can vary by country, state, industry, message type, and platform requirements. Treat this as a planning baseline, not legal advice.

Turn Off Dangerous Triggers Before Import

Any workflow triggered by 'contact created' will fire for every imported contact. Before importing, disable or filter these workflows, then re-enable them after the import is verified.

Import Tags and Batch Tracking

Every import should have a dedicated import tag or import batch field.

import-2026-07-website-leads
import-2026-07-event-list
import-2026-07-old-crm-cleanup
import-2026-07-client-upload

Note

The import tag lets you find the batch later, review records, undo mistakes, exclude contacts from campaigns, or build a smart list for verification. Never skip the import tag because the batch feels small. Small imports can still create messy data.

Post-Import Verification

Create a smart list from the import tag.
Spot-check a sample of records for field mapping errors.
Confirm no unintended workflows fired.
Confirm the pipeline placement, if any, is correct.
Only then apply the intended nurture, in a controlled batch.

Rollback and Cleanup Plan

Before importing, decide what you will do if something goes wrong. Ask:

?Can this batch be found quickly by import tag?
?Can accidental workflow entries be stopped?
?Can unintended tags be removed in bulk?
?Can incorrect fields be corrected in bulk?
?Can duplicate records be merged or reviewed?
?Can the team identify which contacts came from this file?
?Can contacts be excluded from broadcasts until verified?

Note

A safe import is not only about uploading correctly. It is about being able to recover if the import does not behave the way you expected.

Ongoing Data Hygiene

Run a monthly duplicate scan by email and phone.
Archive stale contacts with no activity in 12+ months.
Standardize phone numbers as they come in.
Retire tags and fields that no longer serve a purpose.
Review contacts with missing emails or phone numbers.
Review contacts with no source.
Review tags that have not been used recently.
Review custom fields that no one updates.
Review smart lists that no longer match the business process.
Merge duplicates carefully instead of deleting records blindly.
Standardize source values and import naming.
Document cleanup decisions so the team does not recreate the same mess later.

Data Formatting Standards

Choose formatting standards before importing.

Lowercase, no spaces, valid email format.

Phone

Use E.164 format when possible, such as +15551234567.

Names

Separate first name and last name into different columns.

Company

Use a consistent company name format.

Source

Use a clean source value or source tag, such as source-referral, source-event, or source-website.

Consent status

Use a clear field or tag that shows whether the contact can receive marketing, transactional messages, or no outbound communication.

Import batch

Use one import tag or import-batch value for every uploaded file.

Notes

Use a notes field only for information a team member will actually read.

What to Build

A cleaned CSV with consistent columns
A consent/source review for the list
A dedicated import tag or import batch value
A source tag or source field
A field mapping plan before upload
A trigger safety review before upload
A smart list created from the import tag
A post-import spot-check routine
A rollback or cleanup plan
A recurring data hygiene routine

Before You Build in the CRM

Plan the import before opening the import tool. Do not upload first and fix later. Every row in the file can become a contact record, trigger a workflow, apply a tag, update a field, or create confusion.

Start outside the CRM. Use a spreadsheet, document, or your preferred AI assistant to inspect the file, clean the columns, identify missing data, and decide how the import should be tagged.

Your import plan should answer:

?Where did this list come from?
?Why is this list being imported?
?Do these contacts have valid consent for the intended communication?
?What source should be applied?
?What import tag or batch value should be applied?
?Which fields need to be mapped?
?Which columns should not be imported?
?Are first and last names separated?
?Are emails formatted consistently?
?Are phone numbers formatted consistently?
?Are there duplicate emails or phone numbers?
?Are any workflows triggered by contact created, tag added, or field updated?
?Should any workflows be disabled, filtered, or reviewed before import?
?What smart list will be used to review the batch?
?What is the rollback plan if something goes wrong?

Note

Suggested AI prompt: "I am preparing a CRM contact import. Help me review this CSV structure before uploading it. Identify duplicate columns, missing required fields, inconsistent formatting, phone number issues, email formatting issues, possible consent concerns, fields that should not be imported, source and import batch fields to add, and workflow risks to check before upload. Create a clean field mapping plan and a post-import verification checklist." The safest import is the one that has already been planned, cleaned, tagged, and reviewed before the upload begins.

Step-by-Step Training

1
Identify where the list came from and why it is being imported.
2
Confirm the consent/source status for the list.
3
Open the CSV and remove obvious duplicates.
4
Standardize column names.
5
Split first and last names into separate columns.
6
Standardize email formatting.
7
Standardize phone numbers where possible.
8
Remove rows that should not be imported.
9
Add a source column or source tag.
10
Add an import-batch column or plan a dedicated import tag.
11
Decide which columns should map to existing fields.
12
Decide which columns should not be imported.
13
Review workflows that could fire from contact created, tag added, or field updated.
14
Disable, filter, or adjust risky workflows before import.
15
Upload the file and map fields carefully.
16
Apply the import tag.
17
Confirm the import.
18
Create a smart list from the import tag.
19
Spot-check a sample of records.
20
Confirm no unintended workflows fired.
21
Confirm the pipeline placement, tags, and fields are correct.
22
Re-enable or restore reviewed workflows only after verification.
23
Apply any intended nurture or follow-up in a controlled batch.
24
Document what was imported and when.

Practical Exercise

Part 1: Clean the CSV

Take a real or sample list and prepare it:

1
Standardize columns
2
Split first and last names
3
Format phone numbers consistently
4
Lowercase emails
5
Remove duplicate emails and phone numbers
6
Remove empty or unusable rows
7
Add source and import-batch columns
8
Remove columns that should not be imported
9
Mark consent/source status clearly

Part 2: Import Safely and Verify

Import the cleaned file and verify:

1
Review contact-created triggers
2
Review tag-added triggers
3
Review field-updated triggers
4
Disable, filter, or adjust risky workflows
5
Upload and map fields
6
Apply the import tag
7
Create a smart list from the import tag
8
Spot-check records
9
Confirm no workflows fired unexpectedly
10
Confirm tags and fields mapped correctly
11
Re-enable reviewed workflows only after verification

Part 3: Build a Data Hygiene Routine

Create a recurring cleanup routine:

1
Monthly duplicate review
2
Monthly missing source review
3
Monthly unused tag review
4
Quarterly custom field review
5
Quarterly smart list review
6
Quarterly stale contact review
7
Document what gets archived, merged, deleted, or kept

Done Means Done Checklist

✓The CSV is clean and standardized
✓The list source is documented
✓Consent/source status is reviewed
✓Required fields are present
✓First and last names are separated where possible
✓Email formatting is standardized
✓Phone formatting is standardized where possible
✓Duplicate emails and phone numbers are reviewed
✓Unnecessary columns are removed
✓An import tag or batch value is created and applied
✓A source tag or source field is applied
✓Fields are mapped correctly
✓Risky workflow triggers are reviewed before import
✓Contacts do not automatically enter campaigns by accident
✓A smart list is created for the batch
✓Records are reviewed after import
✓No unintended workflows fired
✓Pipeline placement is correct if used
✓A rollback or cleanup plan exists
✓A monthly data hygiene routine is scheduled
✓The import is documented for future review

Common Mistakes

Watch for these

Importing before disabling relevant 'contact created' triggers
Skipping the import tag because 'it is only one batch'
Assuming the CRM will format phone numbers for you
Not spot-checking records after import
Importing lists without a documented consent source
Uploading the file before reviewing workflow triggers
Using no import tag or batch value
Importing old lists without reviewing source and consent
Mapping columns quickly without checking field type
Importing notes or messy data into fields no one will use
Assuming duplicate detection will catch everything
Forgetting to create a smart list for review
Applying nurture before spot-checking records
Re-enabling workflows before confirming the import
Deleting contacts blindly instead of reviewing duplicates carefully

Related SOPs

Contact Importing
Tags and Custom Fields
Workflows
Cleanup and Audit
SMS and A2P Awareness
Email Campaigns

Next lesson

Week 7: Email HTML, Campaigns, and Deliverability

Start Week 7