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👟Walkthrough: Bulk Import Contacts including Custom Fields

Updated today

If you are on a plan that doesn't have access to this feature, please email your Account Manager for more information.

Use the template below for importing ease. 📎

👟Walkthrough

1. Click on Contacts.

2. On the top right corner, click on Upload Contacts to bulk import contacts.

3. Upon hitting that button, a modal will appear. On this page, you will see a list of all fields you are able to import - this is a list of OTS standard fields, as well as custom fields you've created. If you wish to import custom fields, you must configure them first.

Noteworthy: This importer only allows 5000 rows at a time. If you wish to import more patrons than 5000, you must split the import.

This importer will not accept columns with HTML tags such as <html>.

4. Either drag and drop your file here or click Choose a file to use the file selector.

Either drag and drop your file here or click Choose a file to use the file selector

5. The uploader will show it is processing the file you've imported

The uploader will show it is processing the file you've imported

6. On the Set header screen, the uploader will show you a preview of your import. The uploader will automatically detect column names and display that data to you. If the header it displays is correct, click Confirm selection and continue.

You can click on a row in this preview to override the uploader's suggestion. If your file does not have column names, click The file has no column names.

On the Set header screen, the uploader will show you a preview of your import. The uploader will automatically detect column names and display that data to you. If the header it displays is correct, click Confirm selection and continue.

7. Click Go Back at any time to go to the previous step in the process.

Click Go Back at any time to go to the previous step in the process

8. If you clicked The file has no column names, you will see sample data from each column in your import and you will have to match those columns to field names on the right hand side.

If you clicked The file has no column names, you will see sample data from each column in your import and you will have to match those columns to field names on the right hand side.

9. If you confirmed a header row in the previous step, the system will use AI and text matching to match columns from your import to fields within our system. Map any unmatched fields using the dropdowns on the right hand side. If you wish to ignore a column for the import, click Ignore.

If you confirmed a header row in the previous step, the system will use AI and text matching to match columns from your import to fields within our system. Map any unmatched fields using the dropdowns on the right hand side. If you wish to ignore a column for the import, click

10. To see a preview of the first few rows in your column, click on the arrow to the left of the column name. You can collapse this preview by hitting the arrow again.

To see a preview of the first few rows in your column, click on the arrow to the left of the column name. You can collapse this preview by hitting the arrow again.

11. Our importer requires a contact’s email address in order to successfully import a patron. If you have not matched the email address field, you will see an error at the bottom of the screen asking for that column to be matched.

12. I'm correcting that error here by matching this column to email address, and the warning has disappeared.

13. If you wish to see only the unmatched columns, click on Show unmatched only using the toggle.

If you wish to see only the unmatched columns, click on Show unmatched only using the toggle

14. You can match any columns you have not yet on this screen.

You can match any columns you have not yet on this screen

15. Once you are done with all matching, click on Confirm matching and continue.

Once you are done with all matching, click on Confirm matching and continue

16. Next is the Review and clean step. Here, you will see a preview of your entire import. Any cells that are highlighted in red have issues associated with them that must be corrected before importing.

17. If you would like to export your file to make the corrections outside of the importer, click on the Export dropdown.

If you would like to export your file to make the corrections outside of the importer, click on the Export dropdown

18. Here, you will be able to choose to export all rows or only rows with errors.

Here, you will be able to choose to export all rows or only rows with errors

19. If you wish to correct errors within the importer, you can toggle Only show rows with errors to narrow down the amount of data you're seeing to make adjustments.

If you wish to correct errors within the importer, you can toggle Only show rows with errors to narrow down the amount of data you're seeing to make adjustments

20. When you hover over a cell with an error, the cell will display the problem with the data. Because Email Address is a required field, an empty cell here is throwing an error.

21. By typing an entry directly into that cell, it has eliminated the error.

22. Another sample issue here is that email addresses must be unique in the import, and these two cells have the same email address in them.

Another sample issue here is that email addresses must be unique in the import, and these two cells have the same email address in them

23. I am editing the email address directly in this cell, eliminating the issue.

I am editing the email address directly in this cell, eliminating the issue

24. Some other common issues being shown here are with formatting. Dates are only accepted in the MM/DD/YYYY format, and while phone numbers have a few acceptable formats they can have, this version is not acceptable.

25. If you're entering a state for a mailing address, it must be two letters.

If you're entering a state for a mailing address, it must be two letters.

26. Our importer also goes off of the data type selected when configuring custom fields. Here, I have configured a custom field called Annual Income with a data type of Number. Because there is text in this cell, it is considered invalid, and I must make the correction.

Our importer also goes off of the data type selected when configuring custom fields. Here, I have configured a custom field called Annual Income with a data type of Number. Because there is text in this cell, it is considered invalid, and I must make the correction.

27. Once all data has been cleaned and the import is error free, click on Finish at the bottom right corner. The importer will ask Are you ready to submit? Hit Yes to continue with the import, hit No to go back and make further changes.

28. Upon successful import, all new patrons will appear in the Contacts list on the OTS platform with all associate data from the import attached to their profiles.

OTS Contact Import Template.xlsx

Related Articles

Standard Fields for Contacts

Default Patron Contact Details for Bulk Uploading

Custom Contact Fields Overview

Bulk Importing Contacts

Adding Custom Contact Fields