Importing contacts via Excel file

Introduction

Managing a large contact list can be challenging, especially when you have to add Contacts by one to a new database. Artshell simplifies this process by offering two solutions for Contacts importing your Contacts :

• Concierge Service: Our team of experts will handle the import of large amounts of data for you. Click here to learn more about the Concierge Service.
• Advanced Import: a tool that lets you import large numbers of Contacts your own by uploading an Excel file directly to the Artshell database.

No matter which method you choose, it’s essential to remember that a well-organized and professional contact list is one of the keys to your organization’s success. So take this opportunity to carefully review the Contacts want Contacts keep in the Contacts section Contacts Artshell:

• delete those that are no longer active;
• check that there are no typos in the email addresses (which would otherwise be invalid);
• Please make sure that your first name, last name, and company name are entered correctly.

In this article, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to use the advanced import feature.

Step 1: Download and fill out the "Import Contacts Excel) file

Below is an Excel spreadsheet template that you can download and fill out.

Download the Excel template for importing Contacts :

Once you've downloaded the file, follow these steps:

Open the file in Excel.

The file consists of a first header row, whose headings must NOT be modified , and a second row containing sample descriptions. The columns in the first header row are color-coded by type of contact information to help you fill out the form.

1. Take a moment to review all the columns in the file. If there are any columns you don't need, you can choose to leave them blank or delete them entirely from the file.
2. Each row in the Excel file corresponds to a record . Fill out one row of information for each contact you want to upload, following the header row. If a field applies only to some Contacts, you can leave the cell blank for the others—it will not be imported into their record. Finally, some fields require a specific format to be imported correctly.

3. Save the file in XLSX format and rename it as you like. Do not save the file in any other format, as the system cannot process it.

Step 2: Import the "Import Contacts Excel) file

Once you’ve prepared your file— making sure it doesn’t contain any filters or formatted elements—it’s time to upload it to Artshell. Follow these steps:

Once the upload is complete, the system will display a brief summary of the import:

• How many Contacts imported:

  That is, the number of Contacts successfully.

• How many Contacts been merged: 

  That is, the number of Contacts the system has identified as already existing in your Artshell database. In this case, some of the newly uploaded data is merged with record existing record . Learn more in the next section of this article.

• Errors:

  That is, the number of Contacts were not imported due to errors in the data entry.

If Contacts or errors are detected during the import, a "Download Report" button will appear, allowing you to download an Excel file summarizing the Contacts and any errors.

Subsequent imports

You can perform bulk imports via Excel files multiple times in Artshell to expand, supplement, or update your contact list.

During subsequent imports, Artshell checks whether the Contacts the Excel file match records that already exist in the database.

Artshell uses multiple levels of control to ensure Contacts even Contacts an email address—such as records as locations within Artworks events—are handled correctly.

How Artshell recognizes and links Contacts

Artshell applies the following checks, in order of priority:

Primary email (Email 1)

The first criterion isthe primary email address, which is the "Email 1 " field in the Excel file. If the "Email 1" field is filled in, the system checks whether a record with the same primary email address already exists. If so, the data from the Excel file is used to update the existing record .

First Name and Last Name

If the Email 1 field is left blank, the system checks to see if both the First Name and Last Name are present. If there is a record with the same First Name and Last Name, the system updates that record. If there are multiple records the same First Name and Last Name, the oldest record (i.e., the one created first) will be updated.

Company

If neither "Email 1" nor "First Name and Last Name" are filled in, the system uses the "Company" field as the identification criterion. In this case as well, if there are multiple records for the same company, the record is updated.

What happens if there are Contacts ?

If there are duplicates in the database—for example, the same email address associated with multiple records —the system may encounter an ambiguous situation.

In these cases, Artshell follows a set of priorities:

• If the same email address appears in multiple records, the record which that address is listed as Email 1—that is, as the primary address (the first one, at the top of the record )—is updated;
• If the same address is entered as Email 1 in multiple records , the record —that is, the one created first— is updated.

However, if the email address is entered in an Excel file in a column other than "Email 1"—for example, "Email 2"—the system may not recognize the contact as already existing and may create a new record.

For this reason, before importing an update, it is important to check for any duplicates and ensure that the address to be used as a reference is entered in the Email 1 column.

How is data handled during the merger?

When a contact is recognized as already existing, Artshell updates the record based on the data in the Excel file.

Specifically:

• Fill in the fields in the record that are “empty” with the values from the Excel file.   
• Tag: adds the tags present in the Excel file that are not already present in the record .    
• Email, Phone, Addresses: adds any additional email addresses, phone numbers, or addresses found in the Excel file that are not already included in record .    
• Overwrites the values in Excel that correspond to fields already filled in within the record (with the exception of tags, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses, which, as we have seen, are added rather than replaced).    

For tags, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses, Artshell never performs a "subtraction" during import. This means that this information can be added via an Excel file, but it is not removed if it is already present in record .

Contacts update multiple Contacts

If you need to update a large number of Contacts in Artshell, we recommend that you do not manually fill in the fields used for recognition (such as email, first and last name, or company).

You can speed up the process by following these steps:

1. Select the Contacts want to update or edit;
2. Export these Contacts Excel;
3. Copy the entire column (Email1 or Company) from the exported file—if you’re using First Name and Last Name to update the data, you’ll need to copy and paste both of these columns;
4. Paste the data into the corresponding column in the Excel import file : Email1, or Company, or First Name and Last Name if you are not using an email address;
5. Fill in only the columns corresponding to the fields you want to update or add;
6. Upload the updated file using the import feature.

This way, you use data that is already in the system and is accurate, reducing the risk of errors or duplicates and making the update much faster and more efficient.

Conclusions

Importing via Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly and efficiently manage even large numbers of Contacts.

By using Email1 correctly and following the best practices outlined here, you can keep your contact list up to date and organized, minimizing errors and duplicates.