Using the Contact Import Spreadsheet

Read here to understand how to use the Contact Import spreadsheet to bulk import contact records into your system!

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Written by Aspire Software
Updated over a week ago

Table of Contents


Purpose

After watching the CRM training videos to understand how the Contacts module works, Aspire offers the ability to import your Contacts yourself through Administration.

Below, you can read the instructions for downloading and uploading the Property Import file, as well as how to fill out each field.

⚠️Important: Make sure you have imported your contacts, including employees, first before importing your property information!


Downloading the Contact Import Sheet From Aspire

  • To download the spreadsheet for entering contact record information, navigate to your profile icon and select Administration.

  • Then, select the Application tab, and then Import Contacts and Properties.

  • Under Import Type, select Contact.

  • Then, select Download Example to download the spreadsheet.

  • In your browser or file explorer, locate the downloaded spreadsheet and open it!

  • If your Excel opens the file in a read only format, then you can select Enable Editing at the top to add your import information.


Instructions for the Contact Import Sheet

Please follow the guidelines very carefully below when entering your Excel spreadsheet with your contact data.

Instructions for how to fill out each field, including required fields, are available in the table below.

🧠Keep in mind:

  • If a contact has already been loaded into Aspire manually, do not include them on this spreadsheet.

  • Do not remove or change any columns on this spreadsheet. If removed or changed, the data load will not work.

  • Do not press “ENTER” (carriage return) or “ALT+ENTER” (linefeed) anywhere in the spreadsheet. These will not be accepted by our system.

  • Do not skip or have blank rows.

  • One Contact per row.

  • Each Contact must have a unique email address.

  • It’s recommended to add 500 contacts per upload!

  • For your first import, it’s recommended to upload 5-10 contacts to make sure all of your columns have been entered correctly!

📌Note: Columns A, B, and C must be filled with data. Do not leave these cells empty.

Field Name Descriptions For Your Contact Import

Below are the columns that are available for your contact import data entry. 👇

Column and Field Name

Description

Example

A. Contact Type:

This is a required field. Choose from Aspire defaults of Customer, Prospect, Employee, Sub, Vendor.

Customer, Prospect, Employee, Sub, Vendor.

You must add additional options in Administration before adding them to the import. You cannot create new options using this import.

B. Contact First:

This is a required field. Enter the contact's first name.

Annie

C. Contact Last:

This is a required field. Enter the contact's last name.

Carver

D. Sal:

Enter a salutation if desired.

Mr., Mrs., Ms. or Dr.

These selections are fixed and custom options cannot be added.

E. Contact Job Title:

Input the contact's job title.

Property Manager, Board President, or Crew Leader.

F. Office Phone:

If your contact has an office phone number, you can put it here. Phone numbers do not default to a specific format when imported.

Choose a consistent format when filling out this column.

(203) 555-1234 or 203-555-1234

This is the default primary number on your contacts list.

G. Home Phone:

If your contact has a home phone number, you can put it here. Phone numbers do not default to a specific format when imported.

Choose a consistent format when filling out this column.

(203) 555-1234 or 203-555-1234

This is the default secondary number on your contacts list.

H. Mobile Phone:

If your contact has a mobile phone number, you can put it here. Phone numbers do not default to a specific format when imported.

Choose a consistent format when filling out this column.

(203) 555-1234 or 203-555-1234

If your company is setting up SMS notifications internally, this is the number that will be used.

I. Fax Phone:

Input the contact's fax number. Phone numbers do not default to a specific format when imported.

Choose a consistent format when filling out this column.

(203) 555-1234 or 203-555-1234

J. Contact Email:

Input the contact's email address. Emails must be unique and cannot be shared across contacts.

K. Address1:

Input the address of contact. If this will be a billing contact, a mailed invoice would be sent to this address.

1345 Martin Luther King Way

L. Address2 :

Input secondary address information as necessary

Apt 2, Suite #, or PO Box.

M. City:

The city where contact is located. If this will be a billing contact, a mailed invoice would be sent here.

Jacksonville

N. State:

The state where the contact is located. If this will be a billing contact, a mailed invoice would be sent here.

FL

O. Zip:

The zip where the contact is located. If this will be a billing contact, a mailed invoice would be sent here.

32099

P. Company:

Enter the company where contact is employed.

Homes For Us Development Co.

Q. Branch:

Enter the name of the Branch where the contact is located.

Main

R. Prospect Rating:

Rating of Hot, Warm, or Cold that can be used to rate a prospect.

This list is fixed and custom options can't be added.

Hot, Warm or Cold

S. Notes:

Record any notes related to the contact here.

These are used for internal purposes only and do not display in other areas of Aspire.

Make sure renewal paperwork is sent to this contact before the end of the year.

T. Owner:

Similar to Account Owner at the property level. Enter the name of the employee at your company that manages the relationship with the contact.

Jason Carver

U. Website:

The website URL for the company the contact is employed by.


Uploading The Contact Import Sheet in Aspire

When your spreadsheet is completed with information, you can then head to Aspire to import your contact information!

  • Navigate to your profile icon, and select Administration.

  • Choose the Application tab and then Import Contacts and Properties.

  • Under the Import Type drop down, you’ll select the import type of Contact.

  • Then, you can click the Upload button and choose your file from your computer folders.

  • The file chosen from your computer will upload into Aspire!

Understanding Errors

As you are importing your records if there are any validation issues with the spreadsheet, they will be flagged under the import type drop down.

Here’s an example:

There is a legend to help you understand the error type:

Depending on the import legend information, you can choose to import the file as is by selecting Complete Import in the right corner of the import window, or you can choose to fix the spreadsheet and begin a new import!

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