Importing Data from Spreadsheets

By creavio Team April 10, 2026 1 views

Importing Data from Spreadsheets

Whether you've been tracking clients in a spreadsheet, exporting from another tool, or consolidating data from multiple sources, creavio's import tool makes it easy to bring everything in at once.

Supported Formats

creavio accepts the following file formats for import:

  • CSV (.csv) — the most universal format, works with any spreadsheet tool.
  • Excel (.xlsx) — native Microsoft Excel files.
  • Google Sheets — export as CSV from Google Sheets, then upload to creavio.

Preparing Your Spreadsheet

Before importing, clean up your data for the best results:

  1. Use column headers: The first row should contain field names like Name, Email, Phone, Session Type, etc.
  2. One contact per row: Each row represents one client or contact.
  3. Consistent formatting: Use the same date format throughout (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY). Phone numbers should include area codes.
  4. Remove duplicates: Check for duplicate entries before importing — creavio will flag potential duplicates but it's faster to clean them beforehand.
  5. Separate first and last names: If possible, split full names into first name and last name columns for better sorting and personalization.

Running the Import

  1. Go to Clients > Import and click Upload File.
  2. Select your CSV or Excel file.
  3. creavio displays a column mapping screen. Match each column in your spreadsheet to the corresponding creavio field (First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, etc.).
  4. Preview the first 10 rows to verify the mapping looks correct.
  5. Click Import. creavio processes the file and shows a summary: imported, skipped, and flagged records.

Handling Duplicates

If creavio detects a contact with the same email address already in your system, it will flag it as a potential duplicate. You can choose to skip, merge (update the existing record with new data), or create anyway (allow the duplicate).

After Import

Review your imported contacts in the Clients list. Apply tags to the imported batch (e.g., "Imported March 2026") so you can easily filter and manage them. Check a few profiles to confirm all fields mapped correctly.