This video will teach you how to import your contacts in IntellaSphere.
Importing your connections is easy, just follow these steps, and you will be up and running in no time!
1. Get a CSV file of the contacts you want to add to IntellaSphere.
Currently, IntellaSphere only supports imports from CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files, which are a simple and universal spreadsheet file type. Getting a CSV is easy: if you already use a contact management tool or a CRM, chances are they support exports of your list directly to CSV. Just follow their instructions, and you should have your file ready. If you do end up with an export of a different file type, or use a spreadsheet to store your connections manually, simply open that file with Excel or Google Sheets, hit “Save As,” and select “.csv” as the file type. Now, you are ready to import!
Hint! Before you import, visit the connections lab, and take a look at the fields in a connection. We did our best to provide standard CRM options, but if you have any unique needs, you might need to add a custom field. If you find need a custom field, you need to add it before you import the file (otherwise you will need to reupload the list or add the information to each contact manually). To learn how to add a custom field, visit Does the CRM support custom fields? and How do I add my contacts?
2. Proceed to IntellaSphere’s Connections lab, click “Create” and select “Import Connections.” You will now see the “Import Connections” dialogue, which will guide you through the steps.
3. You will need to select the Connection type. There are three to choose from: Customer, Contact, and Social Connections. You will want to use the last one if your main method for reaching contacts in this list will be through social networks (as opposed to by email or phone). You can also choose to immediately add all these connections to Leads or Influencers (you can always do this to individual contacts later as well).
4. If you want to keep your imports organized, you can create a static list, or choose an existing one, to add the new contacts to. Once you have done this, you can click next to move ahead with the import.
5. On the Upload tab, select the file you wish to import, hit “Upload,” then click “Next” to proceed.
6. Next, you will map the columns in your table to fields within the contact. If the columns in your file are already labeled, select “First Row Header” at the top of the page. This will prevent the labels from being mistakenly imported as a contact (we don’t think you’ll get much value from FirstName LastName’s contact info) and will help the system recommend mapping options as you go through the columns.
7. Here you can also select what to do with duplicates: by default, if a contact (matched by email or phone number) already exists, we will override with the latest record (either replacing what’s already in the system or selecting the latest entry of it in the file). However, you can also choose to keep the first instance of the contact instead or to allow duplicate entries.
8. Next comes the mapping itself: the top of each column will have a dropdown with possible field names for the data in the column. If you selected “First Row Header,” you will see recommendations for likely field name matches based on the header. Make sure to map each field you want to keep if you want to store that data; you have to map at least one field to proceed.
9. When you complete the mapping, your file will be processed and uploaded. Keep in mind that this process may take a while, especially for longer lists. You can now close the window; you will receive a notification once the file has been processed, as well as an email to which we’ll attach a list of any invalid connections we were unable to import (typically when there are errors in the email address—you can fix the errors and upload these connections again or discard them), as well as duplicates for your reference if you elected to have them removed. That way you never lose any contacts, never have to worry about an invalid email stumping your outreach efforts, and never need to be embarrassed by sending an important contact several duplicate emails.
You’re done! Your contacts have been added, and you are ready to wow them with stellar engagements, beautiful emails, and witty DM’s.