Import templates help you structure your data correctly before bringing it into Swivel. Using a template ensures your data is organized in the right format, making imports faster, more accurate, and easier to complete.
What Are Import Templates?
Import templates are pre-formatted spreadsheets that show you exactly how your data should be set up before importing into Swivel. Each column in the template represents a specific field in Swivel, such as name, email, or account number.
Using a template helps reduce errors and makes field mapping easier during the import process.
🔍 Tip: Using a Swivel-provided template to perform an import is not required, but it is strongly recommended.
📌 Note: In addition to the default template headers, you can also add extra supported headers to import additional data fields. See Additional Optional Headers below for a full list.
Available Import Templates
Swivel provides templates for the following types of data:
Template | Purpose |
Contacts / Client Accounts & Policies Template | Import basic contact details like names, emails, and phone numbers. Additionally, for users who want to import their clients’ accounts and policies (recommended), the template includes fields for capturing that data. |
Event Attendance Template | Track event attendees. |
Compensation Import | Add compensation data. |
Where to Find & Download Templates in Swivel
Templates are located in different sections of Swivel, depending on what you are importing:
Contacts / Client Accounts & Policies Template
Click Business Management in the left-hand navigation menu
Click the Import on Contact Import
Click Template to download the .csv file
Event Attendance Template
Click Marketing in the left-hand navigation menu
Locate the event you want to import for
Click the event name to open the event record page
Go to the Registered section, click the three-dot action menu, and select Import
Click Template to download the .csv file
Compensation Import Template
Click Business Management in the left-hand navigation menu
Select the Import on Compensation Import
Click download a template to download the .csv file
📌 Note: Only users with the Owner user role can access the Compensation Import.
Template Headers
Each template comes with predefined column headers that align with fields in Swivel. Keep column headers unchanged so Swivel can automatically recognize the fields.
🔍 Tip: The first row of the template contains the correct column headers, and the second row includes example data (e.g., JJ Doe) to guide your import.
Contacts / Client Accounts & Policies Template Fields
Below is a list of fields used as column headers when completing Contacts / Client Accounts & Policies Imports.
Header | Required | Description |
Full Name |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Jane Smith) |
First Name | Yes | Single-line free text (e.g., Jane) |
Middle Name |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Ann or A) |
Last Name | Yes | Single-line free text (e.g., Smith) |
Suffix |
| Valid options include Jr, Jr., Sr, Sr., I, II, III, IV |
Gender |
| Valid options include Male or Female |
Personal Note |
| Free text |
Birthdate |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
SSN |
| Valid formats include XXX-XX-XXXX, XXXXXXXXX, or XXXX |
Medicare # |
| Valid formats include XXXXXXXXXXX or XXXX-XXX-XXXX |
County |
| Contact's residence county |
Contact Category |
| Valid options include pre-configured contact categories or single-line free text to create a new value |
Contact Status |
| Valid options include pre-configured contact status or single-line free text to create a new value |
Client Since |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Assigned To |
| Also referred to as Servicing Agent; valid options must be the first and last name of an existing account user with Agent role permission (e.g., John Smith) |
Marital Status |
| Valid options include Single, Married, Divorced, Separated, Domestic Partnership, or Widowed; if left blank, the default is Single |
Primary Email Address |
| Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]); limit of 1 email address per cell |
Primary Phone Number |
| Valid formats include XXX-XXX-XXXX, (XXX) XXX-XXXX, or XXXXXXXXXX (e.g., 913-948-8700, (913) 948-8700, or 9139488700) |
Primary Address Line1 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., 10820 Shawnee Mission Pkwy) |
Primary Address Line2 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Suite 301) |
Primary Address City |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Shawnee) |
Primary Address State |
| Valid formats include abbreviated or full state name (e.g., KS or Kansas) |
Primary Address Zip Code |
| Valid formats include 5-digit or 9-digit zip codes (e.g., 66203 or 66203-3547) |
Tags |
| Can correspond to currently configured tags as well as create brand new tags using the import; multiple tags must be separated by a comma (e.g., tag1, tag2) |
Product Interests |
| Valid options are pre-configured Product Offering Types or single-line free text to create a new value |
Additional Notes |
| Multi-line free text (any text included in this field is imported as one complete note) |
Product Number |
| The policy or account number of the product. If left blank Swivel will auto-generate a unique product number. |
Insured |
| The insured person(s) on the policy if different than the Product Owner |
Institution | Yes, for product import | The institution that services the product (e.g., Allianz Life, North American Company, Charles Schwab) |
Institution Type |
| The type of institution; default options include Insurance Carrier, Broker-Dealer, and Custodian. If left blank will default to "Unspecified" |
Product | Yes, for product import | The name of the policy or account (e.g., Allianz 222, AARP Medicare Advantage, Simple IRA) |
Product Type | Yes, for product import | The type of product or account (e.g., Fixed Index Annuity, Medicare Advantage, or Simple IRA |
Product Line | Yes, for product import | The main line of business (e.g., Annuities, Life Insurance, or Assets Under Management) |
Product Status | Yes, for product import | Status of product as of a specific date |
Product Status Date |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Product Opened On |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Product Effective Date |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Product Issued Date |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Product Closed Date |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
Status Indicator |
| The core state of a given product status; available options are Pending, Open, Closed, Expired and Lost |
Plan Type |
| The tax qualification status, ownership type, or type of account |
Agent of Record | Yes, for product import | The writing agent for the policy or account |
State of Business |
| Valid formats include abbreviated or full state name (e.g., KS or Kansas) |
Product Source Key |
| The ID value from source system |
📌 Note: Many users already have their contacts in Swivel but need to add account or policy information. This can be done using the Contacts / Client Accounts & Policies Template. When importing data for contacts that already exist in Swivel, you’ll be prompted to either Create New Contact or Use Existing Contact. Products will not be imported until you tell Swivel how to handle each record. In most cases, you'll select Use Existing Contact to ensure accounts or policies are added to the correct existing contact record.
Event Attendance Template Fields
Below is a list of fields used as column headers when completing Event Attendance Imports.
Header | Required | Description |
Full Name |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Jane Smith) |
First Name | Yes | Single-line free text (e.g., Jane) |
Middle Name |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Ann or A) |
Last Name | Yes | Single-line free text (e.g., Smith) |
Suffix |
| Valid options include Jr, Jr., Sr, Sr., I, II, III, IV |
Gender |
| Valid options include Male or Female |
Personal Note |
| Free text |
Birthdate |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY |
SSN |
| Valid formats include XXX-XX-XXXX, XXXXXXXXX, or XXXX |
Medicare # |
| Valid formats include XXXXXXXXXXX or XXXX-XXX-XXXX |
Contact Category |
| Valid options include pre-configured contact categories or single-line free text to create a new value |
Contact Status |
| Valid options include pre-configured contact status or single-line free text to create a new value |
Marital Status |
| Valid options include Single, Married, Divorced, Separated, Domestic Partnership, or Widowed; if left blank, the default is Single |
Primary Email |
| Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]). Limit 1 email address per cell |
Primary Phone Number |
| Valid formats include XXX-XXX-XXXX, (XXX) XXX-XXXX, or XXXXXXXXXX (e.g., 913-948-8700, (913) 948-8700, 9139488700) |
Primary Address Line1 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., 10820 Shawnee Mission Pkwy) |
Primary Address Line2 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Suite 301) |
Primary Address City |
| Single-line free text (e.g., Shawnee) |
Primary Address State |
| Valid formats include abbreviated or full state name (e.g., KS or Kansas) |
Primary Address Zip Code |
| Valid formats include 5-digit or 9-digit zip codes (e.g., 66203 or 66203-3547) |
Tags |
| Can correspond to currently configured tags as well as created brand new tags using the import; multiple tags must be separated by a comma (e.g., tag1, tag2) |
Confirmed |
| Valid options include True or False |
Attendance Status |
| Valid options include: Pending, Attended, Canceled (not Cancelled), No Show, Rescheduled, Waitlisted; the import will fail if you attempt to import an attendance status not listed above |
Additional Notes |
| Multi-line free text (any text included in this field is imported as one complete note) |
Additional Contact Field Headers
In addition to the pre-populated columns included in Swivel’s import templates, there are additional headers you can manually add to your file to import more detailed data.
These headers are not included in the default templates but are fully supported during import when added exactly as written below.
🔍 Tip: Header names must match exactly for Swivel to recognize and map the data correctly.
Header | Description |
Deceased | Valid options include True or False |
Death Date | Valid format is MM/DD/YYYY |
Lead Source | Valid options are pre-configured existing Lead Source (e.g., Referral) or single-line free text to create a new value |
Office | Valid options are pre-configured existing Offices or single-line free text to create a new value |
Zone | Valid option are pre-configured marketing Zones or single-line free text to create a new value |
Household Key | Single-line free text code used to create spousal association and memberships via contact import; each contact to be associated should have the same code value |
Job Title | Single-line free text |
Nickname | Single-line free text |
Additional Email Fields
Header | Description |
Email Name | Single-line free text (e.g., Home, Work, Personal, Other) |
Email Address | Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]) |
Additional Phone Fields
Header | Description |
Phone Name | Single-line free text (e.g., Home, Work, Mobile) |
Phone Number | Valid formats include XXX-XXX-XXXX, (XXX) XXX-XXXX, or XXXXXXXXXX (e.g., 913-948-8700, (913) 948-8700, or 9139488700) |
Additional Address Fields
Header | Description |
Address Name | Single-line free text (e.g., Home, Work, Vacation, Other) |
Address Line1 | Single-line free text (e.g., 10820 Shawnee Mission Pkwy) |
Address Line2 | Single-line free text (e.g., Suite 301) |
Address City | Single-line free text (e.g., Shawnee) |
Address State | Valid formats include abbreviated or full state name (e.g., KS or Kansas) |
Address Zip Code | Valid formats include 5-digit or 9-digit zip codes (e.g., 66203 or 66203-3547) |
Additional Assignment Fields
Header | Description |
Assigned To | Also referred to as Servicing Agent; must match the First and Last Name of an existing user with Agent role permissions (e.g., John Smith) |
Additional Visibility Fields
Header | Description |
User Visibility | Comma-separated full names of active users who should have visibility to this contact (e.g. Jane Doe, Bob Wilson) |
Group Visibility | Comma-separated full names of groups who should have visibility to this contact (e.g. Sales Team, VIP Clients) |
Note: These fields can be added as new columns in your import file alongside the standard template headers
Header names must be spelled exactly as listed above or mapped to the correct field in the mapping screen
You can include as many of these fields as needed
If a header is included but left blank, no data will be imported for that field
Importing Company Contact Types
By utilizing the Full Name column header, users can import Company Contact Types with the desired Company name in this field.
Ensure Company is selected as the Contact Type in the Default Options of the import modal when completing the Importing Your File(s) instructions.
📌 Note: We recommend importing Company Contact Types in a separate file from Individual Contact Types to ensure all data is imported correctly.
🔍 Tip: Company Contact Type imports can also include any of the Additional Optional Headers listed above, such as Assigned To, Lead Source, or Office, if you want to capture extra information for each company.
How to Use an Import Template
Download the appropriate template
Add your data to the rows under each column
Keep the column headers unchanged so Swivel can recognize the fields
Save your file as a CSV
Upload the file during the import process
How Templates Help with Field Mapping
Each column in a template is already aligned with a field in Swivel. This means:
Field mapping is faster and often automatic
There’s less risk of mapping data incorrectly
Your import is more likely to succeed on the first try
📌 Note: If you choose not to use a template, you will need to map fields manually during import.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Changing or renaming column headers
Using invalid formats for field contents
Leaving required fields blank
🔍 Tip: Most import issues can be traced back to formatting or column mismatches.
Summary
Templates help structure your data correctly before importing
They make field mapping easier and reduce errors
Following the template format ensures a smoother, more successful import
Keep headers intact and follow formatting guidelines to avoid issues
Use the duplicate handling workflow when adding accounts or policies to existing contacts
Importing Custom Fields
Swivel supports importing custom fields during the guided import process. Custom fields can be configured across a wide range of record types in Swivel — to see what fields exist or to add new ones before importing, go to Settings > Custom Fields and select the appropriate category from the left navigation (for example, Contact Fields for contact imports, or Product Fields for product-level data).
How Custom Fields work during import
Your CSV column headers do not need to match your Swivel field labels exactly. You can name the columns anything you like. After uploading your file, you will land on the Import Mapping screen, where you match each column from your file to a Swivel Field using the dropdown on the left. Standard fields like First Name, Last Name, Primary Email Address, and Primary Phone Number will auto-map. For contact custom field columns, select "Contact Custom Fields" from the Swivel Field dropdown to map that column to your existing custom fields or create new.
Custom field values are stored exactly as entered
Swivel does not validate values against the field's type or dropdown options on import. A dropdown field will accept any text. A misspelled value like "Hgih" instead of "High" will import with no warning. Date and number fields are not validated or formatted on import. Pre-clean your data before importing to avoid silent dirty data.
Other custom field behaviors :
Blank cells are skipped -- no empty value is written, and existing values are not overwritten
User Visibility & Group Visibility
The User Visibility and Group Visibility optional headers let you control which users or groups can see a contact after import.
How names are matched:
Names are matched against the user's display name or group name - not email
Matching is case-insensitive and ignores extra spaces
Only active users are eligible -- a disabled user will not match even if the name is spelled correctly
Multiple names per cell are supported, comma-separated (e.g. Jane Smith, John Doe)
⚠️ IMPORTANT : A name mismatch rejects the entire row
Unlike most import errors, an unmatched visibility name does not silently skip -- it causes the entire contact row to fail. The row will be flagged for review with a message like :
User Visibility: No active user found matching 'Jane Smithh'
A single typo in visibility column will block that contact from importing entirely.
Things to keep in mind:
If two users share the same display name, both will receive visibility -- this is a potential over-sharing risk
If two groups share the same name, the result is non-deterministic -- Swivel recommends keeping group names unique
🔍 Tip : Double-check spelling and confirm the user is active before running your import.