About Contact Importing
Users can import their Contacts into Swivel in the following locations: the Contacts tab, the Leads tab, the Clients tab, and on a specific Event Page.
Before You Import
Here are key important items to note before you get started:
All user roles can import contacts into Swivel.
Contact imports only create new contact records. Existing records in the import file will return a Duplicate Error to resolve but do not update the existing contact.
We recommend using the Import Templates provided by Swivel to efficiently import your contacts. Import File types must be saved as a .csv.
We recommend submitting a trial import with 1-2 contact records prior to importing a larger data file. This ensures the imported data maps to appropriate fields in Swivel as expected. Items to review include:
Viewing the contact records in Swivel
Import file data headers
Valid formatting for names, birthdates, zip codes, etc.
Account Settings and Customizations configurations
All files being imported into Swivel must:
Be a .csv file.
Have only one sheet
Include a header row in which each column header corresponds to a native field in Swivel. These headers can be organized in any order without impacting the import.
Downloading Import Template Files
Follow the instructions below to locate the Contact Tab Import template and to learn more about the data elements used in the import file.
Contacts, Leads, or Clients Tab Import Template Download
We recommend using the import template each time contacts are imported into Swivel. Follow the instructions below to locate your Import template from either the Contacts, Leads, or Clients tab.
Click Contacts (or Leads or Clients) in the left-hand navigation menu.
Click the Import button on the page.
New Import modal pop-up appears > click Template to download the Import template.
Locate the template in your downloads and open the .csv file.
Save the .csv file in a place that is easy to find as you will fill it out and upload it to import your contacts.
Fill out the template based on the fields listed in the Contact Import Fields section below.
For the next steps, follow the instructions for Importing Your Files.
Event Attendance Import Files
Follow the instructions below to locate the Event Attendance Import template and to learn more about the data elements used in the import file.
Click Marketing on the left-hand navigation menu.
From the Open Events widget (or View All Events page), find the respective event record for your import. Navigate to the event record page by clicking the event name.
From the event record page, go to the Registered section. Click the Import button.
New Import modal pop-up appears > click Template to download the Event Import template.
Locate the template in your downloads and open the .csv file.
Save the .csv file in a place that is easy to find as you will fill it out and upload it to import your event attendance.
Fill out the template based on the fields listed in the Event Import Fields section below.
For the next steps, follow the instructions for Importing Your Files.
Import Modal and Template Fields
Some fields vary between each import type. We recommend using the import templates that can be found in Swivel in each respective import location.
Import Modal Fields
The fields listed below are all fields included on the import modal when importing from any location within Swivel. The import modal appears in all import locations.
Required Import Options
The required options encompass selection items that will apply to all contacts within an import.
Field | Description |
Select Record Type | Also referred to as Contact Type. Default options include Individual or Company. |
Select Category | Also referred to as Contact Category. Default options include Lead and Client. |
🔍 Tip: Contact Category is also included on the .csv Import Template. If the value selected above in the import modal is different than what is on the .csv field, the import .csv will override this selection.
Default Options
Default options encompass selection items that will apply to all contacts within an import. If items that require configuration have not been configured, the drop-down selection will read “No Results Found” and cannot be selected.
Field | Description | Additional Configuration? (Optional) |
Lead Source | Single option select. If left blank, defaults to None. | Yes |
Product Interest | Multi-option select. You can select multiple choices. If left blank, defaults to None. | Yes |
Servicing Agent | Single option select. Valid options list existing account users with Agent role permission. If left blank, defaults to Not Assigned. | Yes |
Office Assignment | Single option select. Valid options list available office(s) to select (if applicable). If left blank, defaults to Not Assigned | Yes |
Tags | Multi-option select. You can select multiple choices. Select from existing tags or create new tags by typing into text field. | No |
🔍Tip: Additional Configuration Needed
If you don’t see an available option for any of the fields above (excluding Tags), additional configuration may be required from the Settings page or by including a new value on your import file. See Additional Contact Importing Fields.
Import Template Fields
Below lists the importing fields and descriptions for import files. It is important to note that the fields can vary based on the location you are importing from. It also notates which fields are required for importing the contact successfully.
Contact, Lead, and Clients Tab Import Fields
Field | 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, Female |
Personal Note |
| Free text |
Birthdate |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY, MM/DD/YY, MM-DD-YY, MM-DD-YYY |
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 categories 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, defaults to Single. |
Primary Email |
| Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]). Limit 1 email per cell. |
Primary Phone |
| Valid formats include XXX-XXX-XXXX, (XXX)XXX-XXXX, or XXXXXXXXXX (e.g., 913-948-8700, (913) 948-8700, 9139488700) |
Primary Address Line 1 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., 10820 Shawnee Mission Pkwy) |
Primary Address Line 2 |
| 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 |
|
|
Additional Notes |
| Multi line Free Text field of notes associated to a contact. (Any text included in this field is imported as one complete note) |
Event Attendance Import Fields
Below is a list of fields that are used as column headers when completing Event Attendance Imports.
Field | 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, Female |
Personal Note |
| Free text |
Birthdate |
| Valid formats include MM/DD/YYYY, MM/DD/YY, MM-DD-YY, MM-DD-YYY |
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 categories 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, defaults to Single. |
Primary Email |
| Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]). Limit 1 email per cell. |
Primary Phone |
| Valid formats include XXX-XXX-XXXX, (XXX)XXX-XXXX, or XXXXXXXXXX (e.g., 913-948-8700, (913) 948-8700, 9139488700) |
Primary Address Line 1 |
| Single-line free text (e.g., 10820 Shawnee Mission Pkwy) |
Primary Address Line 2 |
| 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 |
|
|
Confimed |
| Valid options include: True, False |
Attendance Status |
| Valid options include: Attended, Canceled, No Show, Waitlisted |
Additional Notes |
| Multi line Free Text field of notes associated to a contact. (Any text included in this field is imported as one complete note) |
Advanced Import Field Options
Advanced importing options are available to users who:
Need to import additional data for a given contact record then provided in the Import template.
Need to import data in bulk using a .csv file and override the Required or Default Options.
Additional headers and fields available to import are provided below. Headers can be listed in any order within an import file.
Additional Contact Importing Fields
Field | Description |
Deceased | Valid options include True, False |
Death Date | Valid format is MM/DD/YYYY |
Email Name | Single-line free text (e.g., Home, Work, Personal, Other) |
Email Address | Single-line free text (e.g., [email protected]) |
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, 9139488700) |
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) |
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). |
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. |
Product Interests | Valid option are pre-configured existing Product Offering Types 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. |
If any of the Import Modal fields (Assigned To, Lead Source, Office, or Product Interest) are also included on the .csv and the values in the import file are different than what is selected in the Import Modal fields, the import file will override this selection.
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 then Individual Contact Types to be sure all data is imported correctly.
Import Your Files
Follow the instructions below to import contacts into Swivel. Be sure to account for any Default Options.
Importing from the Contacts, Leads, or Clients Tab
Click Contacts (or Leads, or Clients) in the left-hand navigation menu.
Click the Import button on the page.
New Import modal pop-up appears > click Browse to locate and attach your populated .csv file for importing.
Review and update any Default Options.
Click Save.
Follow the instructions below for more information on the Mapping Import Fields and Managing Your Imports.
Importing from the Event Attendance Page
Users can also import contacts directly from an Event Page. When doing so, the uploaded list of contacts will automatically be registered for the corresponding event, allowing users to manage event attendance directly from the event page.
Click Marketing on the left-hand navigation menu.
From the Open Events widget (or View All Events page), find the respective event record for your import. Navigate to the event record page by clicking the event name.
From the event record page, go to the Registered section. Click the Import button.
New Import modal pop-up appears > click Browse to locate and attach your populated .csv file for importing.
Review and update any Default Options.
Click Save.
Follow the instructions below for more information on the Mapping Import Fields and Managing Your Imports.
Mapping Import Fields
Once you have selected your .csv file and made any selection on the import modal, users will be brought to a Field Mapping Modal.
The far left column shows which fields within Swivel the data will be imported to.
The next three columns show 2 data rows of your .csv file. That way you can be sure to map the correct data fields exactly where you want them into Swivel.
Below is an example of the Field Mapping Modal:
To see available fields within Swivel, see above in Import Template Fields and Additional Contact Import Fields.
NOTE: Because of the ability to map fields with the Field Mapping Modal, users can use a .csv of their choosing. It is recommended, however, to use the Import Template found in each import location to make the field mapping experience more efficient.
Managing Your Imports
Once an import file has been uploaded into Swivel, an Import Status modal will appear indicating the status of the import and providing access to the Import Report to manage any duplicates and errors.
Import Modal and Statuses
Status definitions of the import files upon uploading into Swivel:
Running - Import is being processed and records are importing into Swivel.
Pending - Import has been preprocessed to verify file type is correct.
Status definitions of the possible outcomes of an import file once records have been uploaded into Swivel:
Import contains duplicates and/or errors.
Import is complete with no errors or duplicates.
Import has failed.
By clicking the View Details button on the import modal, users will be taken to the Import Report Record to manage duplicates and view errors from the import, if applicable.
By clicking the Close button, users will be taken back to the screen in which they conducted their import.
Importing Duplicate Contacts
If one of the following matches an existing contact or a contact being imported on the same file, Swivel will flag the contact(s) in your import as a duplicate:
Phone Number
Address
Email Address
Contact Full Name
Exception Scenarios to the criteria above:
If the imported address matches an existing contact’s address, but the phone number is different, the imported contact will not be flagged as a duplicate.
If the imported name matches an existing contact’s name, but the phone number, email, or address do not match, then the imported contact will not be flagged as a duplicate.
Managing Duplicates from the Import Report
Contacts that appear to be duplicates from an import are managed from the Import Report. The Import Report can be accessed in two ways:
The first way is to select View Details on the Import modal.
The second way is to access the Imports Report via the Reports navigation item. The Import Report shows all the import attempts in your account. To manage duplicates, follow the instructions below. If you are accessing the report via the Import modal, skip to step 4.
Access Reports from the left-hand navigation menu.
Select Run Report on the Imports Report tile from the Reports page.
Select the name of the import you are wanting to view
Select the Duplicates tab on your Import Report page to see contacts from the import that were flagged as duplicates.
Select the chevron arrow next to each potentially duplicate contact to see the existing contact in Swivel that matches the duplicate criteria.
Select the appropriate option to manage each duplicate. Duplicate option details are listed below.
Select Create New Contact to add the potential duplicate as a new contact in Swivel.
Select Use Existing Contact to confirm the newly imported contact is a duplicate of the current contact and to use the existing contact. If this option is selected with an Event Attendance import, the current contact in Swivel will be registered for the corresponding event of that import. All other attributes, except Tags and Product Interests, will remain the same on the original contact.
Error Messages and Troubleshooting
Any contacts that have a flagged error message will not be imported into Swivel. Follow the instructions documented below to learn how to view and manage import errors.
Managing Errors
Any contacts that Errors can be viewed and managed via the View Details button on the Import modal or by following the instructions below.
Access Reports from the left-hand navigation menu.
Select Run Report on the Imports Report tile from the Reports page.
Select the name of the import you are wanting to view.
Select the Messages tab on your Import Report page to view any error messages associated to your import.
Select the chevron arrow next to the contact to see the contact and any associated errors.
Adjust your import file accordingly based on the error information and attempt to reimport any of the contacts that errored. Follow the instructions in the Exporting Error Records section for a faster way to complete that process.
Exporting Error Records
Swivel will not import a contact that contain errors. You can view and export error records from the Import Report containing the error(s). We recommend following the instructions below to export import items containing errors so the contacts can be updated, and additional imports can be attempted to get them added to Swivel.
Access Reports from the left-hand navigation menu.
Select Run Report on the Imports Report tile from the Reports page.
Select the name of the import you are wanting to view.
Select the Action Menu > Export from the top right-hand corner of the Import Report page.
NOTE: The order columns of the exported records may vary from your initial import, and you may see additional columns listed. This export can be modified and re-uploaded in each respective Import area of Swivel. This is NOT intended to be used as a standard import template.
Common Error Messages and How to Troubleshoot
Unsupported File Extension (on Import Upload Screen)
This means you have tried to import a file type that is not supported (.csv is the only file type supported). Open your imported file on your desktop and “Save As” a .csv
Missing Required Headers (on Import Upload Screen)
This means the import file is not formatted correctly and missing the template header lines. Select “Template” from the import upload screen and be sure to include the headers.
No File Selected (on Import Upload Screen)
A user tried to save an import without uploading a .csv file. Select “Browse” to browse your computer or select “Template” to download the import template.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my data headers are not in the exact order of the template?
As long as the importing .csv file headers match the header names of the standard template, the data columns can be in any order.
If my data is in all caps, will it also be imported in all caps?
Yes, the data imported will be reflective of the case on the .csv file. In order to avoid improper case formatting, we recommend formatting your spreadsheet accordingly. Check your spreadsheet’s program “Help” on how to update.
What if my date of birth information is only Month/Year instead of Month/Day/Year?
If using the standard template, the column should format to “Date” and give each item with only Month/Year the date of the 1st of the month (1/2023 would become 1/1/2023). If not, the user will have to edit the column themselves to include the Month/Date/Year template for import or remove the data in that column.
Does the import recognize if I have extra spaces at the beginning of a data item or at the end / will it trim the data?
Yes, the user does not have to scrub their import file for extra spaces at the beginning or end of column data. Once imported from the template the extra spacing will be removed. The import does not trim spacing between data within a column. Check your spreadsheet’s program “Help” on how to update.
Will the default values override the .csv file if those headers are also included on the import file?
No, the .csv file is the source of truth and any data on the spreadsheet will override a default value EXCEPT for Tags and Product Interests. These columns will include BOTH the default and any other selections listed on the spreadsheet.
How do I include additional emails or phone numbers associated to a contact in an import?
Swivel supports the importing of a primary address, phone, and email as well as 1 additional of each. To add any additional phone or email addresses to an import of contacts, users will need to add the following Header names: Email Address, Address Line 1, etc. or Phone Number. Users will then use the Field Mapping Modal to associate the imported information to the correct data element.
What if I need to revert the contact records created from a recent import?
We do not currently support the ability to reverse or undo any contact import. If you need any additional assistance with rolling back an import, please contact Support at [email protected] or (913) 948-8700.
Can I use the contact imports to update records in bulk?
No. The contact imports only support the creation of new contact records.