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How to upload contacts using a CSV file

To import contacts in bulk, go to the Imports tab in the left-hand navigation menu and click New import in the top-right corner. From the dropdown, select Upload.

You’ll be directed to the Import settings page. From here:

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1. Download the example CSV

Before uploading your file, download the provided example CSV template via the link in the file upload section. If the file doesn’t download, make sure your browser allows file downloads.

Info: If your CSV file does not match the structure of the example, the import will fail.

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CSV format requirements

Your CSV can include as many columns as you’d like, and FirstQuadrant allows you to map these columns to a wide range of available contact and company properties.

Important: The only required field is a valid email address. Without it, a row will not be processed.

If you’re unsure how to structure your data, you can download the example CSV provided in the import interface. This example includes commonly used fields like name, email, LinkedIn handle, company name, and company website, but you are not limited to these.

Some of the additional fields you can map include:

  • Job title, seniority
  • Social handles (LinkedIn, X, Instagram, GitHub, etc.)
  • Custom notes (which appear in conversation history)
  • Location, timezone
  • Company-specific fields like legal name, subtitle, social handles, and Apollo.io IDs

The more fields you map, the better FirstQuadrant can personalize outreach and enrich contact and company data. 

Important: The email column must contain valid email addresses. If any row contains an invalid value (e.g., a name or other non-email string in the email field), the upload will result in an error.

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Uploading the file

Once your CSV is formatted correctly:

  1. Click Upload file in the import settings.
  2. Select your CSV file.
  3. A column mapping modal will appear, where you must map your file’s columns to the expected properties (e.g., Email → Email, Name → Full Name, etc.).
  4. Ensure each column is mapped correctly using the dropdowns. You can clear a mapping if it’s incorrect.
  5. Click Upload [x] rows to complete the import.

Info: The mapping menu supports many contact and company-level fields including social handles (e.g., LinkedIn, X, Instagram), job title, seniority, legal name, location, timezone, and even Apollo.io IDs. The more fields you map, the more context FirstQuadrant has for enrichment and personalization.

Tip: If you map a “Note” column, FirstQuadrant will automatically create a note in the contact’s conversation history. This note will be used by FirstQuadrant’s AI to inform its next-step recommendations and message generation.

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Common errors and troubleshooting

If there’s an issue with your upload:

  • You’ll see a toast notification in the bottom-right corner explaining what went wrong.
  • Most common issues include:
    • Email field is missing or contains invalid data
    • Incorrect column structure
    • Extra unexpected columns
    • Empty rows or broken formatting

Before retrying the upload, double-check the formatting and make sure the CSV only contains the expected headers and valid values.

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What happens next?

After uploading, the contacts will appear in your Imports list with status Draft. At this point, you can continue configuring your import (e.g., qualification rules, activation status, etc.).

Info: The rest of the import settings (such as qualification rules and activation state) are covered in a separate helpdesk article.