Universal CSV Importer
The Universal CSV Importer plugin enables you to import sponsors and contacts from your existing CRM system (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.) or custom CSV files with intelligent auto-mapping. Streamline your bulk upload process with automated CSV mapping, data migration tools, and intelligent field detection. Perfect for migrating from legacy systems or consolidating data from multiple sources.Accessing the Importer
Navigate to Sponsorships → Sponsors and click the Import from CSV button.Supported Source Systems
The importer automatically detects your CRM system and maps fields accordingly:- Salesforce - Auto-detects Salesforce CSV exports
- HubSpot - Auto-detects HubSpot CSV exports
- Pipedrive - Auto-detects Pipedrive CSV exports
- Microsoft Dynamics - Auto-detects Dynamics CSV exports
- Zoho CRM - Auto-detects Zoho CRM exports
- Excel/Manual CSV - Manual CSV files with custom field mapping
- Other - Generic CSV import with manual field mapping
Import Workflow
Step 1: Select Source System
Choose your CRM system from the list. The importer will use this to automatically map fields in the next steps.Step 2: Upload CSV Files
Upload one or both CSV files:- Sponsors CSV (Account/Company data)
- Contacts CSV (Contact Person data)
Step 3: Review Field Mapping
The importer automatically maps CSV columns to Valiyou fields based on your source system. Confidence Levels:- 🟢 High - Exact column name match
- 🟡 Medium - Partial column name match
- 🔴 Low - No match, please verify manually
Step 4: Preview Data
Preview the first 5 rows to ensure data looks correct before importing.Step 5: Import & Review Results
The import process shows:- ✅ Created - New sponsors/contacts successfully imported
- ⚠️ Skipped - Duplicates or invalid data skipped
- ❌ Errors - Failed imports with error details
Salesforce Export & Field Mapping
Exporting from Salesforce
- Navigate to Reports in Salesforce
- Create or open a report for Accounts (for sponsors) or Contacts
- Click Export and select Export Details Only
- Choose Comma Delimited (.csv) format
- Download the CSV file
Salesforce Account (Sponsors) Fields
Salesforce exports 48 columns for Accounts. The Universal Importer uses the following fields:IsDeleted,MasterRecordId- Salesforce system IDsParentId- Parent account relationshipsSic,SicDesc- Standard Industrial ClassificationOwnership,TickerSymbol- Company detailsRating,Site,AccountSource,Description- Account metadataOwnerId,CreatedDate,CreatedById,LastModifiedDate,LastModifiedById- Salesforce audit fieldsLastActivityDate,Jigsaw,JigsawCompanyId- Activity trackingShippingStreet,ShippingCity,ShippingState,ShippingPostalCode,ShippingCountry- Shipping address (use billing instead)BillingCountryCode,BillingLatitude,BillingLongitude,BillingGeocodeAccuracy- Geocoding metadataShippingStateCode,ShippingCountryCode,ShippingLatitude,ShippingLongitude,ShippingGeocodeAccuracy- Shipping metadataFax- Legacy contact method
Salesforce Contact Fields
Salesforce exports 56 columns for Contacts. The Universal Importer uses the following fields:IsDeleted,MasterRecordId- Salesforce system IDsReportsToId- Manager relationshipsAssistantName,AssistantPhone- Assistant detailsHomePhone,OtherPhone,Fax- Additional phone numbers (use MobilePhone/Phone instead)LeadSource,Birthdate- Lead trackingDescription- Contact description (use sponsor notes instead)OwnerId,CreatedDate,CreatedById,LastModifiedDate,LastModifiedById- Salesforce audit fieldsLastActivityDate,LastCURequestDate,LastCUUpdateDate- Activity trackingHasOptedOutOfEmail,HasOptedOutOfFax,DoNotCall- Communication preferencesEmailBouncedReason,EmailBouncedDate- Email validationJigsaw,JigsawContactId- Data enrichmentIndividualId,Pronouns,GenderIdentity,ContactSource- Extended profileOtherStreet,OtherCity,OtherState,OtherPostalCode,OtherCountry- Other addressOtherStateCode,OtherCountryCode,OtherLatitude,OtherLongitude,OtherGeocodeAccuracy- Address metadataMailingStreet,MailingCity,MailingState,MailingPostalCode,MailingCountry- Mailing address (personal, not imported)MailingStateCode,MailingCountryCode,MailingLatitude,MailingLongitude,MailingGeocodeAccuracy- Mailing metadata
Example: Salesforce CSV Structure
Account.csv (Sponsors):AccountId column in the Contact CSV (e.g., 001xx000003DH0Q) matches the Id column in the
Account CSV for automatic sponsor linking. The importer resolves these Salesforce IDs internally.Other CRM Systems
HubSpot
HubSpot uses similar field names with slight variations:Pipedrive
Pipedrive exports with these field names:Microsoft Dynamics
Dynamics uses these field names:Validation & Error Handling
Required Fields
Sponsors:- ✅
Name- Sponsor name is required
- ✅
Name- Contact name (FirstName + LastName) is required - ✅
Email- Contact email is required
Duplicate Detection
The importer automatically detects duplicates:- Sponsors - Duplicate sponsor names (case-insensitive) are skipped
- Contacts - Duplicate email addresses are skipped
Common Import Errors
Best Practices
1. Clean Your Data First
Before importing, review your CSV files:- ✅ Remove test/dummy data
- ✅ Fix invalid email addresses
- ✅ Ensure sponsor names are unique
- ✅ Check that account names match between files
2. Import Sponsors First
When importing both sponsors and contacts:- Import sponsors CSV first
- Wait for completion
- Then import contacts CSV
3. Review Field Mappings
Always review the auto-mapped fields before importing:- 🟢 High confidence mappings are usually correct
- 🟡 Medium confidence mappings should be verified
- 🔴 Low confidence mappings must be manually confirmed
4. Start Small
For large imports:- Test with a small CSV file (5-10 records) first
- Verify results look correct
- Then import the full dataset
5. Backup Your Data
Before large imports, export your existing sponsors/contacts as a backup:- Navigate to Sponsorships → Sponsors
- Click Export to download current data
- Keep the backup until you verify the import succeeded
Troubleshooting
”No matches found for CSV columns”
Cause: The CSV column names don’t match any known CRM system patterns. Solution:- Select “Other” or “Excel/Manual CSV” as source system
- Manually map each CSV column to the correct Valiyou field
- Use the dropdown to select the appropriate source column
”Contacts not linked to sponsors”
Cause: The account name in the Contact CSV doesn’t exactly match the sponsor name. Solution:- Ensure account names match exactly (case-sensitive)
- Check for extra spaces or special characters
- Import sponsors first, then contacts
”Import failed with validation errors”
Cause: CSV data doesn’t meet validation requirements. Solution:- Review the error details in the import results
- Fix the issues in your CSV file
- Re-import the corrected file
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import sponsors and contacts at the same time for bulk upload?
Can I import sponsors and contacts at the same time for bulk upload?
- Import all sponsors first
- Automatically link contacts to sponsors by matching account names
- Import all contacts with proper relationships
What happens to duplicate sponsors and contacts during data migration?
What happens to duplicate sponsors and contacts during data migration?
- Sponsors: Name (case-insensitive)
- Contacts: Email address
Can I update existing sponsors and contacts via CSV import?
Can I update existing sponsors and contacts via CSV import?
Which CRM systems are supported for data migration?
Which CRM systems are supported for data migration?
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Pipedrive
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Zoho CRM
How do I export data from Salesforce for CSV import?
How do I export data from Salesforce for CSV import?
- Navigate to Reports in Salesforce 2. Create or open a report for Accounts (sponsors) or Contacts 3. Click Export → Export Details Only 4. Choose Comma Delimited (.csv) format 5. Download and upload to Valiyou
What if my CSV has different column names for CSV mapping?
What if my CSV has different column names for CSV mapping?
Can I import logos with sponsors during bulk upload?
Can I import logos with sponsors during bulk upload?
What's the maximum file size for CSV import and bulk upload?
What's the maximum file size for CSV import and bulk upload?
How does intelligent CSV mapping work?
How does intelligent CSV mapping work?
- High confidence: Exact match with known field names (e.g., “Name” → name)
- Medium confidence: Partial match (e.g., “Company Name” → name)
- Low confidence: No match, requires manual verification
Can I import from Google Sheets or Excel spreadsheets?
Can I import from Google Sheets or Excel spreadsheets?
- Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv)
- Excel: File → Save As → CSV (Comma delimited)
Related Documentation
- Sponsors Management - Learn how to manage sponsors after importing
- Packages - Create sponsorship packages using imported sponsors
- Proposals - Send proposals to imported sponsors
- Plugins - Overview of all Valiyou plugins