Why bulk import/export matters
DR
Dana Reyes · Sales Operations
"We just came back from a trade show with 5,000 business cards' worth of leads sitting in a spreadsheet. Nobody has time to type those into the CRM one at a time before they go cold."
A Lead is a person who might become a customer — like someone who handed you a business card or filled out a "Contact Us" form. Typing them in one at a time only works for a handful of rows.
And one bad row in a big spreadsheet shouldn't block the other 4,999 good ones.
What this means for you
Thousands of records load in minutes instead of days. You get full visibility into exactly which rows need a fix by hand — nothing silently gets lost.Anatomy of the Import Wizard
📄 Upload CSV
→
🔗 Map Columns
→
✅ Run Import
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Header detection | A CSV is just a spreadsheet saved as plain text, with one column per field. The system reads its header row (the column titles) and shows them to you so you can map them |
| Field mapping | You tell the system which CSV column matches which field in the CRM — or skip a column entirely — before anything actually imports |
| Per-row processing | Each row goes through the exact same checks as typing a record in by hand — required fields, validation rules, and workflows all still apply |
| Result report | Shows total rows, how many succeeded, how many failed, and a per-row list explaining exactly why each failure happened |
One bad row ≠ a failed batch
Each row is imported on its own. If one row fails — say, it's missing a required field — it doesn't block or undo the other rows. You just get a clear list of exactly what to fix.1 Import a trade-show lead list
Prepare a CSVMake a small test spreadsheet with columns: Company, First Name, Last Name, Email. On purpose, leave one row missing a required field, so you can see what an error looks like.
Open the Import WizardGo to Import, pick object: Lead, then upload your CSV file.
Map the columnsMatch "Company" to
company, "First Name" to first_name, "Email" to email, and so on.Run the importReview the result: how many succeeded, how many failed, and the specific error for the row you broke on purpose.
Export it back outGo to Export, pick Lead, download the CSV, and confirm the records you just imported are in it.
Day-to-day: after an event or a data handoff
Load the batchUpload the CSV the same day you get it, before leads go cold.
Fix only what failedWork through the error report row by row — everything else is already in.
Day-to-day: reporting or handing data to another tool
Export what you needPick the object and download a CSV — it respects the same sharing rules as everywhere else, so you only see what you're allowed to.
What to try next
Look at the Data Quality Tools trail — Duplicate Rules apply to imported records too, not just manual entry.Test what you learned
1. Row 42 of a 1,000-row CSV import is missing a required field. What happens to the other 999 rows?
The whole import is cancelled and undone
They still import normally — only row 42 shows up as failed
2. Does a record created through CSV import trigger the same Workflow Rules as one typed in by hand?
Yes — each row goes through the exact same save process as typing it in manually
No — imported records skip workflows and validation rules