GoHighLevel CSV contact import errors

Short answer
GoHighLevel CSV imports fail row by row, usually because a row has no name, email or phone, a phone or email is badly formatted, a date doesn't match the format you picked, the owner column has names instead of HighLevel user emails, or you chose to update by contact ID for IDs that don't exist. Failed rows and their reasons are in the import's error log under Bulk Actions.
How to fix it
- Start the import. Contacts > Import Contacts: choose contacts, or contacts and opportunities, upload, map the fields and confirm.
- Check the file. CSV only, one sheet, a header in the first row, and a name, email or phone on every row.
- Format phone numbers. Use the +1 international format, with a country code for numbers outside your account's country, and no spaces or dashes.
- Match the date format. Pick the date format your file actually uses.
- Owners by email. The owner column takes HighLevel users' email addresses, not names.
- Choose create, update or both. Matching goes contact ID, then email, then phone. Don't Update Empty Values stops blank cells wiping existing data.
- Tag the import. There's no undo, so add a tag on import; you can filter by it to fix or delete the batch.
- Careful with a DND column. A DND column turns on DND for every channel.
- Read the error log. Contacts > Bulk Actions > your import > Show Stats, then download the error log, fix those rows and import them again.
Common questions
- How big can the file be?
- HighLevel's articles give different limits, from 20 MB or 10,000 rows to 30 MB. Split big files to be safe.
- Can I text everyone I import?
- Only people who agreed to texts from you. An import doesn't create consent.
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