--- title: Importing a CSV file in the Contact Manager description: Learn how to import a CSV (comma separated values) file with your list of contacts to send emails with Email Marketing. --- [Skip to content](https://support.b12.io/en/importing-a-csv-file-in-the-contact-manager#main-content) ![b12 logo](https://support.b12.io/hubfs/b12%20logo.svg) - [Help Center](https://support.b12.io/) - [B12 Website](https://www.b12.io/) - [AI Website Prompts](https://www.b12.io/ai-website-prompt-gallery) - [Resources](https://www.b12.io/resource-center/) - [Pricing](https://www.b12.io/pricing/) - [Log in](https://b12.io/dashboard/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Help Center](https://support.b12.io/) - [B12 Website](https://www.b12.io/) - [AI Website Prompts](https://www.b12.io/ai-website-prompt-gallery) - [Resources](https://www.b12.io/resource-center/) - [Pricing](https://www.b12.io/pricing/) - [Log in](https://b12.io/dashboard/) - [Start for free](https://b12.io/signup/) [Start for free](https://b12.io/signup/) How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [B12 Help Center](https://support.b12.io/en?hsLang=en) 2. [Built-in features](https://support.b12.io/en/built-in-features?hsLang=en) 3. [Contact manager](https://support.b12.io/en/built-in-features?hsLang=en#contact-manager) # Importing a CSV file in the Contact Manager ## Learn how to import a CSV (comma separated values) file with your list of contacts to send emails with Email Marketing. | ![jay\_d2-1572877644-modified](https://support.b12.io/hs-fs/hubfs/jay_d2-1572877644-modified.png?width=60&height=60&name=jay_d2-1572877644-modified.png) Written by: Jay Douglas Last updated: 30 Dec., 2025 | | This feature requires a [**Client Engagement**](https://support.b12.io/en/client-engagement-and-seats?hsLang=en) seat. View team member permissions [here](https://support.b12.io/en/articles/6172945-team-member-permissions-in-b12?hsLang=en). | | --- | --- | --- | Many customer management platforms can export your customer list to a CSV file, which can be used to import your contacts into the B12 Contact Manager. ### Formatting your CSV file Your CSV file needs to be formatted correctly to be able to import contacts successfully. You can edit your CSV in any spreadsheet program (e.g. Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets). Just make sure to export it as a CSV file after you make your edits. Here is a guide for formatting your CSV file: - B12's Contact Manager can import customer **names**, **phone numbers**, and **email addresses**. Be sure to **delete any additional columns of information** included in your CSV. - The file *must* have an **email** column, as this is the value used by the Email Marketing tool. **Note:** The Contact Manager can recognize duplicate contacts with the same email or phone number and will merge them. It won't merge contacts based on name alone, in case you have multiple contacts with the same name. - For best results, your CSV file should use one of the following column heading combinations. Heading **capitalization** can affect successful importing, as well, so be sure to copy these headings ***exactly***. The columns can be in any order. | name | email | phone | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | First Name | Last Name | email | phone | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | [Click here](https://cdn.b12.io/client_media/uHu2Mpor/96627898-28e1-11ea-8ac7-0242ac110003-example-contacts.csv) for a simple example of a properly formatted CSV file. Below is a preview of what it may look like in your spreadsheet program. ![](https://support.b12.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/downloads.intercomcdn.comio272980767746bd87777634b5beeeed3c2image.png?width=667&height=191&name=downloads.intercomcdn.comio272980767746bd87777634b5beeeed3c2image.png) **Tip:** The Contact Manager also supports importing tags using a CSV file. If you would like to group or identify contacts after import (for example, to keep a list of customers separate from other contacts), you can add a column labeled `tags` to your CSV file and include one or more custom tags for each contact. When the file is imported, the Contact Manager will automatically apply the specified tags to each contact. Once you've successfully updated the formatting of your CSV file, follow these instructions to import your contacts. ### Importing contacts 1\. In the left sidebar, go to `Contact Manager`. 2\. Click `Get started`. ![](https://support.b12.io/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Nov-18-2025-08-32-17-4616-PM.png?width=250&height=354&name=image-png-Nov-18-2025-08-32-17-4616-PM.png) 3\. Click `csv file`. ![](https://support.b12.io/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Nov-18-2025-08-32-59-4622-PM.png?width=250&height=370&name=image-png-Nov-18-2025-08-32-59-4622-PM.png)   4\. Select your properly formatted CSV file from your computer's file explorer. Once your file has been imported, a message will display with the number of newly added contacts, as well as any that have been updated. #### See also: - [Searching for contacts in the Contact Manager](https://support.b12.io/en/articles/2934480-using-search-in-the-b12-contact-manager?hsLang=en) - [Tagging contacts in the Contact Manager](https://support.b12.io/en/articles/2934503-tagging-contacts-in-b12-s-contact-manager?hsLang=en) - [Composing and sending emails with Email Marketing](https://support.b12.io/en/articles/2934518-composing-and-sending-emails-with-b12-email-marketing?hsLang=en) - [Getting started](https://support.b12.io/en/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Introduction](https://support.b12.io/en/getting-started?hsLang=en#introduction) - [Detailed guides](https://support.b12.io/en/getting-started?hsLang=en#detailed-guides) - [Working with B12's AI Agent](https://support.b12.io/en/working-with-b12s-ai-agent?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Agent Skills](https://support.b12.io/en/working-with-b12s-ai-agent?hsLang=en#agent-skills) - 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