--- title: "Group Members: Import" slug: "import-contacts-window" updated: 2025-09-23T14:47:46Z published: 2025-09-23T14:47:46Z canonical: "docs.mapp.com/import-contacts-window" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mapp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Group Members: Import ## Overview Import contacts and profile attributes into a selected group from a CSV, XML, or text file. Use this interface for one-off imports (≤ 50 MB; typically fewer than 1 million contacts) when you don’t need to start a campaign immediately and when contacts are stored in CSV or XML. System users cannot be added here. --- ## Navigation Path​ #### Option 1: Via Group Management 1. Go to *Audience > Group Management > Groups*. 2. From the context menu next to the target group, select **Members**. 3. Click **Import**. #### Option 2: Via Contact Management 1. Go to *Audience > Contact Management > Group Members*. 2. Select the target group from the drop-down list. 3. Click **Import**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/554b9b98-6720-4d8b-9919-c7b203d72648/Images/Documentation/image-6S4DVDGS.png) --- ## Settings ### General Settings​ | **Setting** | Description | | --- | --- | | **Group** | Displays the name of the group into which you import contacts. | | **File** | Select a local file to upload (maximum 50 MB). | | **File Type** | Choose the format: “CSV,” “XML,” or “Text.” | | **Separator** | Character used between fields in a CSV. This option is visible only for CSV uploads. | | **Character Set** | Required character encoding for the file (for example, UTF-8, ISO-8859-15). Ensures attributes import correctly. | | **Import Mode** | Defines how contacts and profiles in the file affect the target group (see [Import Mode behavior](/v1/docs/import-contacts-window#import-mode​-behavior) below). | --- ### Import Mode​ behavior In an import, Mapp Engage differentiates between three types of contacts: - **Current Members**: Already exist in Mapp Engage *and* belong to the target group. - **Current Contacts (not Members)**: Already exist in Mapp Engage but are *not* members of the target group. - **New Contacts**: Do not exist in Mapp Engage at the time of import. | **Import Mode** | **Current Members** | **Current Contacts (not Members)** | **New Contacts** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **Add** | Ignored (profile not updated; remains in group). | Added as members; profile not updated. | Created and added as members. | | **Add Contacts as Members** | Ignored (profile not updated; remains in group). | Added as members; profile not updated. | Ignored (not added). | | **Update Current Members** | Profile data updated. | Ignored (not added). | Ignored (not added). | | **Add and Update All** | Profile data updated. | Profile updated and added as members. | Created and added as members. | | **Add and Update (Exclude Current Members)** | Ignored (remains in group; profile not updated). | Profile updated and added as members. | Created and added as members. | | **Replace All** | Removes all current group members (group-specific data/statistics for addresses in the file are deleted) and treats all imported as new; profile data is updated, and members are added. | | | | **Remove from Group** | Members listed in the file are removed from the group; group-specific data and statistics for those addresses are deleted. Members not listed in the file remain unaffected. | Ignored. | Ignored. | ### Synchronization Qualifiers​ by Import Mode | **Qualifier** | **Available for** | **Description** | | --- | --- | --- | | **Keep Unsubscribes** | Add, ​Add Contacts as Members, Add and Update (Exclude Current Members), Add and Update (All), Replace All | Prevents re-importing contacts who previously unsubscribed from the group. | | **Overwrite Existing Profiles Completely** | Update Current Members Only, Add and Update (Exclude Current Members), Add and Update (All), Replace All | Deletes existing profiles before import and replaces them with data from the file (only file data remains afterward). | | **Overwrite Only Attributes from File** | Update Current Members Only, Add and Update (Exclude Current Members), Add and Update (All), Replace All | Updates only attributes present in the file; all other existing profile data is retained. | | **Keep Responses** | Replace All | Preserves contacts’ response status and related sendout data (for example, bounces or complaints). | > [!NOTE] > **Note:** > > *Remove from Group* is a distinct option that deletes members listed in the file from the group (group-specific data/statistics for those addresses are deleted; members not in the file are unaffected). --- ### Notification Methods​ (Subscription Methods) | **Setting** | **Description** | | --- | --- | | **With Notification** | Sends a notification message immediately after import (Confirmed Opt-in). | | **Without Notification** | No message is sent (Single Opt-in). | | **Invite** | Sends an invitation; recipients have “Pending” status until confirmed. If they do not reply within 14 days, they are automatically deleted from the group (Double Opt-in). | - System messages are automatically sent after import based on the selected subscription method. For example, *SysMsgWelcomeToGroup*, *SysMsgInviteToGroupPassword*, or equivalent messages are triggered depending on whether contacts are added with or without notification. - To send notifications or invitations via SMS, enable the corresponding system message for the SMS channel. For instructions, see [​System Messages via SMS​](/v1/docs/system-messages-via-sms). --- ### Advanced Options​ | **Setting** | Description | | --- | --- | | **Time Zone** | Sets the time zone for attributes with date data types. The values must conform to the standardized “tz“ database format, the [IANA time zone database](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tz_database). (e.g., `Europe/Berlin`). | | **Use External Identifier** | Identifies contacts with a unique external ID instead of email or mobile number. The values must be unique. This type of import requires a specific procedure (see [​Update Contacts with External Identifier](/v1/docs/update-contacts-with-external-identifier)). | | **Set Read Mode System-Wide** | Applies the read mode from the file to the system-wide read mode for all contacts in the file across all their groups. Available when using **Replace**, **Update Members Only**, **Add and Update Non-members Only**, or **Add and Update All**. | ## Related - [Group Permissions List](/group-permissions.md) - [Importing Contacts](/import-contacts.md) - [Contact Management](/audience-contact-management.md)