Import Contacts

Goal​

To import contacts and profile attribute data into a group. The import file can be in CSV, XML, or text format.

Do not use this procedure to import system users into Mapp Engage. To add system users, follow the steps on this page: Create Mapp Engage System User​.

Prerequisites​

1. Existing Group: Ensure the group you want to import contacts into exists.

2. File Format and Size: You can import contacts from a CSV, XML, or text file with a maximum size of 50 MB.

3. Correct Formatting: Ensure the file is formatted correctly.

4. Unique Identifiers: Contacts must be uniquely identified by one of the following:

   • Contact ID

   • Email address

   • Mobile number

   • Mobile app alias

You can also import contacts from a CRM system with an external identifier. For instructions, see Update Contacts with External Identifier.

Procedure

1. In the ​top navigation, click ​Audience​ > Administration.

2. From the ​Group​ drop-down list, select the group that you want to import contacts into.

3. Click the ​Import button.

4. To locate the file on your local computer, click the ​Choose File button.

5. In the ​File Type​ area, choose whether the import file is a CSV, XML, or Text file. If your file is a CSV file, select the appropriate separator character.

6. From the ​Character Set drop-down list, select the character set of the file.

7. From the ​Import Mode drop-down list, select how imported members and their profile data interact with the existing group.

   • The Replace import mode treats all members of the group as new members.

   • The Add Contact options With Notification and Invite ignore existing memberships. Every contact added to the group receives a welcome message or invitation, even if they were already members before the import.

8. You can select ​synchronization qualifiers​ that further refine the import mode. Some qualifiers are automatically activated when you select an import mode. Some qualifiers cannot be applied to certain synchronization modes.

9. Select whether the new members receive a notification, invitation, or nothing from the Add Contact drop-down list.

10. To enter extra specifications, expand the ​Advanced Options​ area:

    Option	Description
    Time Zone	Defines the time zone that is used for attributes with date data types. Use this setting only if the date value in the import file does not contain time zone information. Date Format and Time Zones Enter the time zones as follows: YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss(+/-)GMT difference. For example, the time zone US/Eastern is formatted: 2012-12-25T15:15:15-05:00. For more details and examples, see Imports with additional time offset.
    Use External Identifier	The system identifies contacts with a unique ID rather than email or mobile number. Normally, Mapp Engage uses an email address or mobile phone number to update or create contact information. If you want to import contact data into Mapp Engage with the external identifier, the value must be unique for each contact. This type of file requires a special import procedure. For more information, see Update Contacts with External Identifier.
    Set Read Mode System-wide	Uses the read mode in the import file to set the system-wide read mode of all contacts in the file. The read mode setting for each contact is overwritten for all groups of which this contact is a member. This option is only available when contacts are added with one of the following modes: ​Replace​ ​Update Members Only​ ​Add and Update Non-members Only​ ​Add and Update All ​

11. To begin the import process, click the ​Import​ button. When the import is finished, an ​Import Report with status information is emailed to the system user who started the import.