Aspire’s self-serve CSV upload feature makes it easy to import contact data from other sources and keep your database up to date. You can use CSV imports to add new contacts, update existing contact information, and assign contacts to Groups, Projects, Tags, or Owners.

If you’re importing contacts for the first time, we recommend using the Aspire Contact Upload Template. The template includes the appropriate column headers and example formatting to help ensure a successful import.

Download the template: Aspire Contact Import Template.csv

Format Your CSV

Before uploading your CSV, make sure your file follows the formatting requirements below. Proper formatting helps Aspire match your contacts to existing records and prevents duplicate contacts.

Best Practices

Each contact should have a unique identifier. Aspire uses identifiers to determine whether a contact already exists in your database.

The supported identifiers are:

Field	CSV Column	Format
Email	`email`	[email protected]
Unique ID	`uid`	Any unique value, such as a social handle
Contact ID	`id`	A numeric Aspire Contact ID, such as `12345678910`.

Tip: When updating existing contacts, we recommend using the Aspire Contact ID whenever possible.

Social Account Formatting

Social accounts are optional, but you can include them in your CSV if you have this information.

Platform	CSV Column	Format
Instagram	`instagram`	`handle`
TikTok	`tiktok`	`handle`
YouTube	`youtube`	Full channel URL or handle
Pinterest	`pinterest`	`handle`
Website	`website`	www.example.com

For Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, enter the handle without the @ symbol. For YouTube, enter the full channel URL or the channel @handle if they have one.

Address Formatting

Address Field	CSV Column	Format
Street Address	`address1`	123 Market St
Apt or Suite	`address2`	APT 2 or Suite 10
City	`city`	San Francisco
State	`state`	California
Zip Code	`postalcode`	94104
Country	`country`	United States

Import Your CSV

Once your CSV is formatted, you can upload it to Aspire.

From the left navigation, click Contacts.
If you want to organize your imported contacts into a Group, create the Group before starting your import.
Click the Upload icon to begin the import process.

Assign Fields

Aspire will identify the columns in your CSV and allow you to map them to existing fields.

For each field you want to import:

Find the corresponding CSV column.
Under Import To, select the Aspire field where you want the data to be stored.
If you don't want to import a particular field, leave it unassigned.

Import as a New Field

If your CSV contains information that doesn't correspond to an existing Aspire field, you can create a new field during the import.

Open the Import To dropdown and select Import as a new field.
This will create a new Custom Field and import the corresponding data into it.

Assign Contacts

If your CSV doesn't include a Group, Project, or Owner field, you can assign the imported contacts to an existing Group, Project, or Owner during the import process.

If these fields are included in your CSV, Aspire uses the values in your file to assign contacts accordingly.

Review Your Import

After assigning your fields and contacts, review the import before completing it.

Once the import is finished, confirm that:

Your fields were mapped correctly.
Your contacts were assigned to the correct Groups, Projects, or Owners.
There are no import errors that require additional action.

Troubleshooting

Contacts Already Exist

If Aspire identifies a contact with the same unique identifier as an existing contact, the contact will not be added as a duplicate. Instead, the existing contact's data will be updated with the imported information.

Duplicate Contacts in Your CSV

If the same unique identifier appears more than once in your CSV file, only the first instance will be uploaded.

Tip: If you're updating existing contacts in bulk, use the Aspire Contact ID whenever possible to maintain data integrity and ensure the information is applied to the correct contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Aspire match imported data to existing contacts?

Aspire uses the following identifiers to match imported data to existing contacts:

Contact ID — highest priority
Email address — second priority

If Aspire finds a matching contact, the imported information will update the existing record. If no matching contact is found, Aspire will create a new contact.

Can I assign different Projects or Groups to contacts in my CSV?

Yes. Include the appropriate Projects or Groups field in your CSV. The value in the CSV must exactly match the name of the existing Project or Group in Aspire.

For example, if the existing Project is named Test Project, enter Test Project in the corresponding CSV field. You can use this same method to assign Tags.

Can I assign contacts to a Project or Group that doesn't exist yet?

Projects: You must create the Project in Aspire before importing the CSV.

Groups: If the Group doesn't already exist, Aspire will create it when you upload a CSV containing the Group name.

Can I import tags?

Yes. To import Tags, include a Tags column in your CSV. Separate multiple tags like this: US Influencer | No Response | Micro Influencer

If a Tag doesn't already exist in Aspire, it will be created automatically and assigned to the appropriate contacts.

What date formats are supported?

Aspire supports most common date formats. If you encounter issues with a date field, we recommend using one of the following formats:

MM/DD/YYYY
YYYY/MM/DD

How do I import contacts that don't have email addresses?

If you don't have email addresses for your contacts, assign each contact a unique identifier, such as their social media handle or a numeric ID.

Then:

Create a column with the header uid.
Enter a unique identifier for each contact.
Upload your CSV as usual.

Make sure each uid is unique to prevent duplicate contacts.

How can I import contacts with Talent Manager information?

To import Talent Manager information, include the following columns in your CSV in this order:

Talent Manager #1 - Name
- Enter the Talent Manager's full name.
Talent Manager #1 - Email
- Enter the Talent Manager's email address.
Talent Manager #1 - Always CC
- Enter TRUE or FALSE.

Important: Leave the Import To field unchanged when mapping these columns.

How to Import Contacts