Move Customer Records from a Spreadsheet into AkuCRM

Start with a small contact list

A contact import moves customer details into shared records. It does not migrate your complete spreadsheet model, formulas, deal history, attachments or consent records. Keep an original backup and choose a small, representative batch before moving the rest. Import only information your business is entitled to process.

• Agree which colleague owns the migration and which workspace will receive it.
• Check the contact capacity of your current plan before preparing the full list.
• Keep a separate list of source rows and expected records so you can reconcile the result.

Use the contact columns AkuCRM recognises

The import preview lists name and phone as required. Optional columns are email, status, business_type, language and notes. Use those exact lowercase headers. The blank CSV template linked below contains only headers; it contains no customer data.

• Keep phone numbers as text so a spreadsheet does not remove the leading + or zeros. Confirm the international format appropriate to each country.
• Use one person or business contact per row. Remove empty rows and review duplicates before import.
• For the simplest first batch, fill name and phone and leave optional values blank. If using status, supported values are active, follow_up, overdue and inactive.
• Do not import passwords, identity documents, payment-card information or unnecessary sensitive notes.

Keep the first CSV simple

The current browser preview uses a simple comma-separated parser. A comma or line break inside a cell can split the value incorrectly; wrapping it in quotes does not make a complex CSV safe in this importer. Remove embedded commas and line breaks from the first batch, or ask support about your file before importing. This guide does not promise compatibility with every CSV export.

• Save a copy as a UTF-8 comma-separated CSV, rather than uploading an Excel workbook.
• Use a small batch first. The import endpoint accepts at most 1,000 rows per call; your plan’s contact capacity can be lower.
• Review phone numbers and optional emails for typing errors. Missing required fields and invalid values may be skipped or reported as errors.

Preview before confirming

In Contacts, choose Import CSV and select the prepared file. The dialog shows the row count, the first five rows and the expected columns. File selection and preview are separate from the confirmation that writes records.

• Check that each name, phone and optional value appears under the correct header.
• Check the preview count against the number of source rows. Inspect the full file separately because the preview shows only five rows.
• Choose Cancel if columns are shifted or the wrong workspace is open. Correct the file before trying again.
• Only choose Import when the workspace, file and preview are correct. Do not repeatedly confirm while an import is in progress.

Reconcile added, skipped and error results

The result panel reports Added, Skipped and any returned errors. A completed request is not proof that every source row was added. Compare the result with your expected total and inspect your own new records before importing another batch.

• Record the source batch, attempted row count and reported outcome.
• If the result is unclear or the connection fails, check what already exists before retrying. Do not assume that a retry will update existing records.
• Correct rejected rows in a separate file and check for duplicates before resubmission.
• Keep the original spreadsheet available until the team has verified its records and handover routine.

Hand records over to the team

Agree a shared standard for names, phone formats and short notes. For a fictional example, a small wholesaler could move its current enquiries first and keep one colleague responsible for checking data quality. This is an operating example, not an AkuCRM customer story or a claim about saved time.

• Open a customer record when planning a follow-up so the team uses the same context.
• Keep individual sales opportunities in the pipeline rather than treating every contact as a completed sale.
• Decide who will correct duplicate or incomplete records and review the first batch together.

Verification and help

Reviewed against AkuCRM’s Contacts import interface and implementation on 26 October 2026. The preview and field requirements are distinct from a successful import into a particular workspace. No customer import or business outcome is claimed here. Ask support@akucrm.com to demonstrate your file format and plan before moving a large list; send a redacted example, not unredacted customer records.