Video Summary
If you’re moving contacts from another platform into HighLevel (affiliate link -> I get a commission and you get my affiliate bonuses)—whether you’re migrating your own list or importing for a client—this tutorial shows you exactly how to do it.
The process starts inside your sub-account, under Contacts → Import Contacts. HighLevel provides a sample CSV template, which is the key to formatting your data correctly. Fields include phone, email, first and last name, business name, source, tags, and even notes. Pay close attention to formatting tags (all in one cell, comma + space separated).
Once your CSV is prepared, you can choose whether to create, update, or create + update contacts. Using “create + update” is safest because it avoids duplicates by checking existing records. From there, you’ll map your fields, confirm everything looks correct, and decide how to handle empty values—important if you’re re-importing data.
HighLevel also gives you options to add imported contacts to a workflow or tag them on import, but I recommend using those only when you’re fully confident in your data. After reviewing, you’ll confirm permission and start the bulk import.
The system then imports your contacts in minutes. Notes, tags, and multiple emails or phone numbers carry over, and you can check results under Bulk Actions → Show Stats to verify everything worked.
Key Takeaways
- Start with the Sample File: Always download HighLevel’s sample CSV to ensure your data is formatted correctly.
- Field Mapping Matters: Review automatic mappings—especially tags and notes—to make sure they match the right fields.
- Use “Create + Update”: Safest option to avoid duplicates and keep existing contact data intact.
- Handle Empty Values Carefully: Decide if you want empty fields in your CSV to overwrite existing data.
- Workflow Option: You can auto-add imported contacts to a workflow, but use with caution unless you’re confident in your setup.
- Tagging Strategy: Add tags like “Imported from X” or a date for easy filtering later.
- Verify Imports: Check the Bulk Actions report to confirm stats and spot any errors.
- Notes & Extras: Notes import with today’s date, and multiple emails or phone numbers carry over properly.