When you set up Agent CRM as your new base of operations, there’s one step that matters more than almost anything else early on:

Getting your contacts into the system—correctly.

Whether these are current clients, old leads, or prospects you never followed up with, importing your contacts allows you to organize, automate, and eventually communicate with them inside one centralized platform.

But before you rush to upload a spreadsheet, there are a few critical steps that can save you hours of frustration—and prevent accidental messages from going out.

Let’s walk through it the right way.

Why Importing Contacts Comes First

Your CRM is only as powerful as the data inside it.

Once your contacts are imported, you can:

  • Organize clients vs. leads
  • Trigger automations (when you’re ready)
  • Personalize emails and texts
  • Build smart lists for future campaigns

But none of that works unless the data is structured properly from day one.

What a CSV File Is (and Why It Matters)

Agent CRM requires contact uploads in a CSV file (Comma-Separated Values).

Most tools—Google Sheets, Excel, CRMs, lead vendors—can export to CSV. This format allows Agent CRM to accurately read and map each column of data (name, email, phone, policy number, etc.).

If your contacts are currently in a Google Sheet or Excel file:

  • Export or download the file as .CSV
  • Do not upload PDFs or Excel-only formats

CSV files are the language CRMs understand best.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Do This Automation Step First

Before importing any contacts, there is one critical workflow you must confirm is active.

Set the “Assign to User” Workflow

  1. Go to Automations
  2. Search for “Assign to User”
  3. Open the workflow (it should be in draft)
  4. Ensure the trigger is:
    • Contact Created
  5. Set the action to assign the contact to your user
  6. Publish the workflow

Why this matters:

Every email and text message inside Agent CRM pulls the assigned user’s name.
If contacts are not assigned, your messages may appear blank or incomplete.

This one step ensures:

  • Personalization works
  • Future automations behave correctly
  • Your name shows up in communications

Going to Contacts → Import

Now you’re ready to import.

  1. Go to Contacts
  2. Click Import (top right)
  3. Upload your CSV file
  4. Choose Create & Update Contacts
    • This allows you to re-import later if data changes

Field Mapping: Let the System Do the Heavy Lifting

Agent CRM will automatically detect most fields:

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email
  • Phone

This works correctly about 99% of the time.

If you see a field marked as “Pending”, that simply means:

“We don’t yet have a place to store this information.”

This is common with things like:

  • Policy numbers
  • Custom IDs
  • Notes from another system

When You Need to Add New Custom Fields

If your CSV includes data that doesn’t map automatically:

  1. Open a new tab
  2. Go to Settings → Custom Fields
  3. Click Add New Field
  4. Choose Single Line Text (best for policy numbers)
  5. Name the field clearly (e.g., “Policy Number”)
  6. Save

Then return to the import screen, refresh, and map the new field.

Now your data has a proper home.

⚠️ WARNING: Tags Can Trigger Automations

During import, you’ll be asked if you want to:

  • Add contacts to workflows
  • Apply tags

Be very careful here.

Some tags—especially branding bundle or “New Lead” tags—can:

  • Send texts immediately
  • Trigger emails
  • Start full automation sequences

👉 If you’re new to Agent CRM, it’s best to:

  • Skip workflows during import
  • Avoid bundle-related tags
  • Add simple tags like “Client List” only

You can always apply tags later once you understand what they trigger.

Starting the Bulk Import

Before clicking Start Import, you’ll confirm:

  • You have permission to message these contacts
  • They opted in or previously did business with you

Once the import runs, you’ll see contacts begin to populate inside your account.

You can also monitor progress under Bulk Actions.

Confirming Contacts Imported Successfully

After import:

  • You’ll see contacts listed with creation dates
  • Custom fields will be filled correctly
  • Contacts will be assigned to you (if you completed the workflow step)

At this point, your data is live and usable.

Intro to Smart Lists (How to Stay Organized)

Smart Lists allow you to group contacts dynamically.

Examples:

  • Client List
  • Leads by City
  • Policy Type
  • Imported Batch from a Specific File

You can filter by:

  • City
  • Policy number
  • Product type
  • Tags
  • Dates
  • Custom fields

Smart Lists update automatically, which means less manual work over time.

Final Thoughts: Set the Foundation Once

Importing contacts isn’t just a setup step—it’s the foundation of everything you’ll do inside Agent CRM.

When done correctly, you:

  • Avoid automation mistakes
  • Protect your messaging reputation
  • Gain clarity and control over your data
  • Set yourself up for smarter follow-up later

If you get stuck at any point, don’t guess.

📅 Book a free QuickFix Call: https://live.agent-crm.com

Once your contacts are in, you’re officially ready to build.


Getting Started, Software, Technology

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