Import and Export
Import leads from a CSV or XLSX file, map columns, check duplicates and export data again.
You find everything in the menu under Company → Import / Export. The page shows tiles: "Import leads", "Research leads", "Previous imports", "Export projects", "Info mail list" and "Results export". If finance is enabled for you, "Export receipts" is added.
To import you need the right "Import and export" at level "Import" in the chosen project (project functions project lead, salesperson and backup salesperson have it, "Read only" does not). Projects where you lack this are locked in the selection and marked "No right to import". More under Roles and permissions.
The file import only knows leads: companies or people, channels, custom fields and the contact block. It does not take over calls, notes, tasks, appointments or opportunities with a stage. If you want to replace an existing system including its history, use the switch: Switch from another system and Switch with your AI.
Import leads
Choose a project at the top. All imported leads go there. The import runs in four steps, shown as a bar at the top: File, Map, Check, Import. Completed steps can be clicked; later ones only once they are reachable.
Choose file
First choose where your data comes from ("Where does your data come from?"). The options are CRM systems (Close, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, Copper), cold calling and sales engagement tools (Dialfire, Instantly, Apollo, Outreach, Salesloft), spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) and "Another system". For most systems Leadmode shows a short guide on how to export the file there. For Freshsales, Copper, Dialfire, Salesloft and "Another system" the guide is kept general.
Then choose the file via "Choose CSV or XLSX file". With "What is in the file?" you specify whether each row is a company or a single person. A file always contains only one kind.
The field Source name is pre-filled with the chosen system (for example "close"). Keep the name the same for repeated imports: this is how Leadmode recognises the external ID of a record and avoids creating it twice.
If you do not have a file to hand, download an empty CSV with all column headings via "Download empty template".
Limits:
- CSV (separator semicolon, comma or tab) and XLSX with exactly one filled sheet.
- First row: unique column headings. Leadmode makes empty and duplicate headings unique ("Column 3", "Name (2)").
- At most 20 MB, 50,000 data rows and 200,000 characters per cell.
- At most 100 columns are mapped per import.
Map columns
Here you decide which column of your file goes into which field. At least one item must be mapped: name, company or first name and last name. If this is missing, "Name, company or first and last name is still missing." appears.
A summary at the top shows how many columns are covered. The buttons are also there:
| Button | Effect |
|---|---|
| Map automatically | Maps columns to known fields based on their heading and suggests new fields. |
| Create open columns as new fields | Creates new fields from all remaining open columns with content. |
| Withdraw new fields | Withdraws the suggested new fields again. |
| Reset mapping | Removes all mappings and new fields. The file stays loaded. |
The table below lists each column with the number of values, the recognised content type and examples. In the column "Where to?" you choose a target field, "Do not import", or create your own field with New field. Filters above the table: "Open", "Mapped", "New fields", "Hidden" and "All"; with "Search column" you find a column by name.
Empty columns, duplicates of other columns and typical system values of providers (counters, timestamps, internal IDs) are hidden and not imported. Via the tab "Hidden" you can still create them as new fields.
New fields: for each new column you set name, content type and "Applies to". The content type is recognised by Leadmode from the values (text, number, date and more). Under "New fields apply to" you choose whether they apply only to this project or to the whole organisation. Organisation fields can only be created by admins, project fields also by the project lead. The fields are created only when the import runs. If some values do not match the recognised type, Leadmode points this out and, if in doubt, creates the field as text.
Origin of this list: choose "Cold" (researched by yourself, bought or imported and actively called), "Warm" (has got in touch or is known) or "Website" (comes in via a form or ad).
Start stage of this list: here you set the stage in which the leads of the file start. The options are the open stages of the project flow. Then, if needed, choose the substage of the start stage; "No substage (new)" is the state of a freshly arrived lead that has not yet been through anything. The choice applies to all leads of this file. Without a choice they land in the inbox as before ("Inbox (as before)"). A stage that does not exist in the project's flow, or a substage that does not belong to the stage, is rejected by Leadmode.
Selection fields: cells are mapped via the option name (upper and lower case do not matter); for multiple selection, values are separated by semicolons. If a value belongs to no option, the check names the column, the number of values and examples; the row is rejected instead of silently discarding the value. For a new field with the content type selection, the options are created from the different values of the column. If a column has only a few different values, Leadmode itself suggests the selection. For number, date, yes/no and selection you can also switch on "Filterable in contact lists".
Leave unsuitable values empty: if the switch is on, a row is kept even if a value does not fit the content type of its own field. The value then stays empty. If it is off, the whole row is rejected.
Validate phone numbers: if a phone column is mapped, you can have the numbers checked via Twilio Lookup before the import. Numbers without a country code are read by Leadmode as German numbers. The result appears as additional columns in the file (for example "Phone valid", "Line type"). Optionally you remove invalid numbers. The check of the line type is paid at Twilio. This works only if telephony is set up; otherwise a note with a link to the settings appears there. See Set up telephony.
Check
Click Check mapping. Leadmode checks the first 50 rows without saving anything and shows how they would arrive. If there are errors, you see the rows and the reason (for example "The email address is invalid"). If values do not match the field type, each column shows how many there are and whether the rows are rejected or the value stays empty.
During the actual import each row is checked again. Faulty rows are skipped and listed; the others go through.
Import
Click Import now. A progress bar shows the processed rows. With Pause you stop the import. Even if it is interrupted, nothing goes in twice: to continue, choose the same file with the same mapping again and click "Import now".
At the end it shows how many leads were newly created, how many already existed, how many need checking and how many were rejected. "Start new import" begins again from the beginning.
Telephone numbers on import
Leadmode checks every phone number before it becomes active, and never merges several numbers into one.
- Valid single number: it is brought into international format (for example
0721 627396-88becomes+4972162739688). Without a country code only a number with a leading 0 counts (Germany as the default); a country code is never guessed. - Several complete numbers in one field: if
;, a line break, a comma, "oder", "und" or a slash separates two complete numbers (030 1234567 / 0171 7654321), each becomes a separate channel. When switching from another system and when creating a lead, this produces separate channels. In the import file (one column per number) a row with several numbers is rejected; please spread them over separate columns. - Extension:
04367 6884-0 / -1790or… Durchwahl 1790remains one number; the extension is kept in the name of the channel and is never called as a second number. A hyphen in the number part (6884-1790) belongs to the number. - Too long or unclear: a number has at most 15 digits internationally. Anything longer or ambiguous (for example
0721 / 627396 88 / 6369) is not made active. The original value stays as a deactivated channel named "Check: …" with the reason; in the trial run the row shows the source value, the recognised channels and the reason. The team checks and maintains the correct number by hand. - Repeated import: a channel that has already been cleaned up, deactivated or blocked is not activated again and not created twice. Identifiers, blocks, deactivated channels, deliberately chosen preferences and maintained names remain. An imported mobile number is never automatically made the preferred number of the dialer.
In the channel list of a card (interface, API, MCP), an active number with more than 15 digits or an unclear form is rejected with the reason; deactivated, the original value can be saved.
Check duplicates
Leadmode compares each row with the existing leads of the project: via the external ID of the source as well as via email addresses, phone numbers and names. Unambiguous matches count as "already exists" and are not newly created. Existing leads are not overwritten during the import.
Unclear cases land in a review list: the row fits several existing leads, or email or phone match a lead but the name does not. You reach them via Check possible duplicates after the import, or via Check duplicates for an earlier import. In the window "Check duplicates" you see for each row on the left the data from the file and on the right the existing candidates. Decide for each row:
- Is the same lead: the row is assigned to the existing lead. Its data remains unchanged; Leadmode does not merge anything.
- Create anyway: a new lead is created.
- Discard: the row is not taken over.
As long as a row is undecided, it is not taken over.
Earlier imports
Under Previous imports you see the imports of the chosen project with progress and the status "Completed" or "Interrupted". There you open the duplicate check and download a CSV with row number, status, reason and contact ID via Download result.
Export leads
The tile Export projects guides you through three steps:
- Projects: choose one or more projects ("All" and "None" help with many projects).
- Contents: choose which columns go into the file. They are grouped: lead, address, reachability, processing (stage and next due date), other master data, contact persons and channels, and "Custom fields".
- Period and format: optionally you limit the period by the creation date ("Created from" and "Created to"). As format you choose Excel (table with a fixed header row) or CSV (text file, separator semicolon). Then click Export.
Only leads you may see are exported. The dialog "Export leads" can also be opened from the project overview.
Struck contact persons: People who were permanently struck (deceased, no longer with the company, retired, other) are never missing from the export. In the group "Contact persons and channels" the columns Person struck (names) and Reason for striking (per person the reason in plain text, with the note) hold them. In the "Contact persons" column (JSON) they appear next to the active people with "struck": true and struckReason. On import, struck people in such a file are read but never created.
Results export
The tile Results export delivers documented results of a project, either per activity or as the last result per company, for a period ("From", "To"). You choose between the Internal version and the client version. The client version contains no employee names and withholds notes with internal content. With the switch "Include notes" you add permitted notes to the file. Under the selection you see a preview with the first 100 rows; the download is as Excel or CSV. Only the project lead and organisation admins may use the results export. A download is not a sending to the client.
Info mail list and receipt export
The Info mail list is explained on the page Info mail list. The receipt export (quotes, orders and invoices as a ZIP archive with the originals) belongs to Finance.
Limits
- An import has no server-side file storage: to continue, you choose the file again.
- Unattended imports in the background do not exist. Keep the window open until the import has finished.
- Columns such as
primary_contact_*(Close) do not automatically create contact persons. You can take them over as fields or use the column "Contact person" in the JSON format of the Leadmode exports. - The export delivers the fields of the organisation and of the chosen project. Field definitions that have already been deleted are no longer included.