Import contacts from a spreadsheet into Zoho CRM (2026)

6 min read

What you’ll have at the end

Before you start

Steps

1. 1. Put column names in the first row of your file

   Open your spreadsheet. Zoho's help asks that the first row has column names, such as Last Name, First Name and Email, not contact details.

2. 2. Make sure every row has a last name

   Zoho's help says Last Name is mandatory for contacts, and that rows missing a mandatory field won't be imported. Please fill in a last name for every contact.

3. 3. Save the file as CSV, XLS or XLSX

   Save your spreadsheet as a CSV, XLS or XLSX file, and note where you saved it.

4. 4. Sign in to Zoho CRM

   On a computer, go to zoho.com/crm and sign in. If you don't have an account yet, the sign-up page at zoho.com/crm/signup.html starts the free trial. Please come back to this guide once you're in.

5. 5. Open the Contacts module

   Click Contacts in the sidebar, or in the tabs along the top.

6. 6. Open the import option

   Next to the button for creating a new contact, click the down arrow. Choose the option to import contacts.

7. 7. Choose your file

   Drag and drop your file onto the page, or click Browse and select it.

8. 8. Check the Charset and click Next

   Zoho asks you to select the Charset it uses to read the file. If you'd like an email when the import finishes, tick the email notification option. Then click Next.

9. 9. Choose a layout, if asked

   If the Contacts module has more than one layout, Zoho asks which one to import into. Please choose the one you use for contacts.

10. 10. Choose to add the contacts as new records

    Choose the option that starts Add as new. Zoho's help says this adds the rows in your file as new records. The other options, which update contacts already in Zoho CRM, are their own task.

11. 11. Choose a field to skip duplicates and click Next

    Zoho's help asks you to prevent duplicates by selecting a unique field. Zoho's import FAQ names Email as the field that finds duplicate contacts. Zoho's import help says rows whose value matches a record already in Zoho CRM will be skipped. Then click Next.

12. 12. Click Next on the file screen

    Zoho shows your file and the module it goes into. If you're importing one file, click Next.

13. 13. Click Auto Map

    Click Auto Map, then click Apply in the pop-up. Zoho matches your file's columns to Contacts fields by their names.

14. 14. Check each column's field

    On the left are your file's columns, each with a drop-down of Contacts fields. Please check each one, and use its drop-down to fix any that don't match. Make sure your last name column is matched to Last Name. If a column holds dates, Zoho asks you to select their format.

15. 15. Click Save and Next

    Click Save and Next.

16. 16. Tick the anti-spam policy checkbox

    Zoho shows some options for after the import, such as Assign owner based on Assignment rules. These are optional. Please read Zoho's anti-spam policy and tick its checkbox to accept it.

17. 17. Click Submit (can't be undone)

    Zoho's import FAQ says that after 30 days an import is confirmed and can no longer be undone. Until then, Zoho's import help says you can undo it, and that undo removes only the records the import added.

    Click Submit. Zoho shows a message saying Import Scheduled. Zoho's help says you'll get a notification in Zoho CRM once the import is complete, and an email too if you chose it at step 8. This guide ends here.

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