There are different ways to add new contacts to your zkipster Audience contact list:
Uploading a spreadsheet;
This article focuses on importing contacts via a spreadsheet upload. As well as creating new contacts, a spreadsheet import can also update contacts that already exist in Audience.
Important: Imports that update contacts can overwrite or erase existing data, and this cannot be undone. Review your settings carefully before confirming.
Once you have prepared your data, made sure your spreadsheet follows zkipster's formatting recommendation, and defined the UID, it is time to import your contacts!
Importing Contacts via Spreadsheet
To start the importing of contacts via spreadsheet, open the 'Contacts' section of your Audience account and follow the steps below:
Click on any of the links below to jump ahead in the article
Step 1: Access the Import from File Screen
Navigate to Contacts, located on the left-hand sidebar. Click the orange Add Contacts button and choose Import from File. Alternatively, if you have not yet added any contacts, you can click Select from inside the Import from File box shown below.
Step 2: Prepare Your Spreadsheet
After clicking Import from File, you will be taken to the upload screen where you can drop your spreadsheet file. However, to avoid formatting issues and make your upload smoother:
Click on Download CSV or Download Excel to get the zkipster spreadsheet template.
We strongly recommend using this template, as it contains the correct column headers for default contact fields and any existing custom fields you have already created in Audience.
➡️ For formatting instructions, see our related article: How to Format Your Spreadsheet for zkipster Audience
📤 Step 3: Upload Your File
Once your spreadsheet is correctly formatted and ready to upload:
Click Import Your Spreadsheet File to select a file from your device. You can also drag-and-drop the file from your file browser.
Select your file to begin the upload process.
🔄 Step 4: Configure your import settings
In the Import Settings panel, choose how Audience should handle new and existing contact data during your import by selecting one of the 3 options available under 'What should the import do?'.
Action | What it does | Best for |
Create new only | Adds new contacts. Existing contacts are never changed. | Importing new contacts. |
Create and update | Adds new contacts and updates existing contacts. | A mix of new and existing contacts. |
Update existing only | Updates matching contacts only. Rows in your spreadsheet with no match are skipped. | Updating data for contacts you already have. |
If Create new only is selected, no further configuration is needed at this time, and you can scroll down to the Field Matching section before finalizing your import.
If Create and update or Update existing only is selected, you will need to configure the following two settings before moving forward with your import.
How existing contacts are updated.
Contact ID: zkipster looks for a contact with a Contact ID in the row.
Unique Identifier: if the Contact ID is blank or does not match any contact, zkipster checks your UID fields. The panel shows which fields are currently set as UIDs and allows you to configure them before importing by clicking Edit configurations.
When no match is found: if neither the Contact ID nor UID(s) finds a contact, the row is either created as a new contact or skipped. When Create and update is selected, you choose whether the row is created as a new contact or skipped. With Update existing only, unmatched rows are always skipped.
Update settings
These settings only affect contacts that are being updated.
When a cell is blank (single-value field): Controls what happens to a single-value field when the file has nothing in that cell.
Keep existing contact value
Clear existing contact value
When a value is changed (single-value field): Controls what happens when the file's value differs from a value already saved on the single-value field. If the field is empty, the file's value is always written in.
Overwrite existing contact value
Keep existing contact value (if set)
For multi-value fields: Applies to email, phone, organization, address, social media, relationships, tags, and multi-choice custom fields.
Add to existing
Clear and replace
Receive an email notification
To send an email notification once your import is completed, check the box that reads 'send a confirmation email when import is complete'. This email will be sent to the same email address stored in your User profile.
Step 5: Matching Fields
Below your import settings, you will see the field matching section. The left-hand side shows each column from your spreadsheet, and the right-hand side shows the Audience field its data will be imported to.
✅ Automatic matching
A green check mark means the column in your spreadsheet has been matched with its corresponding field in Audience. If you used the template, columns for default fields will match automatically.
Fields set up as Unique Identifiers will display as 'Matched UID' when matched with their corresponding column in your spreadsheet.
🛑 Manual matching
If you are using your own spreadsheet format, have custom fields, or a column has not matched:
Use the dropdown menus under Audience Field to match each column with the correct field (for example, match "Phone" with the Phone field). Columns that have not been matched with Fields in Audience will be marked with a red warning sign.
Choose to skip a column if you do not want to import that data.
Add new custom fields (optional): if your spreadsheet includes data not yet set up in Audience, click Create New Field to create a custom field on the spot.
🚀 Step 6: Finalize the Import
Once everything is correctly matched:
Click Import Contacts and check the box that reads 'I understand and would like to proceed' to finalize your import. This will start your import, and you can follow its progress in the Task Manager.
📊 Step 7: Review the Import Results
Open the Task Manager to follow the import's progress. Refresh the page if the report is not ready yet. You can also open the report from the confirmation email, if enabled.
The Import From File Report shows how many contacts were:
Created: new contacts added from your file
Updated: existing contacts that received new data
Skipped: rows that were not imported, for example because no match was found
Errors: rows that could not be imported, with the reason for each error
Click on any of these categories to show only the contacts that were either created, updated, skipped, or reported an error.
You can also use the search bar to search for any individual contact or value.
✅ Quick Tips for a Smooth Import
Always use zkipster’s spreadsheet template when possible.
Double-check that headers match zkipster field names.
Create custom fields in advance or use the "Create New Field" option during upload.
Use the Validation Guide sheet (available on the spreadsheet template) to confirm field limits and formatting rules.
For additional support or troubleshooting tips, check out our other Help Center articles or reach out to the zkipster support team via support@zkipster.com.