If you're trying to import new data into your Zendesk Sell account, see Importing leads, contacts, and deals using a CSV file. However, if you're trying to update existing data in your account, use the information in this article to understand how to perform bulk updates to existing leads, contacts, or deals using a CSV file.
This article covers the following topics:
Related articles:
Using a CSV import
Use the CSV import option to bulk update your existing Leads, Companies (contacts), People (contacts), and Deals in Sell. Every record in your account has a unique ID that will identify an existing lead, contact, or deal in your account, and update the specific record.
To import updates
- In Sell, create a Smart List of your leads, contacts or deals. When you export this file, it automatically includes the IDs of each record.
- Filter the data to include only the information you want to update. In the Filter section add all the fields you need to edit then export the Smart List.
Your file automatically includes the IDs in the second column, as well as any additional fields you added.
- Download and open the exported CSV file in any CSV editing software (Excel, Google Spreadsheets, etc).
- Edit the columns containing the data you wanted to update. You can add any new information that you want to import as new custom fields during the import process.
- On the Sell sidebar, click the Settings (
) icon, then click Data > Bulk update.
- Select Update existing data.
- Select the records that you are updating (Leads, People Contacts, Company Contacts, or Deals) and upload your file.
- Map the fields in your file. Make sure that you map at least one column as lead, contact, or deal ID (if you exported a Smart List, it will be the second column). Map all the fields that you want to update to their equivalent Zendesk Sell fields. You have a few choices for each column from the file:
- Standard Field: Map this as one of the standard lead/person/company/deal fields
- Existing Custom Field: Map this as one of the existing Custom Fields
- New Custom Field: You can create a new Custom Field and map the entire column to that field
- Tag: You can map a column as a Tag that will be added to the record
- Note: You can map this as a Note that will be added to the record
- Review your data mapping to verify that your fields are correct. The Sell ID is used to update the records with the data from the columns in your file.
Note: The bulk update cannot be reversed, so ensure your selections are correct when you verify the mapping.
- Click Update.
- You'll receive an in-app notification when the update is complete. Click the alert icon to view your Notifications Center update.
Splitting people and company contacts
Standard fields and custom fields can differ in your Sell account for people and companies.
To create a file with only people or company contacts
- On the Sell sidebar, click the Contacts (
) icon.
- Click the Working Center (
) menu.
- In the Working Center, under Working List, click your Contacts working list.
- In the Contact column, click Filter (
) to select either person or company.
If you are only exporting a list of company contacts, the exported CSV file will populate the Contact ID column instead of the Company ID column.
Field types that are unsupported for import
The following table lists examples of fields that are currently not supported during the import process.
Field | Details |
---|---|
status (lead) | You can update Lead Status using our Leads API endpoint. |
unqualified reason (lead) | - |
customer status (contact) | You can update Contact Customer Status using our Contacts API endpoint. |
prospect status (contact) | You can update Contact Prospect Status using our Contacts API endpoint. |
billing address |
This is an additional Address field that is available to Contacts that are associated with a Deal. You can update Billing Address using our Contacts API endpoint. |
shipping address |
This is an additional Address field that is available to Contacts that are associated with a Deal. You can update Shipping Address using our Contacts API endpoint. |
11 comments
John Thompson
The update process seems to be very slow when I need to update all companies/people in our account. For being a bulk/batch update, this needs to be completed a lot faster to satisfy enterprise level customers.
0
Grzegorz Pogwizd
Hi there John,
Thanks for providing this feedback and indeed, the import process, whether an update or a new data import, can take a lot of time, depending on the amount of data that you're updating or adding. This is due to the mechanics of our Importer, which places data correctness and consistency over speed.
Although I can't commit to anything solid, I'll make sure that our Developers get your feedback and take into account for any future updates to the Importer.
Again many thanks for sharing your thoughts, we greatly value your input!
Grzegorz Pogwizd
Technical Support Engineer | Zendesk Sell
Do you need more information? - Our Help Center has it all at https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/360002582434-Sell
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Want to talk to other Sell users? - check out our Community at https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/360001380554-Sell-Q-Ab
0
Shameen (Dev)
Hi,
While importing data into custom address field, data is not getting imported that.
I got the alternate suggestion to have address field into separated text fields and then import data into that, This way i wont be able to see an address properly, plus five fields(zip, state, city etc) wont be able to give the functionality to see that custom address on map.
Please let me know, if we can get that fixed with custom application or some other way.
That would be great.
Thanks.
1
Grzegorz Pogwizd
Hi Shameen,
Thanks for letting us know about this issue. Would you please be able to get in touch with the Advocacy Team through a regular support ticket again (if you already did) as we'd like to take a deeper look at what you're running into and figure out some better solutions?
I'd greatly appreciate that. Thanks in advance!
0
Ted Feng
1. For a field in ZDS the value was restricted to few options (can only select from a drop-down list), how to update the value back to "No value(leave it blank)" when update through importing? I tried to put in "No value" in csv, but it didn't work.
2. Is there any way to remove an existing tag when importing?
0
Edgar Comper
Hi Ted,
Sell Import has the ability to override values when you're updating in batch. Unfortunately, you can't add a blank value back to the field, only a different one.
That is also applied to your second question.
Alternatively, you can remove an existing tag from your customers under Settings > Customize > Leads/contacts/deals > Tags. This will remove the tag from your Sell account.
I hope that helps.
0
Taylor Choonhaurai
Is there anyway I can add a collaborator in a bulk upload? Also curious why collaborators are not editable in contact lists. We have a new employee that should be able to collaborate on all his managers cards bit I manually have to add him to almost 1000 contacts. Any ideas on an alternative? Thanks.
0
Dave Dyson
Hi Taylor -
I don't know that there's a way to bulk upload Collaborators, or to edit them in contact lists. Since this is product feedback, it'd be helpful if you could make a post about this in our Feedback on Sell, so others can see, vote, and comment on your idea. Please also check out Product Feedback Guidelines and how to write an effective feedback post to ensure that you provide the information our product team needs in order to evaluate your feedback. Thanks, and sorry I don't have an easier answer for you!
0
Adam Witek
What about Business Names? I don't see that addressed in this article and I don't see it as a selection in the drop down menu(s) when mapping. I have a new list of employees and I need to assign them to their respective companies. How would I do that in bulk?
0
Christine
You can include 'Company name' column in your CSV file. Please check out our article Preparing your CSV file for the fields that you can include, and you can also use the Sample CSV template as a reference.
Thanks,
Christine
0
Azarel Azulay
Is there a way to delete Deals with BULK update?
0