Articles on: Records

How to Import a CSV File - Import Many Different Data at Once

Import people, companies, and other data all at once from a single CSV file.


Overview

Breakcold lets you bulk-import data from a CSV file directly into your CRM. The import wizard walks you through five steps: upload, map columns, review values, preview, and run. The system automatically maps your CSV columns to the right CRM fields using AI, and you can import people and company data simultaneously from one file.

  • Import into People, Companies, or Deals
  • AI-powered auto-mapping of CSV columns to CRM fields
  • Import multiple data types at once — e.g. person + company fields in a single CSV
  • Preview before importing to catch errors early
  • Full import history to track past imports

Step 1 — Start the Import

  1. Navigate to People, Companies, or Deals in the left sidebar.
  2. Click the ... menu icon in the top-right area of the page.
  3. Select Import a CSV from the dropdown.


Click the "..." menu and select "Import a CSV" to begin.

Step 2 — Upload Your CSV File

The import wizard opens on the Upload step. You can drag and drop your CSV file or click Choose CSV file to browse your computer.
Drag and drop or click to select your CSV file.


Select your CSV file from the file picker.

Note — Breakcold will parse the header row and the first 100 data rows so you can map and review the import before anything is written.

Step 3 — Map Columns to CRM Fields

After uploading, Breakcold automatically matches your CSV columns to CRM fields using AI. The left side shows your CSV columns and the right side shows the matched CRM fields. A data preview panel on the right lets you verify each mapping.
Person fields are auto-mapped — Full Name to Name, Title to Job Title, etc.
Scroll down to see company fields that are also auto-mapped. Breakcold recognizes columns like Company Name, Company Employee Count, Company Industry, Company Website, and Company LinkedIn and maps them to the corresponding Company object fields.


Company fields are automatically mapped too — one CSV imports both people and companies.

Tip — This is how you import many different data at once: include both person and company columns in your CSV. Breakcold will create or update records in both objects from a single import.

To manually adjust a mapping, click the CRM field dropdown next to any CSV column and select the correct field. You can also search through available fields including relation fields like Company, Deal Value, and Pipeline Stage.
Click any CRM field dropdown to manually adjust the mapping.

  1. Review the auto-mapped fields and adjust any that are incorrect.
  2. Leave unmapped any columns you don't want to import (set them to "Select a field").
  3. Click Continue when you're satisfied with the mappings.

Step 4 — Review Values

The Review values step shows you a side-by-side comparison of the raw CSV values and the mapped CRM values for each column. This is your chance to verify data looks correct before proceeding.
Review the mapped values for each column — toggle "Create missing options" if needed.



Note — If your CSV includes values for select fields (like status or industry), you can enable Create missing options at the top to automatically create new options that don't exist yet.

Step 5 — Preview the Import

The Preview step shows a summary of what will happen: how many records will be created, updated, skipped, or have errors. Switch between the Person and Company tabs to review both types of data.
Preview shows 10 records to create — switch between Person and Company tabs to review all data.

Warning — Carefully review the preview before proceeding. Once you start the import, records will be created in your CRM.

Step 6 — Run the Import

  1. Click Start Import to begin the import process.
  2. The Run import step shows real-time progress with a progress bar and a row-by-row status table.

The import runs row by row — completed rows show "created" and any failures show an error message.

Note — If a row fails (e.g. due to a duplicate unique value), the error is displayed inline. Other rows continue to import normally.

Step 7 — Verify Your Imported Data

Once the import finishes, navigate back to your records to verify the data. New people and companies will appear in their respective lists.


The People page now shows the newly imported contacts.
Companies were also created from the same CSV import.

Import History

To view all past imports, go to Settings > Import History in the left sidebar. Here you can see every import with its date, file name, status, and record counts.
The Import History page lets you track all past imports and their status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import people and companies from the same CSV file?
Yes. If your CSV contains company columns (e.g. Company Name, Company Industry, Company Website), Breakcold will automatically map them to Company fields and create both person and company records from one import.
Does Breakcold auto-detect column mappings?
Yes. The AI-powered mapping engine automatically matches your CSV columns to the closest CRM fields. You can always manually adjust any mapping before proceeding.
What happens if a record already exists?
If a record with the same unique identifier (e.g. Name) already exists, the import will either update it or flag it as a failure depending on your settings. The error message will tell you exactly which field caused the conflict.
What CSV format is supported?
Standard comma-separated CSV files with a header row. Breakcold parses the header row to identify your columns and uses the first 100 rows for mapping preview.
Can I import deals the same way?
Yes. Start the import from the Deals page instead. The same wizard applies — upload, map, review, preview, and run.
Where can I see my past imports?
Go to Settings > Import History in the left sidebar. You can view the status, date, and details of every import you've run.

Updated on: 31/03/2026