Importing Data and Contacts from a Spreadsheet

🧾 Before You Import

1. File Format

Make sure your spreadsheet is saved as a .xlsx file. Other formats (like .csv or .xls) won’t work for importing into Aptly.

How to Convert a .csv File to .xlsx
To convert a .csv to .xlsx file in Excel, make a copy of the original file:

1. In the .csv file, click on Save As…
2. Rename the spreadsheet to make it easy to locate and select the file type - .xlsx.
3. Click Save.
Once you are working with an .xlsx file, you can begin to edit the spreadsheet to include the desired information.

• The first column must be the card title in order for all data in the spreadsheet to be imported.
• Each column heading is the field name. If if doesn’t already exist in Aptly, you can choose to create it with the spreadsheet importer.
• There must be a contact listed for each row of the spreadsheet and each contact must have a phone number and/or email.
• If a contact field (name, email and/or phone number) exists on the spreadsheet, Aptly will match the information to an existing contact on the board. If a contact does not exist, a new contact will be created.
After all of the columns that are on the spreadsheet match the fields in Aptly, save the .xlsx file and get ready to import it into Aptly.
Contact Fields that can be imported:
• Email
• Mobile Phone
• Work Phone
• Home Phone
• First Name
• Last Name
• Full Name
• Company Name
• Contact Type

2. Contacts Are Required

Data can only be imported if it’s related to a contact. If a row doesn’t include contact information (name + email or phone), that data won’t be imported.

3. Column Setup Matters

The column headers in your spreadsheet should match existing fields in Aptly whenever possible.

• If a field doesn’t already exist, you can create new fields during the import process.
• Keep in mind that only a limited number of field types are available for creation at import time (e.g., text, number, date).

4. Fields Must Exist on the Board

Ensure that any fields you want to populate on your cards already exist on the board you’re importing to. If your spreadsheet includes columns that don’t yet exist in Aptly, add those fields to the board first for the best import results.

5. Title Column Required

The first column in your spreadsheet must be a Title field.

• You can simply copy the contact name into this column if you don’t already have a unique title.
• Each card created in Aptly requires a title to identify it on the board.

📥 Importing Your Spreadsheet

1. Go to Integrations > Spreadsheet Import.

2. Upload your .xlsx file.

3. Use the field mapping tool to connect each column from your spreadsheet to a field in Aptly.
• For contact fields, you’ll match your spreadsheet data to both the contact field and the related field within the contact type.
• Example: On the Owner Leads board, you would select the Owner Prospect contact field.
• Match the Name column to Full Name
• Match the Email column to Email Address
• Match the Phone column to Phone Number
• You can skip fields that you don’t want imported.
• You can also create new fields directly from this screen when necessary.

4. Once everything is mapped correctly, click Import.

Aptly will begin creating cards and linking contact data automatically.

🔧 Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Multiple Phone Numbers in One Cell

If a contact has several phone numbers listed in a single cell, only the first number will be imported. Separate them into different columns if you need to retain multiple numbers.

• Combined Email and Phone Columns

Email and phone data cannot share the same column. Make sure each is in its own separate column.

• Cards Not Created

If a card fails to import, it’s likely missing required contact information, such as an email address or phone number. Ensure each row includes at least one of these contact identifiers.

Related Articles

• What is an Aptly Board?

• Understanding Board Fields

• What are Card Sources?