Knowledge Base
Getting Started
Import Your Data from CSV Files
A step-by-step guide to importing customers, contacts, and deals from any CSV file into OneBob.
Overview
OneBob's CSV import wizard lets you bring in your existing data in three simple steps. The wizard supports auto-detection of file encoding and delimiters, preset column mappings, and smart duplicate handling.
Customers (companies and organizations)
Customer Contacts (people linked to customers)
Deals (sales opportunities)
Estimated time: 5-15 minutes depending on your data volume.
Before You Begin
You need Admin or Manager access in OneBob to use the import feature.
Prepare your CSV file with a header row containing column names.
Import customers first, then contacts, then deals. This preserves the relationships between records.
You can undo any import within 24 hours if something goes wrong.
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Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File
Make sure your CSV file is ready for import:
1Ensure your file has a header row with descriptive column names (e.g., "Company Name", "Email", "Phone").
2OneBob automatically detects the file encoding (UTF-8, Latin-1, etc.) and delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab). If a guess is wrong, you can correct both on the mapping step and re-read the file.
3Remove any summary rows or totals at the bottom of your file. Only data rows should be included.
4Files can contain up to 10,000 rows and 5 MB. Split larger exports into multiple files.
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Step 2: Upload and Select Import Type
Start the import wizard in OneBob:
1Go to Settings → Import in the main navigation.
2Select the import type: Customers, Customer Contacts, or Deals.
3Upload your CSV file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
4The wizard will show a preview of detected columns and sample data.
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Step 3: Map Columns
Tell OneBob which CSV columns correspond to which fields:
1Choose a preset mapping (Auto-detect, HubSpot, or Pipedrive) or map columns manually.
2Each CSV column can be mapped to a OneBob field using the dropdown menus.
3Required fields are marked with an asterisk. The import cannot proceed without them.
4Columns you don't need can be left unmapped and will be skipped.
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Step 4: Configure Duplicate Handling
Choose how to handle records that already exist in OneBob:
1Skip duplicates: existing records are left unchanged. Recommended for first-time imports.
2Update duplicates: existing records are updated with the new data from the CSV.
3Create new: all rows are imported as new records, even if duplicates exist.
4Duplicates are detected by matching on key fields like company name or email address.
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Step 5: Preview and Execute
Review your import before committing:
1The wizard shows a preview of the first rows with the applied column mapping.
2Any validation errors (missing required fields, invalid formats) are highlighted in red.
3Review the summary showing total rows, valid rows, and rows with errors.
4Click Import to execute. The import runs in the background for large files.
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Step 6: Review and Rollback
After the import completes, verify your data:
1Go to Settings → Import → History to see all past imports with details.
2Each import shows the number of created, updated, and skipped records.
3Browse the imported records in the Customers, Contacts, or Deals list to verify the data.
4If something went wrong, click Rollback on the import to undo it. Rollback is available for 24 hours after the import.
5Imported records are automatically tagged with an "Import" lead source so you can filter and identify them later.
Tips & Best Practices
Import order matters: always import customers first, then contacts, then deals. This ensures contacts and deals can be linked to their parent companies.
Start with a small test: try importing a file with 5-10 rows first to verify your column mapping before importing the full dataset.
Check the preview carefully: the import wizard shows you exactly how your data will be mapped before you commit.
Use the rollback: every import can be undone within 24 hours from the import history page. Don't hesitate to use it.
Clean your data first: remove empty rows, fix obvious typos, and ensure consistent formatting before importing.
Need Help?
If you run into any issues during the import, our team is happy to help. Reach out via the contact page and we'll assist you with your data import.
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