RowsteadA calmer Google Contacts import.
A contact import has two jobs: keep the right values, and put them under the destination’s expected field names. Cleaning a CSV helps with the first job. The destination’s template handles the second.
Start with Google’s current template.
Use the template linked in the official Google Contacts import guide. Common columns include First Name, Last Name, Email 1 - Value, and Phone 1 - Value. Field names matter. Do not assume a generic Name column automatically maps to every destination.
Clean a copy before mapping.
Export the original list as UTF-8 CSV. Use Rowstead to review empty rows and exact duplicates. Preserve phone numbers and postal codes as text, including leading zeros. The email check recognizes generic email-labeled columns; it does not currently interpret Google’s numbered Email 1 - Value columns. Review those fields yourself.
Try a small batch first.
Map fields into Google’s template and import a few test contacts. Check names, phone numbers, emails, labels, and non-English characters in the actual address book. Google’s guide recommends splitting a file with more than 3,000 contacts into smaller CSVs. Check the current guide when you import.
Keep the people and permissions straight.
Being able to import a contact does not mean you have permission to market to them. For email-list platforms, review the platform’s subscription and field rules. Mailchimp’s import formatting guide covers its accepted field formats; its permission rules are a separate requirement.