HubSpot Imports Are Property Maps
HubSpot’s importer asks you to map CSV columns to HubSpot properties. Using your internal header names without mapping—or mapping to the wrong property—creates messy data that is hard to report on later.
Start from a HubSpot export or the import requirements for contacts, companies, deals, tickets, or products.
Step-by-Step: Contact Import
The most common HubSpot CSV job.
- Build a CSV with Email plus any properties you need (firstname, lastname, phone, lifecycle stage).
- Normalize emails; remove obvious duplicates.
- Ensure lifecycle/status values match existing HubSpot options.
- Save UTF-8 CSV; preview in the Online CSV Editor.
- In HubSpot: Import → start import → map columns → confirm create vs update behavior.
- Review the import summary and error rows.
Companies and Deals
Company imports often key on domain or company name—decide which uniqueness rule you want. Deal imports need pipeline and stage values that exist in the portal, plus associations to contacts/companies when you include those columns per HubSpot’s current import options.
Create vs Update
HubSpot can create new records or update existing ones based on identifiers like email. Updating with a partial column set should be intentional—blank cells can clear values depending on import settings. Read the confirmation screen carefully every time.
Real-World Examples
Marketing and RevOps flows.
Webinar registrants
Zoom export cleaned to email/name/company, lifecycle set to Lead, imported with a webinar source property.
Enrichment update
Firmographic columns updated for existing emails only—no new contact creation.
Deal pipeline cleanup
Stages normalized in CSV to HubSpot’s exact stage labels, then re-imported.
Common Mistakes
Portal mess starters.
- Mapping to create new custom properties accidentally.
- Invalid enumeration values for dropdown properties.
- Duplicate emails in one file.
- Date formats HubSpot does not parse.
- Associating deals without valid contact/company identifiers.
Best Practices
Keep HubSpot tidy.
- Prefer existing properties over one-off customs.
- Pilot 10–50 rows.
- Document the import’s business purpose in a note/property.
- Export a backup view before mass updates.
- Clean files with Convert CSV Online first.
Why Use Convert CSV Online?
Convert CSV Online is free, browser-based, and requires no account for everyday conversions. Deduplicate and normalize HubSpot-bound lists, convert Excel to UTF-8 CSV, and catch blank emails before import. Client-side workflows work on Windows, macOS, and Linux browsers.
Clean lists, cleaner CRM
Five minutes in the Online CSV Editor saves hours of HubSpot cleanup.
Conclusion
HubSpot CSV imports work when properties map correctly, enums match, and emails are unique. Pilot, review the import summary, then scale.
FAQ
How do I import a CSV into HubSpot?
Go to Import in HubSpot, upload a UTF-8 CSV, map columns to HubSpot properties, choose create/update behavior, and review the results.
What is the unique key for HubSpot contacts?
Email is the primary unique identifier for contacts in most import scenarios.
Can I import deals with CSV in HubSpot?
Yes—use HubSpot’s deals import flow and ensure pipeline, stage, and association fields match portal configuration.
Why did my HubSpot import fail some rows?
Common causes include invalid property values, bad emails, missing required fields, or association errors. Download/fix the error details HubSpot provides.
Should I create new properties during import?
Only when planned. Accidental custom properties clutter the portal—map to existing properties whenever possible.
How do I prepare an Excel file for HubSpot?
Validate values, then convert with Excel to CSV (UTF-8) and preview in the Online CSV Editor before importing.
References
Convert your CSV in the browser
Preview, clean, and convert CSV files free with Convert CSV Online—no installation and no account required for everyday conversions.