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Contact Import

XCM provides a user interface for importing contacts using its API. This makes sure your imported data is being matched using XCM's matching rules and merging configuration.

Import contacts

Find the XCM Contact Import form on Contacts → Import contacts (XCM).

Currently, the import form takes a CSV file only, which has to be formatted as follows:

  • Field separator: ,
  • Column names in the first row
  • Multi-value field values separated by: ,
  • Column names must match parameter names for XCM

There is no distinct parameter specification. The action takes any contact- related parameters and relates them to one of these CiviCRM entities:

  • Contact
  • Address
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Website

You may also submit custom field values with a key formatted as <custom_group_name>.<custom_field_name>, which XCM will try to resolve to the internal notation custom_<custom_field_id>.

Error handling

You will receive error messages for the following cases:

  • Missing import file
  • File read failure
  • Empty file
  • Empty or duplicate column names
  • Any CiviCRM API error

Rows with errors will be printed back to the user interface for identification of what went wrong.