File Import: Add & Update Profiles
The File Import Wizard takes you through six steps: pick the file, set the Unique Identifier and Subscriptions, map columns to Attributes, optionally tag Profiles, choose update behaviour, and review before importing.
In this Article
Before you begin
💡 Check your file first: Run through the File Import Checklist before you start. Make sure there are no duplicate Profiles in the column you'll use as the Unique Identifier — duplicates cause errors.
Import Profiles – Add or Update
Go to Audience Profile tab and click Add a new Profile to find all import options.
Select to import From File.
Choose Add and Update.
OR
Go to Audience - Imports tab and click Import profiles to find all import options
Choose Add & Update.
File
Select a file from your computer. We support CSV and XLSX files up to 50 MB.
Click on Insert file here
You file folder will open and you can choose your file.
Click Next
You will see a message on your screen that the file is being processed.
Prepare the file
Prepare a file with your Profile data:
Profile key - Attribute value for Email addresses, CRM ID or Mobile must be included.
Consent — make sure you have consent from all Profiles you add to a Subscription.
First row must describe the data of each column (header row).
Format: CSV or XLSX
Size: up to 50 MB
The format of values for Attributes in your file must be correct for the system to recognise the data. Read more about supported data formats.
Unique ID & Consents
Choose the Unique ID for the Profiles in the file. The Unique ID is what makes the Profile unique and is what the system uses to recognise it.
Choose between email, mobile or CRM ID in the drop-down.
Now select the Subscription you want to place the Profiles' consent in. One Subscription can hold both email and SMS channel consents. You can select multiple Subscriptions — for example, if the Profiles in your file have consented to both your Newsletter and your Product Updates.
💡 Tip: You can select multiple Subscriptions per channel in a single import. No need to run separate imports for each Subscription.
If you do not want to update consents for the Profiles in the file, tick the Don't subscribe or update Subscriptions box and proceed to the next step. This option is used when all you want to do is update the data on profiles, not adding consents. You still have to choose a subscription - but no changes to consent will be made.
Choose Subscriptions for each Channel the Profiles in the file have provided consent to.
If the Profiles have only given consent to the email channel, choose a Subscription in the Email Subscriptions drop-down only.
If the Profiles have given consent to both email and SMS channels, select Subscriptions for both.
Re-subscribe Profiles?
If you intend to add Profiles to a Subscription, you must have their consent for those communication channels.
If you do not have their consent, or your file contains Profiles who have opted out, do not tick the "Re-subscribe Profiles who have opted out from Subscription" box.
If your file contains Profiles who have unsubscribed but you have their permission to re-subscribe them, tick the box.
Click Next. The Profiles will be subscribed to the chosen channels and Subscriptions once the import has completed.
Mapping
Map each file column (left side) to the right Unique Identifier and to the right Attributes (right side).
Map Unique Identifier. Select the file column (drop-down) that contains the Profile data serving as Unique Identifier. For example, if email is selected as Unique Identifier, it should be mapped to the email column in the file.
Map Consent address. This is usually auto-mapped and reflects the Unique Identifier. Map to an Attribute.
Attribute mapping. Map each column of the file you want to import to an Attribute.
Click Next.
Tag Profiles
Tags are internal markers that can be applied to Profiles. While importing a file, you have the option to tag the Profiles so you can locate them easily later.
Tag all Profiles
Tag all Profiles in the file as they are imported (optional).
Choose a Tag from the drop-down..
To create a new Tag, type the Tag name and click on Create item "new tag name".
Tag all Profiles with values from a column
You can choose a column from your file that contains one or more values to be imported as Tags.
To tag Profiles with multiple values, separate values with commas. To use multiple columns, click Add more columns and repeat.
⚠️ Note: Choose a column that contains Tags you want to add to the Profiles — not Profile Attributes. The values must not be unique to each Profile.
Profile import Event
With the checkbox Add import event to profiles ticked, you can do a sending targeting only Profiles included in this specific import.
This import will then appear as an option in the "Send to" step of the Email sending wizard. An import Event will be logged on all imported Profiles.
Profile Update Options
If you leave both options blank, only new Profiles in the file will be created.
Update Profile Data
Tick this box if you want the imported data to overwrite existing Profile data.
This only affects existing fields. If the file contains data the existing Profile doesn't have, it will be added regardless. The button will say Add and update profiles.
If you leave it unticked the button says Add only new profiles
Reset Profile Attributes
Only use this option if you want empty fields in the file to clear existing data in Audience.
If your file contains empty fields that match existing Profile Attributes, those Attributes will be cleared and become empty.
Skip this checkbox if you do not want empty fields to clear data.
Overview
Review your file import one last time. If you need to modify anything, go back to any step using the left-hand navigation.
⚠️ Once you click Import, the changes cannot be undone.
When you're ready, click Import.
ℹ️ Note: Make sure the import is completed before using the Profile data in any activities.
File Import Report
Take a look at the File Import Report to learn more about the results of your import — how many Profiles were created, failed, updated or not changed.
Use Cases
Importing a fresh trade-show list
Choose Add and Update, place Profiles in your newsletter Subscription, tag them with the event name, and leave both Update Options unticked so you only add new Profiles.
Refreshing Attributes
Choose Add and Update, map your columns to the matching Attributes, tick Don't subscribe or update Subscriptions to leave consent untouched, and tick Update Profile data so existing values are overwritten.
Re-subscribing Profiles you have permission for
Tick Re-subscribe Profiles who have opted out from Subscription only when you can document fresh consent for the Profiles in the file. Without that, leave the box unticked.
Importing for a one-off send
Tick Add import event to profiles so the import appears as a selectable group in the Email Tool's "Send to" step. This lets you target only Profiles from this specific import.
Troubleshooting
❓ Many of my rows failed.
Open the File Import Report and look at the Failed tab — the failing column will be highlighted in red. Common causes: invalid email addresses, phone numbers not in MSISDN format, or duplicate values in the Unique Identifier column.
❓ The Profiles imported, but their existing data wasn't updated.
Did you tick Update Profile data? If left unticked, only new Profiles are created; existing Profiles are not modified.
❓ I accidentally cleared a lot of Attributes after import.
This typically happens when Reset Profile Attributes is ticked and the file has empty cells. Only tick this option when you explicitly want empty cells in the file to clear values on Profiles.
❓ Profiles that should have been re-subscribed are still unsubscribed.
The Re-subscribe Profiles who have opted out checkbox must be ticked, and you must have documented consent. Without the box ticked, opted-out Profiles in your file are left as unsubscribed.
❓ Many Profiles show as "Not Changed" in the Report.
The most common cause is a missing Unique Identifier value in those rows. Profiles imported without a key Attribute (Email, Phone or CRM ID) are not created and appear under Not Changed.
❓ I need to import this same file every week.
Set up a Scheduled Import over SFTP so the file is picked up automatically on a recurring schedule.
What's Next?