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Importing contacts from a CSV with SAMI

Bulk-load contacts by dropping a CSV into chat — SAMI previews every row with a dry run before importing for real.

Open in SAMI OS

Already have a list of leads in a spreadsheet? The fastest way to get them into SAMI OS is to drop the CSV straight into chat and ask SAMI to import it — no separate upload screen, no leaving the conversation.

Import a CSV in chat

SAMI reads your file, shows you a preview of what it will create, and only writes the contacts after you say go.

  1. Attach your CSV

    Open SAMI from anywhere in the app. Drag your CSV onto the message box (you'll see "Drop files to attach") or click the paperclip to browse for it. You can attach up to five files per message.

  2. Ask SAMI to import

    Type something like "import these contacts" and send. SAMI reads the column headers and rows directly from the file.

  3. Review the dry-run preview

    SAMI always runs a dry run first. It shows how many contacts it will create and how each column maps to a SAMI OS field — name, email, phone, type, source, and so on. Nothing is saved yet.

  4. Confirm to import for real

    Check the mapping and the row count. When it looks right, tell SAMI to go ahead. It runs the import and your new contacts appear in Contacts.

SAMI never imports on the first pass. The dry run is a safety check — you always get a preview to review before a single contact is written, so a messy file can't quietly flood your Contacts list.

What makes a good import file

A clean file maps cleanly. Before you upload, make sure your CSV has:

  • A header row, with one clear label per column (First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone).
  • One contact per row.
  • A Source column if you can — it keeps each lead's origin for reporting and lets you target them later from Contacts or a Workflow.
  • Phone numbers and emails in their own columns, not jammed into a notes field.

If the dry-run preview maps a column to the wrong field, just tell SAMI in plain language — "map 'Mobile' to phone" — and it will adjust before you confirm.

When to use a live integration instead

A CSV import is a one-time, point-in-time load — great for a list you exported once. If you want new leads to flow in automatically and keep arriving, that's a live integration, not a CSV. Ask SAMI to connect your lead source and it will set up an ongoing connection that feeds Contacts on its own. Use a CSV for a one-off batch; use an integration when the source should keep delivering leads going forward.

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Last updated 2026-06-21

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