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Import Errors

Most import issues come from inconsistent formatting in the source file. This page covers the common problems and what TechForce needs from you to resolve them.

Common CSV Formatting Issues​

Missing Required Columns​

The import requires at minimum: First Name, Last Name, and Phone or Email (ideally both). If your file has a single "Name" column instead of separate first and last name columns, or if the phone column is missing, the import cannot proceed without manual cleanup.

What to do: Export your contact list again and confirm it includes separate columns for first name, last name, phone, and email. If your CRM exports a combined name field, let TechForce know and we can split it during the cleaning step.

Phone Numbers in Non-Standard Formats​

Phone numbers need to be in a format that can be normalized to E.164 (e.g., +15554443333). Common problems:

  • Numbers with extensions (555-444-3333 x12) — extension will be stripped; confirm that is acceptable
  • International numbers mixed into a domestic list — these require separate handling
  • Blank or partial numbers (e.g., "555-4433" with no area code) — these will be excluded

Duplicate Records​

Contacts who appear multiple times in the list (same name, same phone, or same email) will be deduplicated. The first record with the most complete information is kept. If you have intentional duplicates (e.g., two contacts at the same household), note this when submitting the list.

Special Characters in Name Fields​

Name fields with special characters (accents, apostrophes in names like O'Brien, characters from non-Latin alphabets) sometimes cause import errors depending on the encoding of the CSV. If you are exporting from Excel, save as "CSV UTF-8" rather than the default CSV format to preserve these characters.

Invalid or Placeholder Emails​

Email addresses like "noemail@noemail.com," "na@na.com," or empty strings formatted as spaces will be excluded during cleaning. If a contact has no valid email, they will be contacted by SMS only (as long as a valid phone number exists).

What TechForce Needs from You​

When you submit your contact list, include:

  1. The file itself (CSV, Excel, or direct CRM export)
  2. The source (ServiceTitan, Jobber, Excel spreadsheet, etc.)
  3. An approximate date range for when these contacts were acquired or last serviced
  4. Any known quirks in the file (merged name columns, missing areas codes for local numbers, contacts from multiple locations)

The more context you provide, the faster TechForce can clean and import the list.

Timeline for Import​

StageTypical Duration
List submitted to TechForceDay 0
Cleaning and review complete1 to 2 business days
TechForce contacts you with questions (if any)Day 1 to 2
Cleaned list imported into platformDay 2 to 3
Campaign goes liveDay 3 to 4

If your list has significant formatting issues or requires manual cleanup of a large number of records, the cleaning step may take an additional business day. TechForce will communicate the delay.

note

Do not attempt to import the contact list yourself directly into the platform. The cleaning and tagging steps are required for the campaign workflow to trigger correctly. Contacts imported without the proper tags will not enter the reactivation sequence.