Importing a Spreadsheet of Subscribers
Bring across a list you already have from a spreadsheet, check what we found, and add everyone in one go.
If you already keep a list of customers who asked for your emails, in another newsletter tool, a booking system or a spreadsheet, you can bring it across in a few steps. We check the file with you before anything is added, and nobody is emailed during the import.
Before you start
Only import people who asked to hear from you. Bought, rented and scraped lists are not allowed. Besides being unfair to the people on them, they are the fastest way to get your emails blocked by Gmail, Outlook and the rest.
Your file needs to be a CSV, which is a plain spreadsheet file. In Excel choose File → Save As and pick CSV. In Google Sheets choose File → Download → Comma Separated Values. Put one person per row, with a column of email addresses. A name column is welcome but optional. Files up to 10 MB are accepted, and one import takes up to 50,000 rows. If your file is longer, we tell you on the summary screen and import the first 50,000. Split the rest into another file and import it the same way. Anyone who appears in both files is simply skipped the second time.
Importing your file
- Go to Newsletter → Subscribers and press Import.
- Upload your file. Pick the spreadsheet file from your computer or phone. We read it straight away.
- Which column is which? We have a guess at which column holds the email address, the first name and the last name. Correct anything we got wrong. If you have set up your own fields, such as a membership tier, you can match those to columns too. Any column you leave as Not in this file is thrown away. A preview of your first rows is shown underneath. Press Looks right.
- Here is what we found. You see four numbers: rows in the file, how many will be added, duplicates skipped and rows that are not usable. A few examples of unusable rows are listed with the reason, usually an email address that is not valid. If some answers in your own fields could not be read (a date written in a way we could not understand, for example), we tell you which field. Those people are still added, with that answer left blank.
- Optionally, fill in Tag everyone in this import (separate tags with commas), so you can find or email this group later.
- Tick the box that reads I confirm every person in this file asked to hear from us, and that this list was not bought, rented or scraped. We store this confirmation, your name and the date against every person the import adds.
- Press Import them.
If your list is bigger than your plan
When the import would take you past the number of subscribers your newsletter covers, step 4 says so before you confirm, with the extra amount for this month. You can still go ahead. If moving up a size would cost less than the extra, we say that too, and See the sizes takes you to your plan options.
Larger imports get a quick look
If a file adds 500 people or more, one of us takes a quick look before it goes on your list. You will see Queued for a quick look. Your addresses are stored safely, nothing is sent in the meantime, and it is usually the same day. We do this because one bad list can hurt the delivery of everyone who sends through us, yours included. We email you as soon as we have looked: either how many people were added, or, if we could not add the list, the reason why, so you can reply and talk it through with us.
Smaller imports are added straight away, and the Done screen tells you how many were added, skipped and not usable.
What happens to the people you import
- They are added as Subscribed. They are not sent a confirmation email.
- They do not get your welcome email or any follow-up emails set to start when someone joins. An import starting a welcome series for thousands of people at once is exactly what we want to avoid.
- Anyone already on the list is left as they are. That includes people who unsubscribed: importing them again never puts them back on.
- Their record shows Imported as the source, so you can always tell them apart from people who used your signup form.