Importing Companies from a Spreadsheet

1. Why Import Companies?

1. Jumpstart Your Database
   • If you already have a list of client organizations, target prospects, vendors, or partners in a spreadsheet, importing them in bulk saves time versus creating each Company manually.
2. Accurate Organizational Data
   • Storing each company’s name, domain, industry, and address ensures your CRM is well-structured.
   • This also helps HubSpot auto-associate new contacts (based on domain) to the correct company.
3. Foster a Centralized System
   • If you have separate spreadsheets with multiple company details (e.g., from LinkedIn, personal notes, or event sign-ups), consolidating them in HubSpot ensures everything is in one place.

2. Preparing Your Spreadsheet

2.1 Consistent Column Headers

• Required Column: At minimum, HubSpot needs a way to identify a company—often the Company Name or Website Domain (or both).
• Suggested Columns: Company Name, Website Domain Name, Industry, Phone Number, City, State/Region, Country, Lifecycle Stage, etc.
• Custom Fields: If you have a custom property like “Relationship Status” (multi-check box) or “Annual Revenue,” include these as columns too.

2.2 Clean and Standardize Data

• Check for Duplicates: If you have multiple rows for the same organization, merge them in the spreadsheet first if they represent the same real-world entity.
• Ensure Accuracy: Confirm that phone numbers, addresses, and domain names are correct.
• Remove Extra Columns: If there’s data you don’t plan to import, consider deleting those columns to simplify the import.

2.3 Save as CSV (or XLSX)

• HubSpot accepts CSV or Excel files.
• If you’re uncertain, CSV is often the safest format for data import.

3. The Import Process

Step 1: Go to “Companies” in HubSpot

1. Log into HubSpot.
2. Navigate to Contacts > Companies.

Step 2: Select “Import”

1. Look for the Import button near the top-right (or left, depending on your UI).
2. Choose File from computer (if your data is saved locally).

Step 3: Choose Object Type

1. Select “Companies”: HubSpot might ask which object you want to import (Contacts, Companies, Deals, etc.).
2. If you have a CSV or Excel with both contacts and companies together, you may need to do a multi-object import. But typically, you have a list just of companies.

Step 4: Map Columns to Properties

1. Automatic Mapping: HubSpot tries to match column headers (e.g., “Company Name”) to known properties.
2. Verify or Adjust: Confirm each column maps to the correct property. For example:
   • “Company” or “Name” → Company Name
   • “Domain” → Website Domain Name
   • “Industry” → Industry (or a custom property if your naming differs)
   • If you have a custom property like “Relationship Status,” map that column correctly.
3. Create New Properties if Needed: If your spreadsheet columns don’t match existing HubSpot properties, you can Create a new property during mapping.

Step 5: Finalize & Begin Import

1. Name the Import: e.g., “Company List – Q4 2025.”
2. Review: HubSpot shows a summary of mapped columns.
3. Click “Finish Import”: HubSpot processes your file, typically within minutes (depending on size).

4. Post-Import Checks

1. Check Import Status
   • Go to Contacts > Companies > Imports (or “View imports”). HubSpot will show how many rows imported successfully and if there were any errors.
2. Resolve Errors
   • If any rows failed, HubSpot provides an error file. Common issues include blank mandatory fields or invalid domain syntax.
   • Fix these in your spreadsheet and re-import if needed.
3. Look for Potential Duplicates
   • If you realize some companies came in twice (e.g., “McKinsey & Company” vs. “McKinsey & Co.”), merge them.
   • Periodically run a check to ensure you don’t end up with multiple entries for the same firm.
4. Add or Associate Contacts
   • If you plan to associate existing contacts with these companies:
     • Let HubSpot auto-associate them by domain (if the contact’s email domain matches the company’s Website Domain Name).
     • Or manually associate contacts to the correct company for maximum accuracy.

5. Best Practices

1. Decide on Naming Conventions First: Consistency helps avoid duplicates. For instance, always use the official name: “PricewaterhouseCoopers” rather than “PwC,” if that’s your standard.
2. Use the Domain Property for Auto-Associations: If your contacts have email addresses matching the website domain, HubSpot can auto-link them to the company upon import or creation.
3. Minimal Fields: Focus on the critical data you need, like “Company Name,” “Domain,” “Industry,” “Phone,” “Address,” and any key custom fields (e.g., “Relationship Status”). Unnecessary fields add clutter.
4. Check for Mismatching: If your “Domain” column is empty for a company, HubSpot can’t auto-associate future contacts. Consider at least adding a placeholder (like “no-domain” or a general domain) if truly unknown.
5. Review and Update: Use dashboards or reports to see if your company data is up to date. Companies may move or change domains over time—keep an eye on that.

6. Advanced Possibilities

• Multi-Object Import: If your spreadsheet has both Contacts and Companies, you can do a combined import linking them (available on certain HubSpot tiers).
• Workflows & Automation: Once your companies are imported, you can use workflows to set properties or trigger emails based on specific criteria (e.g., Industry = “Tech”).
• Secondary Domains: If a company has multiple domains, you can add additional domain aliases in the Company record if needed.