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CSV import lets you upload spreadsheet data to create clients, prospects, other contacts, or notes in Slant. The import interface guides you through column mapping and data validation before records are created.

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Supported record types

You can import these record types via CSV:
  • Clients — Creates households with people
  • Prospects — Creates prospect households with people
  • Other contacts — Creates standalone contact records
  • Notes — Creates notes linked to existing records

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Prepare your CSV file

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File format

  • Format: CSV (comma-separated values)
  • Encoding: UTF-8 recommended
  • Headers: First row must contain column headers

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Creating a CSV

From Excel:
  • File > Save As
  • Choose “CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)”
From Google Sheets:
  • File > Download
  • Select “Comma Separated Values (.csv)”
From other software: Look for “Export” or “Download” options and select CSV format.

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Sample CSV for clients or prospects

household_id,first_name,last_name,email,phone_number,tier,contact_type,tags
smith_family,John,Smith,john@email.com,555-123-4567,0,head_of_household,"VIP, High Priority"
smith_family,Jane,Smith,jane@email.com,555-123-4568,,spouse,
johnson,Bob,Johnson,bob@email.com,555-234-5678,1,head_of_household,

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Start the import

  • Navigate to the page for the record type you want to import (for example, Clients)
  • Click the Upload CSV button to open the import interface
  • Select your CSV file or drag it into the upload area

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Map your columns

After uploading, the import interface displays your CSV columns alongside Slant’s expected fields.
  • Review detected columns and sample data
  • For each column, confirm or change the matched Slant field
  • Skip any columns you do not want to import
The importer auto-matches common column names like “First Name,” “Email,” and “Phone Number.” Always verify auto-matched fields before proceeding. See Field mapping for the full list of supported fields.

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Review and import

  • Review how your data will be mapped
  • Fix any validation errors highlighted by the importer
  • Click Submit to create the records

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Importing clients and prospects

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Available fields

FieldDescriptionRequired
Household IDGroups people into the same householdNo
First namePerson’s first nameYes (or full name)
Last namePerson’s last nameYes (or full name)
Full nameAlternative to first/last nameYes (or first and last)
EmailEmail addressNo
Phone numberPhone numberNo
TierService tier (0=A, 1=B, 2=C, 3=D)No
Household rolehead_of_household, spouse, partner, dependent_childNo
TagsComma-separated list of tagsNo
Date of birthMM/DD/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DDNo
Genderfemale, male, nonbinary, other, prefer_not_to_sayNo
Marital statussingle, married, partnered, separated, divorced, widowedNo
Address fieldsaddress_line1, address_line2, city, state, zipNo
SSNSocial security number (encrypted)No
Note: If you include a household ID column, rows with the same household ID are grouped into one household. Without it, each row becomes its own household.

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Custom fields

If you have custom fields defined for households, they appear as additional columns in the importer. Map your CSV columns to them during the mapping step.

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Importing other contacts

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Available fields

FieldDescriptionRequired
First namePerson’s first nameYes (or full name)
Last namePerson’s last nameYes (or full name)
Full nameAlternative to first/last nameYes (or first and last)
EmailEmail addressNo
Phone numberPhone numberNo
Statusactive, inactive, archivedNo
Date of birthMM/DD/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DDNo
Genderfemale, male, nonbinary, other, prefer_not_to_sayNo
Marital statussingle, married, partnered, separated, divorced, widowedNo

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Importing notes

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Available fields

FieldDescriptionRequired
Record typeClient, Prospect, Contact, or BusinessYes
Note contentThe text content of the noteYes
Record IDThe ID of the record this note belongs toNo (or record name)
Record nameName of the record to matchNo (or record ID)
Original created dateWhen the note was originally createdNo
Note: Provide either a record ID or record name so Slant can link the note to the correct record.

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Troubleshooting

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File will not upload

  • Confirm the file is saved as CSV format
  • Try a different browser if the upload fails

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Columns not detected

  • Make sure the first row contains column headers
  • Re-save the file with UTF-8 encoding
  • Open in a text editor to verify the format

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Data in wrong fields

  • Review the column mapping step
  • Check for misaligned data in your CSV

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Best practices

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Clean your data first

Before importing:
  • Remove completely empty rows
  • Fix obvious typos
  • Standardize formatting (dates, phone numbers)

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Test with a small batch

  • Create a test file with 5—10 rows
  • Import the test batch
  • Verify the results
  • Import the full file

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Keep your original file

Save your source CSV for reference and troubleshooting.

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Next steps

Field mapping

Detailed mapping guide

Import overview

Import concepts