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Handle duplicates and map CSV columns to contact fields

After you upload a CSV and choose a list, OutreachFox asks two questions: what to do with contacts that already exist in your account, and which CSV column belongs to which contact field. Getting b…

After you upload a CSV and choose a list, OutreachFox asks two questions: what to do with contacts that already exist in your account, and which CSV column belongs to which contact field. Getting both right keeps your data clean and makes variables like first name and company fill correctly in your emails.

Prerequisites

  • You have uploaded a CSV and selected a list (see Upload a CSV of contacts and assign it to a list).

Steps

  1. On the duplicates option, choose what happens when a lead in the file already exists in your contacts:

    • Skip: the existing contact is left untouched and the row in the file is ignored.
    • Merge: the existing contact is kept and updated with any new or changed values from the file.

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  1. Click Save and Continue.

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  1. Map each column from your file to the matching contact field. OutreachFox pre-selects fields whose header names match; check each one and correct any that are wrong. Leave a column unmapped if you do not need it.

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  1. Click Save and continue to complete the import.

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The contacts now appear in the list you chose, with every mapped column stored on the contact record.

Which option should I choose for duplicates?

**Situation****Choose**
Re-uploading a list you already enriched in OutreachFox**Skip** – protects data you already have
Uploading a fresher export from your CRM**Merge** – updates titles, companies, phone numbers
Not sure**Skip** – it never overwrites anything

Duplicates are detected on the email address.

Tips

  • Use the standard fields (First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, Title, Website, LinkedIn URL, Phone) wherever possible; they map directly to the personalisation variables in the sequence editor.
  • Map extra columns (for example pain_point or icebreaker) to custom fields so you can insert them with Variables in the editor.
  • Rename headers in your CSV to match OutreachFox field names before uploading; auto-mapping then does most of the work.
  • Check a sample of contacts after import to confirm first names are not landing in the last-name field. A wrong mapping is the usual reason a first-line reads "Hi Smith".

Troubleshooting

  • A column is missing from the mapping screen: the header cell in your CSV is probably empty. Add a header and re-upload.
  • First and last name are in one column: split them in your spreadsheet before uploading. OutreachFox maps one column to one field.
  • Everything was skipped: the whole list already exists in your account. Re-upload with Merge if you want to refresh the data.

Related articles

  • Upload a CSV of contacts and assign it to a list
  • Import leads from Google Sheets or your CRM
  • Managing bounced leads and cleaning your lists
  • Waterfall enrichment: append data fields to yo

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More in Campaigns: Leads

Upload a CSV of contacts and assign it to a list→Add more leads to an active campaign (from a list or a new CSV)→Check lead statuses and replies inside a campaign→Set up AI reply categorisation and create custom categories→Lead statuses explained→Pause, stop or delete leads in a campaign→Move or copy leads between campaigns→Export leads to CSV→Managing bounced leads and cleaning your lists→Lead activity log: see every email, open and reply for a contact→Import leads from Google Sheets or your CRM→