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How to troubleshoot a CSV file import

Troubleshoot common problems and successfully import your CSV file

Updated yesterday

Before you begin

If you're having trouble importing creators into a list using a CSV file, check these common issues before retrying:

  1. Ensure the file is in CSV format (.csv). Other formats won’t import.

  2. Limit the file to 1,000 creators per upload. Any file with more than 1,000 creators will fail.

  3. Remove formulas. The file should only contain plain text.

  4. Make sure your file is UTF-8 encoded. This ensures special characters like accents or emojis are handled correctly.

    • Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma Separated Values (.csv)

    • Excel (Windows): File → Save As → Browse → Save as type: CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv)

    • Excel (Mac): File → Save As → File Format: CSV UTF-8 (.csv)

Tips: Break up large files

If your file contains more than 1,000 creators, split it into smaller files and upload them one at a time.

Even for smaller files, breaking them into sections can make troubleshooting easier. If one section uploads successfully and another doesn’t, you’ll know where the issue lies.

Check your CSV formatting

To successfully import your CSV, it needs to follow the correct structure and use the exact field names. Here's what to check:

Required fields:

  • profile_name

  • media_url

  • email

Optional fields:

  • influencer_id

  • first_name

  • last_name

  • phone_number

  • merge_fields

  • shipping_address.line1

  • shipping_address.line2

  • shipping_address.zipcode

  • shipping_address.city

  • shipping_address.state

  • shipping_address.country_code

Important formatting tips

To make sure your CSV imports correctly, here’s what to keep in mind:

  • Headers must be exact: The names of the columns (like profile_name or email) need to be typed exactly as shown.

    • ✅ profile_name

    • ❌ Profile Name

    • ❌ profile name

  • Don’t change the headers: Don’t add, remove, or rename any of the column titles in your CSV. They need to match exactly what’s listed here.

  • No extra spaces: Double-check that there are no spaces before or after the values in your columns. Even a small space can cause the import to fail.

  • Fix your URLs: URLs must be correct and link directly to the creator’s profile (not to posts, reels, or any pages with weird characters).

    • ✅ https://www.instagram.com/fromheadtocurve

    • ❌ instagram.com/fromheadtocurve

    • If you see a URL that leads to a post (like /reels) or has extra characters (like ?), update it to the correct profile link.

Best practice: Use an AI tool to find hidden errors

If your CSV file seems correct but still won’t import, hidden issues such as incorrect URLs, extra spaces, or non-ASCII characters might be causing the failure. AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude can help quickly identify and resolve these issues.

How to use an AI tool to find errors:

  1. Open a new conversation in your AI tool of choice

  2. Paste this prompt:

    I’m trying to import a CSV file into Upfluence. Here are the official instructions on formatting: https://help.upfluence.co/en/articles/6997712-how-to-import-influencers-to-a-list-using-csv.
    ​

    The first attached file, titled ‘perfect_upfluence_import.csv’, worked perfectly and is correctly formatted with no errors.
    ​

    The other attached file is my problem file. Please identify all errors in the problem file so I can fix them. Give me a list of these errors, AND give me a CSV file that is just like my problem file, but also contains an additional column highlighting errors.
    ​
    Potential errors may include, but are not limited to:
    - invalid URLs,
    - invalid email addresses,
    - missing values,
    - duplicate entries,
    - and non-ASCII characters.
    - URLs must lead to the creator’s profile page (not a post page) on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Twitch, Pinterest, or a Wordpress blog.
    - extra spaces: Double-check that there are no spaces before or after the values in your columns.

  3. Attach both the template (Click to download 👉🏻 perfect_upfluence_import.csv) and your problem CSV file to the conversation.

  4. Press send, the AI will return your file with an additional column showing exactly where the errors are

  5. Download the updated file, review the errors, fix them in your original file, and remove the error column

  6. Save the corrected file as a new CSV and try importing it again.

If the import still fails, upload the updated file to the AI tool again for another scan.

Attachment icon
perfect_upfluence_import.csv
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