Link the corresponding database fields with the import file

When you import a CSV file, Flexmail needs to know which column in your file corresponds to which field in your account. This mapping step ensures your data lands in the right place. Getting it right the first time saves you a lot of cleanup work later.

Before you begin

• Make sure your CSV file has a header row with clear, recognisable column names
• Create any custom fields you need before starting the import, so they are available to map to
• Check that interest names in your file exactly match the interests in your Flexmail account, including capitalisation
• Verify that language values use the correct ISO codes, for example nl, fr, en, de

How the mapping works

After you upload your file, Flexmail analyses it and shows you a mapping screen. On the left, you will see each column header from your file. On the right, you select the corresponding Flexmail field.

Flexmail tries to auto-map columns based on names it recognises. Check each suggestion before proceeding. An auto-match is not always correct.

Required mapping

The email address column must always be mapped. It is the only required field for a contact to be imported successfully.

Fields you can map

• Default fields: email address, first name, name, language, source
• Custom fields: any field you have created in your account
• Interests: map a column containing interest names to assign them in bulk

Mapping interests

To assign interests via import, your file needs a column where each cell contains one or more interest names. Separate multiple interests with commas. Map that column to the Interests field in Flexmail. The interest names must exactly match what you have created in your account, including capitalisation.

Mapping languages

If your file has a language column, map it to the Language field and make sure the values use the correct ISO codes. Contacts without a valid language value will receive the fallback language you select later in the import.

Columns you do not want to import

If your file contains columns you do not want to import, such as internal codes, notes not meant for Flexmail, or data without a corresponding field, simply leave them unmapped. Unmapped columns are ignored.

After mapping

Once you have confirmed the mapping, Flexmail analyses your file and shows a summary: how many valid contacts were found, how many updates will be applied to existing contacts, and any rows with errors. You can download an error file to see exactly which rows have problems and why.

Common mistakes to avoid

Trusting auto-mapping without checking

Flexmail guesses the mapping based on column names, but it is not always right. A column named "Name" in your file might map to "First name" when you actually want "Name." Review every mapping before confirming.

Interest names that do not match exactly

If your file contains an interest called "Newsletter" but your Flexmail account has it as "newsletter" (lowercase), the mapping will fail for those values. Flexmail is case-sensitive for interest names. Check spelling and capitalisation carefully.

Wrong language ISO codes

A value of "Dutch" or "NL" in your language column will not be recognised. Flexmail uses standard ISO codes: nl, fr, en, de. Check the About languages article for the correct codes.

Mapping a column to the wrong field type

If you map a column containing free text to a numeric field, all values that are not numbers will error. Make sure the data type of your column matches the field type you are mapping to.

Next steps

• Read "Import errors" if your import summary shows rows that could not be processed
• Read "Updating existing contacts" to understand how mapping works when you re-import contacts that already exist
• Read "About contact fields" for a full breakdown of field types and what data each can hold

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