# Importing Contacts from a File

If you have a list of contacts in a spreadsheet, you can upload them all at once instead of adding them one by one. DM Champ uses CSV files (a common spreadsheet format that works with Excel, Google Sheets, and Numbers).

> **Tip:** Contact import is also available as a step in the guided onboarding wizard when you first set up DM Champ. If you are going through onboarding, you will be prompted to import your contacts as part of that process.

***

## How to Import Contacts

1. Click **Contacts** in the left sidebar, then click the **Import** button at the top.
2. Click **Download Template** to get a pre-formatted CSV file. This ensures your data is in the right format.
3. Open the template in your spreadsheet app (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.) and fill in your contacts' information:
   * **First name**
   * **Last name**
   * **Email** - if you do not have an email for a contact, enter `unknown@unknown.com`
   * **Phone number** - start with the country code but **without** the "+" sign (for example, `14155551234` for a US number, `31612345678` for a Netherlands number)
4. Save your file as a CSV.
5. Back in DM Champ, click **Upload** and select your completed CSV file.
6. Choose whether to **create a new list** (and give it a name) or **add contacts to an existing list**.
7. Click **Start Import**.

DM Champ processes your file and adds all the contacts. You will see them appear in your selected list.

***

## Tips

* Double-check that phone numbers include the country code. Without it, messages will not deliver.
* You can import as many contacts as you need - there is no limit per upload.
* If a contact with the same phone number already exists, DM Champ updates their information instead of creating a duplicate.

***

## Next Steps

* [Organizing Lists & Contacts](https://help.dmchamp.com/contacts-and-lists/list-and-contact-management) - Manage and sort your newly imported contacts.
* [Creating a Campaign](https://help.dmchamp.com/campaigns/creating-campaigns) - Start sending messages to your imported list.