TL;DR: Lead import in Onyx CRM takes 15 minutes if your data is clean. Export your leads as CSV, map the columns to Onyx fields, and import — Onyx handles deduplication and field validation automatically. Most agents import 50–5,000 leads in a single upload.
Why Lead Import Matters for Insurance Agents
When you switch CRM platforms, you face a critical decision: leave your existing leads behind or migrate them forward. The agents who migrate are the ones who unlock immediate value. Your lead list is an asset. It represents months or years of marketing spend, referrals, and prospecting effort. Abandoning it means starting from zero.
Lead import solves two problems at once. First, it saves time — manually entering hundreds or thousands of leads would take weeks and introduce errors. Second, it preserves continuity. Your existing leads can be immediately segmented, nurtured, and worked by your new Onyx system. You do not lose momentum.
Prerequisites: What You Need Before Importing
Before you start the import, gather these four things:
1. Your lead data in CSV or Excel format. Export your existing lead list from your current system. This is usually found in the system’s export or backup section. If you have multiple files (contacts from different campaigns or sources), you can combine them or import separately.
2. Know your required fields. Onyx needs at minimum: first name, last name, and phone or email. Everything else (address, zip code, policy interest, source, etc.) is helpful but optional. Onyx field names are standard — “firstname,” “lastname,” “phone,” “email,” “address,” “city,” “state,” “zip,” “policy_interest,” and custom fields you have set up.
3. Clean data. Review your CSV before importing. Look for:
- Duplicate entries (same name, phone, or email)
- Blank rows or corrupted data
- Inconsistent phone number formats (should be 10 digits; Onyx will help standardize)
- Invalid email addresses (typos or old domains)
A clean import takes 15 minutes. A messy import might take 45 minutes with error correction. Spend 10 minutes cleaning first.
4. Know what happens to duplicates. Onyx will flag leads that match existing contacts by phone number or email. You decide whether to skip them (keep the existing contact) or replace them (update with new data). This is handled in the preview step, covered below.
Step 1: Prepare Your Lead Data as CSV
Export your lead list from your current CRM. The format does not matter — Google Sheets, Excel, or any CSV file works. Onyx will ask you to map your column headers to Onyx fields.
Required columns (minimum):
- First name
- Last name
- Phone OR email (at least one of these)
Recommended columns:
- Phone (10-digit format, with or without dashes)
- Address
- City
- State / Province
- ZIP / Postal code
- Lead source
- Interest (policy type)
- Assigned agent or team
- Date added
- Last contact date
Field name tips:
Your current system might call these differently. “First” vs. “First Name,” “Mobile” vs. “Phone,” “Lead_Source” vs. “Source” — Onyx’s import tool auto-detects common variations, so you do not need to rename everything. When you upload, Onyx shows your column headers and gives you a dropdown to match each one to an Onyx field.
Save the file as .csv (comma-separated values) or .xlsx. Do not save as .xlx or other formats — Onyx supports CSV and Excel only.
Step 2: Access the Import Tool in Onyx
Access your Onyx account and log in. In the main menu, find Contacts > Import Contacts (the exact location depends on your Onyx version, but it is always under Contacts). Your account must have import permissions — if you see a “Permission Denied” message, ask your Onyx admin or account manager to grant import access to your user role.
Click Upload File and select your CSV or Excel file from your computer. Onyx will load the file and show you a preview of the first 5–10 rows and a list of column headers it detected.
Step 3: Map Your Columns to Onyx Fields
This is the critical step. Onyx shows you two panels: your columns on the left, and Onyx fields on the right. For each column in your file, you choose which Onyx field it maps to.
Mapping example:
| Your Column | Onyx Field |
|—|—|
| First | First Name |
| Last | Last Name |
| Mobile Number | Phone |
| Email Address | Email |
| Address Line 1 | Address |
| City | City |
| State | State |
| Postal Code | ZIP |
| Source | Lead Source |
| Insurance Interest | Policy Interest |
Onyx auto-detects most common headers, so you might see several pre-filled. Review each one and correct if needed. If your column does not map to any Onyx field, leave it unmapped — Onyx skips unmapped columns.
Important: If you have a “CRM Phone” or internal reference number, Onyx can import this into a custom field, but Onyx prioritizes the actual contact phone number (the “Phone” field) for matching and communication. This ensures your leads receive texts and calls on their real phone number, not an internal code. This distinction matters if you are migrating from a system that stored an internal phone number in the primary field.
Once mapping is complete, click Preview.
Step 4: Run the Import and Handle Duplicates
Onyx now shows a summary of what will be imported. It displays:
- Total contacts to import
- Estimated duplicates (matched by phone or email)
- New contacts
- Records with errors (blank required fields, invalid emails, etc.)
Handling duplicates: For each duplicate, you choose:
- Skip: Keep the existing contact in Onyx, discard the imported row.
- Update: Replace the existing contact’s data with the imported data. Use this if the import has newer information.
- Review: Mark for manual review. Use this if you are unsure.
Most agents use Update for recent exports (your data is fresher) or Skip if they are importing old backup files.
Once you confirm the duplicate handling, click Import. Onyx processes the import in the background. For most files (up to 10,000 contacts), it takes 2–5 minutes.
Step 5: Verify Imported Leads and Check Data Integrity
After import completes, go to Contacts in Onyx. You should see your imported leads in the contact list. Run these checks:
1. Count check: Onyx displays the total number of contacts. Does it match your expected count?
2. Sample check: Click on 3–5 imported contacts at random. Verify that names, phone numbers, and emails imported correctly. If you see formatting issues (names in all caps, phone numbers missing area codes), note them for the next round of imports.
3. Segmentation check: Look for your “Lead Source” or “Policy Interest” field in the contact view. Can you filter or segment by source? This matters for campaign targeting.
4. Inbox check: Pick one imported lead and send a test text or email from the Onyx inbox. If messages send correctly, your phone numbers and email addresses imported properly.
If everything looks good, your import is complete. If you spot issues, Onyx support can help you re-import a corrected version or fix records in bulk.
Common Import Issues and Troubleshooting
Issue: “Invalid email address” error during import.
Cause: One or more cells contain email addresses with typos or invalid formatting (spaces, missing @, etc.).
Solution: Go back to your CSV, search for emails with obvious errors, and remove or correct them. Re-upload.
Issue: Phone numbers imported as “0000000000” or with missing area codes.
Cause: Your original file stored phone numbers as text without a leading 1 (for US numbers), or the format was inconsistent.
Solution: Ensure all phone numbers are 10-digit format in your source file. Onyx will auto-add the +1 country code for US numbers.
Issue: “Duplicate contact detected” even though names are different.
Cause: Two contacts share the same phone number or email address. Onyx prevents duplicate communication channels.
Solution: Manually review the contacts. If they are genuinely different people (e.g., spouse, family member, or duplicate from a list exchange), edit one contact to change the phone/email slightly (e.g., note it as a secondary contact) or update the email address. If they are true duplicates, mark one for deletion.
Issue: Import timed out or stuck on “Processing.”
Cause: Your file is very large (50,000+ contacts) or your internet connection dropped.
Solution: Break your file into smaller batches (5,000–10,000 contacts per file) and import separately. Reload the import page and try again.
Issue: Imported leads show but with blank or missing data.
Cause: You left a column unmapped during the mapping step.
Solution: Onyx does not re-import; you must export a new file with corrected mappings and import again. For future imports, verify mapping carefully.
Best Practices for Lead Import and Ongoing Maintenance
1. De-duplicate before you import. Use a tool like Excel’s Data > Remove Duplicates or Google Sheets’ Data > Data cleanup to reduce duplicates before the import. This saves time and prevents mapping issues.
2. Use consistent formatting. Standardize phone numbers (always 10 digits), state codes (always 2-letter abbreviation), and email formats (lowercase, no extra spaces). This improves data quality across the platform.
3. Segment during import, if possible. If your CSV includes a “Source” column (e.g., “Facebook Ads,” “Referral,” “Cold List”), map it to Onyx’s Lead Source field. This lets you track and segment imported leads by campaign, improving analytics.
4. Import in batches if you have very large lists. If you have 50,000 leads, split the file into 5–10 batches. This reduces processing time and makes troubleshooting easier if an error occurs.
5. Update in bulk once per month. If your legacy system still has active leads, export monthly updates and re-import them. Use the “Update” option to refresh contact information (new phone numbers, status changes, etc.). Onyx maintains the import history, so re-imports do not create duplicates.
6. Automate ongoing lead imports. Once you are comfortable with the import process, set up a weekly or monthly automated import via Zapier or API integration. See API Integration for Lead Distribution Platforms: The Complete Guide for deeper guidance on automation.
These practices will keep your Onyx database clean, segmented, and ready for automated campaigns. For help troubleshooting import issues, see How to Import Leads into Onyx CRM.
FAQ
Q: How many leads can I import at once?
A: Onyx supports up to 50,000 contacts per import. If you have more, break the file into multiple imports. Most agents import 500–10,000 at a time.
Q: What happens to duplicate leads?
A: Onyx flags duplicates (matching by phone or email) and asks you to skip or update. No duplicates are created without your approval.
Q: Can I import leads with just a phone number, no name?
A: Onyx recommends at least a first name or last name, but you can import phone-only leads. The contact will be created with the phone number and no name initially. You can update the name later.
Q: Does import overwrite my existing Onyx leads?
A: Only if you choose “Update” for a duplicate match. If you choose “Skip,” the existing contact is preserved and the imported row is discarded. You control this decision during the import preview.
Q: How long does an import take?
A: Small imports (100–500 contacts) finish in 1–2 minutes. Medium imports (1,000–5,000) take 3–5 minutes. Large imports (10,000–50,000) can take 10–20 minutes. You can close the browser window — the import continues in the background.
Q: Can I schedule automated imports?
A: Yes. Onyx integrates with Zapier and supports API-driven imports. Once a week, you can connect a Google Sheet or a lead source directly to Onyx so that new leads import automatically. See API Integration for Lead Distribution Platforms: The Complete Guide for details.
Q: What if some of my contacts have missing required fields (like no phone or email)?
A: Onyx will not import contacts that are missing both phone and email — they cannot receive communication. Contacts with a phone but no email (or vice versa) will import successfully; you can add the missing field later. If you have many incomplete records, consider adding a default phone or email placeholder during your data cleanup step.
Q: Can I import into specific pipelines or stages?
A: Not directly in the import tool — all imported leads start as new contacts in the default pipeline stage. Once imported, you can use Onyx automations to move them to the right stage based on source or interest. For example, set up a workflow: “If Lead Source = ‘Database Import,’ move to ‘Qualified’ stage.”
Next Steps: Automate Your Workflows
Now that your leads are in Onyx, the real work begins — turning them into appointments. Onyx is designed to nurture these leads automatically. Set up text and email campaigns to engage them, use AI-powered appointment booking to qualify and schedule meetings, and use database reactivation to resurrect cold leads.
Ready to import? Log into your Onyx account and start the process now. If you run into issues, reach out to [email protected] or your Onyx account manager — they can help walk you through any step.
Get started with Onyx CRM today. Sign up for a 14-day free trial and see how fast you can turn imported leads into booked appointments.
Meta Title: Lead Import Process: Step-by-Step Setup Guide
