Using Hatch Import Template

It's easy to import a list of contacts directly into Hatch, whether you purchased a list of leads or ran a special event.

If possible, always add those contacts to your CRM system and then sync Hatch to pull in these contacts through our integration (see article on Syncing your CRM if you need help) so we can properly keep record of all your contacts in Hatch. 

Step by Step


Step 1 - Navigate to the Contacts Page

Once there, click on the Import CSV button in the upper right corner. 

Step 2 - Download CSV Template 

Click the button to Download CSV Template.

The CSV file "HatchImport" should download immediately on your computer, if it does not please check your internet connection. mceclip2.png

Step 3 - Complete CSV Template - Required Fields 

Open the CSV Template that you downloaded. You'll see there are five (5) required column headers for importing.  You don't have to include information for all of these, but those columns must be represented on your spreadsheet to allow for importing. 

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Status

You can also use your own spreadsheet as long as those five (5) columns are also included. 

All contacts in Hatch must have at least a phone OR email to be created. You can create a Contact with only ONE of those, but if neither exist, the contact will not be created in Hatch. 

Step 3 - Complete CSV Template - Additional Fields 

You can add ANY other additional fields you'd like to import into Hatch but adding more columns to the spreadsheet with a proper Header. 

Make sure you save your file as a CSV file. 

Make sure you title your columns with the right data Name so you can find and use this data when building Groups. 

Step 4 - Upload Completed CSV

Once you've saved your completed CSV, go back to the Import screen and click Upload CSV Template. This should prompt you to select your file to upload into Hatch.  

Step 5 - Match Data Type 

Once you've uploaded your CSV, you'll be taken to a "Match Type" page.  Here you need to select from the drop down menu, what kind of data you are importing. This will allow you to build accurate Groups in Hatch. 

The Data Types currently supported are:

  • Date
  • Number
  • Text
  • True/False (select this for any binary options) 

If any of the columns you imported are already mapped in Hatch, you'll see those in your list with a little lock icon next to them.  If you ever need to change the type for these fields, email support@usehatchapp.com and we can take care of that for you. 

Step 6 - Complete Import

Once you've matched all your imported fields to a Data Type, click Import. That will add all of your contacts and data to Hatch.  If you run into any errors, please see below for Frequency Troubleshooting. 

Frequent Troubleshooting 

Here are a few common errors you may see when importing and how to fix them.

Invalid row length, cannot contain more fields than header. Most likely you are missing a Column Header title on your spreadsheet where you have data, check to make sure all your columns have header names and try reimporting. 

Error getting essential header fields. This means your spreadsheet is missing a required column. Hatch requires: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone and Status.  All contacts must have at least a phone or email to be created in Hatch.  You can leave those blank if you don't have that information on a contact but the column must be on your sheet to successfully import. 

Errors with specific rows on your spreadsheet. If the data is not in proper format for a field you selected, such as a phone number not having the correct number of characters, you will receive an error message upon importing letting you know where you need to fix it. You can continue to import but the lines with errors will not be represented in Hatch.