How to Fix Sparkforge CSV Import Errors

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Sparkforge CSV imports fail when files have multiple sheets, duplicate IDs, bad email or phone formats, or missing required values. Fix the row, save as a single-sheet CSV under 20MB or 10,000 rows, then re-import.

Bulk CSV imports in Sparkforge can fail for a handful of predictable reasons: bad formatting, duplicate IDs, missing required values, or owner names that match more than one user. Each error code points to a specific fix. Resolve the row, save the file as a single-sheet CSV, and re-import.

Pre-import checklist

Run through this before uploading to avoid most errors:

Save the file as .csv with only one sheet
Fill every required field with correctly formatted values
Format emails as name@domain.com and phone numbers in E.164
Use a unique Contact ID per row when updating existing records
Match dropdown and multi-select values to existing options exactly
Use Sparkforge user emails (not names) in the Owner column
Pick a stable primary column like Email or Contact ID

Bulk import error codes

Sparkforge returns numeric error codes during the import. Use this table to identify what failed and what to do.

Code	Meaning	Fix
1001	Unknown error — file not processed	Recheck file format. Clear browser cache or retry in another browser.
1002	Owner name matches multiple users	Replace the name with the user's email and re-import.
1003	More than one sheet in the file	Delete extra sheets, save as single-sheet CSV, re-import.
1004	Required property has invalid value	Fix the value to match the property's format.
1005	Enumeration value not found	Match an existing dropdown option or add it as a custom option.
1006	Contact ID does not exist	Export records to confirm IDs, or uncheck "update existing" if creating new.
1007	File not found	Re-upload the saved file.
1008	Email failed validation	Correct the email format and re-import.
1009	Empty value in unique property column	Fill every row's primary column or remove blank rows.
1010	Duplicate primary value across Sparkforge records	Pick a different primary column or clean up duplicates.
1011	Duplicate primary value within the file	Deduplicate rows or change the primary column.
1012	Duplicate Contact ID in the file	Keep one row per Contact ID and re-import.
1013	Phone number not parseable	Strip parentheses and dashes. Use E.164 format with country code.
1014	Date format mismatch	Match the date format you selected during import.
1015	Owner not found	Use the user's first/last name or email exactly as it appears in Sparkforge.
1016	Ambiguous enumeration option	Pick one matching value instead of multiple.

Phone number formatting

The phone column trips up most imports. Two rules:

Strip parentheses, dashes, and spaces. Numbers should be digits only with a leading + and country code.
If your sub-account country differs from the contact's country, prepend the contact's country code (for example +44 for the UK).

If you're migrating from Keap, the exported phone column will not import as-is. Highlight the column, format as numbers, remove all parentheses and dashes, then save.

Mixed lists with email and phone

If some rows have email only, some have phone only, and some have both, set Email as the primary preference and Phone as the secondary. Sparkforge will match on email when present and fall back to phone otherwise.

Multiple emails or phone numbers per contact

Split the contact into multiple rows. For example, one Josephine row with phone A and email, plus a second Josephine row with phone B and a blank email. Leaving the second email blank prevents duplicate-email collisions when phone is the unique field.

DND and notes

A DND column applied at import sets the contact to DND on every channel. To DND a single channel, add a tag like DND SMS and build a workflow that triggers on that tag and DNDs only that channel.

Notes import is one note per contact, max 5,000 characters. For more, use a large-text custom field.

Frequently Asked Questions

What file types can I import?

Only .csv files. Export from Excel or Google Sheets as CSV before uploading.

What is the maximum import size?

20MB or 10,000 rows, whichever you hit first. Split larger files into multiple imports.

Can I undo a bulk import?

There is no one-click undo. Tag every imported row at upload time. If you need to roll back, filter by that tag and bulk-delete.

Which column should I use as the primary column?

Pick a unique identifier — Email or Contact ID. Avoid columns where values can repeat across people.

Why are all my imported contacts marked DND on every channel?

A DND column at import applies to all channels. To DND a single channel, use a tag plus a workflow that DNDs only that channel.