Google Contacts failing to import correctly

Question

Good day,

I am trying to import a .csv file into Google Contacts. The import works fine except that "Phone" is saved on the notes field instead of the Phone Field.

I need help get this right.

Answer 1

If you want to import contacts to Google, there are a specific set of headers you have to use. It is also possible the headers have to appear in a certain order.

To get a CSV file with the headers you want:

1. Enter the contact details you want to upload into a single entry on Google contacts (e.g. the name and phone number in this case)
2. Export the contact from Google
3. Rearrange your data under the headers in the CSV export in the order you downloaded it from detail.

Google will give you a CSV file that looks like this: (I used a fictitious data and the name of a historical figure.)

Name,Given Name,Additional Name,Family Name,Yomi Name,Given Name Yomi,Additional Name Yomi,Family Name Yomi,Name Prefix,Name Suffix,Initials,Nickname,Short Name,Maiden Name,Birthday,Gender,Location,Billing Information,Directory Server,Mileage,Occupation,Hobby,Sensitivity,Priority,Subject,Notes,Language,Photo,Group Membership,E-mail 1 - Type,E-mail 1 - Value,Phone 1 - Type,Phone 1 - Value,Phone 2 - Type,Phone 2 - Value,External ID 1 - Type,External ID 1 - Value,E-mail 2 - Type,E-mail 2 - Value,
Ahmadu Bello,Ahmadu,,Bello,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,MTN Nigeria,0803 123 4567,Mobile USA,808 987-6543,,,,,

You can download my sample CSV file that I received from Google here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/129xUAsdd3hmVEKiT8wWfCNLhJVMC3rBc/view?usp=sharing

Note: It may be possible to use other headers and in other orders. It seems to work for others. The process I have described above is the only one that worked for me.

A similar process, but uses different headers (these did not work for me): https://www.timeatlas.com/import-contacts-to-gmail/

For further details others seem to be importing successfully as well: Basically I am followed something like these steps (Method 1): https://codegena.com/how-to-add-members-to-whatsapp-group-from-excel-file/

Or something like “Method 2” in this webpage: https://www.syncios.com/how-to/how-to-import-contacts-to-whatsapp.html#part2

Note: I have not been able to pin-point exactly what deviations from the Google CSV template are allowed.

• I tried pasting the Google sheets phone column headers into my CSV to import and that did not work. I don't know why. Maybe I mistakenly modified the CSV or saved the CSV with a slightly different parameter?

• I did rearrange the Google CSV headers in a different order and that still worked.

• I also duplicated the E-mail 1 - Type,E-mail 1 - Value columns and changed to 1 to 2 and that also worked.