> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nudgen.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Upload contacts

> CSV format, validation rules, and tag assignment for contact uploads

## What this page helps you do

Upload a CSV of contacts so you can run campaigns. You'll learn the required columns, validation rules, size limits, and how to add tags during upload.

## Before you start

* A Nudgen account
* A CSV file with at least an `email` column
* Contacts must be under your plan limit (see [billing](/en/billing/overview))

## Step 1: Prepare your CSV

Your CSV must include:

| Column  | Required | Description                          |
| ------- | -------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `email` | Yes      | Valid email address. Must be unique. |
| `name`  | No       | Display name for personalization.    |

You can add other columns (e.g. `company`, `segment`). They are stored encrypted and can be used in tags or segmentation logic.

## Step 2: Validate format

* **Encoding:** UTF-8 recommended.
* **Delimiter:** Comma (`,`).
* **Header row:** First row must contain column names. `email` and `name` are recognized case-insensitively.
* **Duplicate emails:** Duplicates in the same file are merged. Existing contacts with the same email are updated.

<Warning>
  Invalid emails (malformed, missing `@`, etc.) are skipped. Check the upload summary to see how many rows were imported vs skipped.
</Warning>

## Step 3: Upload in Nudgen

1. Go to **Contacts** in the sidebar.
2. Click **Upload CSV**.
3. Select your file.
4. Choose tags to apply to all uploaded contacts (e.g. `inactive`, `re-engage`).
5. Review the preview and confirm.

## Size limits

* **File size:** Follow the on-screen limit (typically a few MB). Large lists may take longer to process.
* **Contacts per workspace:** Depends on your plan. The app enforces the limit at upload time; if you exceed it, the upload is rejected. See [Billing](/en/billing/overview) and the live [pricing page](https://nudgen.net/pricing) for current limits.

## What happens next

* Contacts appear in the list with masked emails (`j***@g***.com`).
* Use tags to segment audiences in [campaigns](/en/campaigns/create).
* You can [reveal](/en/contacts/overview) individual contacts as the account owner.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Some rows were skipped">
    Check that each row has a valid email in the `email` column. Empty rows or malformed addresses are skipped.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Upload failed: plan limit exceeded">
    Your contact count would exceed your plan limit. Upgrade your plan or remove existing contacts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Column not recognized">
    Ensure the header row includes `email` (or `Email`). Other columns are optional.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related docs

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Contacts overview" icon="users" href="/en/contacts/overview">
    Encryption, masking, and segmentation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create campaigns" icon="paper-plane" href="/en/campaigns/create">
    Select your audience and launch a campaign.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>