CRM Data
How the import decides a record already exists
The matching rules for contacts and companies, what an existing record gets updated with, and what it never overwrites.
Last updated September 2, 2026
Importing the same list twice should not double your database. These are the rules the import follows, and they are worth knowing before you load a file that overlaps what you already have.
Contacts are matched on email
Within the tribe being imported into, a row is matched to an existing contact by email address. A match updates; no match creates.
Because the match is inside the tribe, a customer who already exists under another tribe gets their own record for this one. That is deliberate — each tribe keeps its own relationship.
Companies are matched on name
A business name in the file is matched against the companies already in that tribe, and reused if it is there. Rows whose company already exists are counted as duplicates skipped rather than creating a second one.
What an existing contact gets
| Added to an existing contact | Left exactly as it was |
|---|---|
| Categories, industries and tags from the file. | Their name. |
| Custom field values. | Their address. |
| Business name and job title, where the file has them. | Their phone numbers. |
An import adds and labels; it does not overwrite the details of someone you already know. To correct records in bulk, use Update People, which matches on the Gorilla Dash ID instead.