# Import Your Own List of Leads

> Bring your own list into Revnu by uploading a CSV or Excel file in chat, keep extra columns such as a discount code for each lead, add contacts you already have, correct a lead's details, and get a list of your leads back out.

Canonical: https://revnu.com/docs/import-leads
Last updated: 2026-10-18

To import leads, upload your CSV or Excel file in chat and tell Revnu what it is. Revnu reads the file, researches each row and saves it as a lead. There's no Import or Export button on the **Leads** page.

## How do I import a CSV or Excel file?

### 1. Export your list

Save it as **CSV** or **XLSX**. Older .xls files don't work, so save them as .xlsx first. You don't need to rename columns: Revnu works out which column is the company, the person and the email.

### 2. Attach it in chat

Attach the file wherever you talk to Revnu. It works the same in the dashboard chat, in Slack (drop it in the channel or DM) and in iMessage (send it like a photo). You can send up to 10 files at once, 10 MB each.

### 3. Say what the list is

In the same message, say what the list is and what to do with it, for example "these are 200 agencies from my old tool, add them to Leads and use my agency sequence".

If a column holds something extra, such as a discount code for each lead, say what it's for now ([extra columns](#what-happens-to-extra-columns-like-a-discount-code-for-each-)). To see only this list later, ask Revnu to file it under a campaign name, such as "old CRM list".

### 4. Check the first leads

Revnu confirms what it found in the file, then researches each row before saving it: the company's website, the person's role and their email. The first leads appear on **Leads** within minutes. A long file keeps going in the background, and Revnu tells you when it's done.

Revnu keeps every person on a list you ask it to add. It scores each one and names any that look like a weak fit, and leaves the choice to you. To have it filter the list, say "qualify these" or "keep only the good fits".

If you named a campaign, pick it from the **Campaign** dropdown at the top of **Leads**.

> **Note:** Importing a list doesn't send anything. Emails still go through your [sequence](/docs/sequences) and your [approval settings](/docs/approvals). A row Revnu can't confirm is flagged, not emailed, and if a row's email doesn't match the person or company, Revnu asks you about it.

## What happens to extra columns, like a discount code for each lead?

Revnu reads every column, but it only reliably saves what makes the lead: the company, the person and their contact details. An extra column isn't kept or used unless you say what it's for, in the same message as the file:

> Add these to Leads. The "code" column is each person's discount code. Save it on each lead as a column called Discount Code, and put each person's own code in their first email.

What you get:

- **A column on the Leads table.** Revnu can save the value on each lead as a column. If it's hidden, press **View Settings** above the table, then **Columns**.
- **The code in each email, if Revnu writes it in.** Revnu writes every email for one person, so it can put that person's code in. Nothing forces it to, so check before you approve.

![The Leads page. View Settings is at the right, above the table](/docs/screens/leads.webp)

Check the first few leads before anything goes out:

1. Open a lead on **Leads**, then its **Drafts** tab, and look for the right code.
2. If a draft has no code or the wrong one, edit it yourself while the lead is **Drafted**, or ask Revnu to rewrite it.
3. Approve the sequence only when the drafts are right.

> **Tip:** Your first sequence waits for your yes anyway. A later one goes live on its own if **Start Sequences** is on **Just Do It**, the Pro default. While you check, set it to **Ask Me First** in **Settings > Agent**. See [approval settings](/docs/approvals).

Two limits to know:

- **Ask Revnu to write the code into each person's email**, rather than adding it to the sequence's template as a field. That way every email reads naturally.
- **Upload and explain in one message.** Revnu reads the file in that conversation. If you come back days later and ask about a column you didn't mention, upload the file again.

## How do I add a few contacts I already have?

Paste them into chat, one per line, for example "Acme Ltd, Jane Smith, jane@acme.com". Revnu checks each address the same way and saves the leads.

## Can I edit a lead's details myself?

You can't type into a lead's contact or research fields on **Leads**. To correct one, tell Revnu, for example:

> Jane's email at Acme is jane.smith@acme.com, and Acme is in Leeds, not London.

It should update the lead and check the new email. Open the lead afterwards to confirm.

You can edit a lead's draft email before it's approved. Open the lead and edit the subject or message on its **Drafts** tab.

To stop Revnu contacting a lead, use the status menu on the lead's row. See [keep people off your outreach](/docs/exclude-contacts). For what each field on a lead means and how to update a lead's info, see [what's on a lead](/docs/lead-details).

## Can I export my leads?

You have two ways to get your leads out:

- **Ask in chat.** For example "list every lead that replied this month, with their company and email". Revnu answers with the list in its reply.
- **Use the API.** A developer can pull every lead with `GET /api/v1/leads`. See [list leads](/docs/leads).

If you need a full export for another reason, email support@revnu.com.

## If it doesn't work

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Revnu says it can't read the file | Check it's CSV or .xlsx and under 10 MB. Split a bigger file in two |
| Some rows didn't become leads | Revnu leaves out anyone on your [block list](/docs/exclude-contacts), anyone it's already contacting, and any address that would bounce. Ask Revnu which rows it skipped and why |
| The import is taking a while | Long lists run in the background. Ask Revnu how far it's got |

## Next step

[Set up the sequence](/docs/sequences) your imported leads will get.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I import my leads from a CSV?

Upload the CSV or .xlsx file in chat, in the dashboard, Slack or iMessage, and tell Revnu what the list is. Revnu researches each row and saves it to Leads. Imports happen in chat rather than from a button on the Leads page.

### Can I send the CSV in Slack or iMessage?

Yes. Revnu reads CSV and Excel files the same way in Slack, iMessage and the dashboard chat. Attach the file and say what it is in the same message, for example: > These are the people who visited our booth at SaaStr. Research each one and add them to a new campaign called SaaStr 2026.

### Can each lead's email include a value from my CSV, like their own discount code?

Yes, if you ask. Upload the file and, in the same message, tell Revnu what the column is and to put each person's value in their email. Revnu can save it as a column on each lead and write it into each person's email. Check the Drafts tab on the first few leads before you approve, and edit any draft that's wrong.

### Can I bring a lead export from another sales tool?

Yes. Export it as CSV or .xlsx and upload it in chat. Revnu checks each company, person and email before saving it, so stale rows get flagged instead of emailed.

### Why can't I edit a lead's email on the Leads page?

Revnu keeps lead contact and research fields itself so every change gets checked. Tell Revnu the right details in chat and it updates the lead and checks the new email. Draft emails are editable before you approve them.

### How do I export my leads to a spreadsheet?

Ask Revnu in chat for the leads you need and it lists them in its reply, or have a developer pull them with the API.