Importing clients from another CRM or spreadsheet

Switching CRMs shouldn't mean re-typing every buyer. BrokerMule's importer takes the file your old CRM exports (or rows straight from a spreadsheet), figures out which column is which, and shows you exactly what will happen before anything is saved.

Imported clients come in with texts paused, so nobody gets a message until you decide they should.

Step 1: Export your clients from your old CRM

Almost every CRM can export contacts. Look for Export, Download or Export to CSV on its contacts, people or leads page, and export everyone. A few tips:

• Follow Up Boss, kvCORE / BoldTrail, Lofty, Wise Agent, LionDesk and most others export a CSV with one row per contact. That's exactly what you need.
• Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv), or just copy the rows and paste them.
• Excel: upload the .xlsx file directly. Older .xls files need to be saved as .xlsx or CSV first.
• Up to 2,000 clients per import. For bigger lists, split the file and import it in parts.

Not sure which CRM fits you after the move? Our Follow Up Boss alternatives, kvCORE alternatives and Lofty alternatives articles compare the options.

Step 2: Upload or paste

On the Clients page, click Import next to the stage filter. If you don't have any clients yet, use Import from another CRM or spreadsheet under "Add your first client."

Drop your file in, or click Paste rows from a spreadsheet instead and paste. Include the header row (the row with column names) if your data has one.

Step 3: Match your columns

BrokerMule reads your column names and makes its best guess. A preview of your first few rows sits at the top, with a green label over each column we're using, so you can see your data while you match it.

For each field, pick the column it lives in:

Every option in the dropdowns shows an example value, like Phone 1 · (508) 555-0142, so you can tell columns apart even when the names are vague.

Headers are handled for you. If your export starts with a title line or blank rows, we find the real header row (you'll see "Row 2 has the column names"). If the same header row appears again partway through, for example when two exports were pasted together, it's skipped. No header at all? Untick the box and the columns are numbered, with examples so you can still match them.

Excel and ZIP codes. Spreadsheets often drop the leading zero from ZIP codes (02740 becomes 2740). The importer puts it back.

Finally, choose the stage everyone should start in. Every imported client also gets an Imported tag, so you can find them later.

Step 4: Review before anything is saved

The review screen sorts every row into three groups. Click a group to filter the table:

• Ready. Has a name, a valid phone number and a ZIP code.
• Need a ZIP. Will be imported, but texts can't be turned on until you add a ZIP to their search.
• Will be skipped. With the reason: no first name, no phone number, not a valid US phone number, already in your clients, or a duplicate phone in the same file.

Click Import when it looks right.

Step 5: Check the results

You'll see how many clients were imported, how many need a ZIP and how many were skipped. Two buttons help clean up:

• Download skipped rows saves a CSV of every skipped row with the reason in an extra column. Fix them and import that file.
• Undo import removes everyone from that import in one click.

After you import: turning on texts

Texts stay off for everyone you import. Agreeing to hear from another tool isn't the same as agreeing to automated listing texts from you, so turn texts on one client at a time once you know they want them. Our real estate SMS compliance guide explains why consent matters.

To get a client ready:

1. Open them from the Clients page.
2. Fill in their search: ZIP, price range, beds, baths and must-haves. See adding clients for what each field does.
3. Switch their search on. If a client has no ZIP code yet, BrokerMule asks you to add one first.

Want a buyer to fill in their own search instead? Send them your invite link.