The CSV import tool lets admins upload a spreadsheet to create or link contacts, clients, and groups in Vinyl in a single pass — no manual data entry required. It's designed for firms onboarding to Vinyl, adding new clients in bulk, or moving across from another system.
Where to find it
Go to Clients in the left-hand menu, then click Import. The import tool is available on the web app only and is restricted to admins.
What you can import
A single CSV upload can create or link:
Contacts — individual people
Clients — organisations or entities
Groups — collections of clients (e.g. family groups, related entities)
The maximum file size is 10 MB.
How contact matching works
Vinyl matches each row in your CSV against existing records using name and email together — not email alone. This is intentional. In accounting, the same email address is often shared across multiple contacts (joint tax returns, a bookkeeper managing several clients, a shared firm inbox). Using both fields means those contacts stay separate and don't get incorrectly merged into one record.
Previewing your import before it runs
Nothing is created until you confirm. After uploading your CSV, Vinyl shows a preview screen with exactly what will happen for each row:
The proposed match for each row
An edit modal where you can override any match manually before committing
A result split showing how your rows are categorised, so there are no surprises
Take a moment to review the preview before you confirm — it's your chance to catch anything that doesn't look right.
What the result categories mean
Skipped (errors) — rows that couldn't be processed because of missing or conflicting data. These won't be imported. Fix the affected rows in your CSV and re-upload.
Link only (no new records) — rows where the contact or client already exists in Vinyl. Rather than creating a duplicate, Vinyl will link that existing record to the relevant client or group. This is normal and expected if you're adding contacts who are already in the system.
Tips for a clean import
Include both name and email on every row. Matching uses both fields — rows missing either one are more likely to be skipped or mismatched.
Review the preview before confirming. It shows exactly what Vinyl will do with each row. If something doesn't look right, use the edit modal to fix it before it runs.
Importing from Karbon? Export your contacts from Karbon and reformat the columns to match Vinyl's CSV template before importing. The two formats differ slightly, so you'll need to map the column names across. If you're not sure how to do this, ask the Vinyl support team and we can help you prepare the file.
If you're switching from a PMS, clear your old synced data first. Importing while your old integration's contacts are still in Vinyl can create duplicates. Disconnect the old integration and remove its synced contacts before running your CSV import. See Avoid Contact Duplicates When Switching PM Systems.
Large imports
Vinyl processes imports row by row. For very large files — around 100,000 rows or more — expect the import to take up to an hour to complete. You'll need to keep the import tab open while it runs, but you can switch to other tabs or do other work in the meantime — just don't navigate away from that tab. If you have a large or complex import and want to talk through the best approach before you start, reach out to [email protected].
Need help?
If you have questions about your import or want guidance before you start, reach out to [email protected]. We're happy to help you prepare your file and walk through it together.