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Import Leads into Sierra Using the Lead Import Wizard

Easily upload leads into the Sierra CRM using a CSV file and the Lead Import Wizard.

The Lead Import Wizard allows you to upload leads into Sierra CRM in bulk using a CSV file. This is the fastest and most reliable way to move leads from another system, spreadsheet, or vendor into Sierra without manual data entry.

Whether you’re migrating thousands of leads or importing a small list, the wizard helps you map fields correctly, manage duplicates, and assign leads automatically.

Table of Contents

  1. Why Use the Lead Import Wizard

  2. What You Need Before Importing

  3. Preparing Your CSV File

  4. Accessing the Lead Import Wizard

  5. Uploading & Mapping Your CSV

  6. Import Options & Duplicate Handling

  7. Completing or Reverting an Import

  8. Best Practices

  9. Troubleshooting Common Issues

  10. FAQs

Why This Feature Matters

Manually entering leads is slow, error-prone, and hard to scale. The Lead Import Wizard helps you:

  • Upload hundreds or thousands of leads at once

  • Assign leads to agents, ponds, or lenders automatically

  • Preserve custom data using Import Notes

  • Control how duplicates are handled

  • Keep your CRM clean and organized

Before You Start: What You’ll Need

Before opening the Lead Import Wizard, make sure:

  • Your file is saved as a .CSV (Comma Separated Values) file

  • Any agents you plan to assign leads to already exist as users in Sierra

  • You have permission to contact all leads in the file

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Step-by-Step Instructions

💡For a short video tutorial visit here.

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV File

Your CSV file should contain one lead per row, with column headers in the first row.

Accepted File Format

  • File type: .csv

  • Excel: Save As → CSV (Comma delimited)

  • Mac Numbers: Export → CSV

Supported Column Headers

If your column headers exactly match the field names below, Sierra will auto-map them during import.

Contact Information

  • First Name, Last Name, Full Name

  • Email (must be unique), Secondary Email

  • Phone, Secondary Phone, Phone Status

Dates

  • Registered Date (MM/DD/YYYY)

  • Date of Birth

  • Home Anniversary Date

Assignment

  • Assigned Agent

  • Assigned Buyer’s Agent

  • Assigned Listing Agent

  • Assigned Pond

🛑 Use only one assignment method:

  • Either Assigned Agent

  • OR Assigned Buyer’s Agent + Assigned Listing Agent

Lead Details

  • Lead Source

  • Lead Type

  • Buyer Agent Status

  • Listing Agent Status

Address

  • Street Address, City, State, Zip Code, County

Engagement & Metadata

  • Average Price

  • Number of Visits

  • Number of Saved Listings

  • Short Summary (128 characters max)

  • Tags (comma-separated)

Custom Fields

  • Any unsupported data can be stored automatically in the Import Note

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Step 2: Access the Lead Import Wizard

  1. Click the Gear icon

  2. Select Lead Import Wizard

Permissions

  • Primary Managers have access by default

  • Manager or Agent-level users must be granted access under
    Users → Profile → Permissions

Step 3: Accept the Terms & Conditions

Before importing, you must confirm that:

  • You have permission to contact all uploaded leads

  • The list is not purchased, scraped, or harvested

  • You comply with applicable privacy and communication laws

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Step 4: Upload Your CSV File

  1. Choose the site (if applicable)

  2. Click Upload a CSV File

  3. Select your file

Sierra will automatically attempt to match your CSV columns to supported CRM fields.

Step 5: Review & Match Fields

  • Review all mapped fields carefully

  • Click Edit to manually assign any unmatched columns

  • Click Skip to exclude columns you don’t want imported

Any skipped or unmatched data can be stored in the Import Note so nothing is lost.

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Step 6: Configure Import Options

After field mapping, you can:

  • Assign all leads to:

    • An agent

    • A pond

    • A lender

  • Apply one or more tags to every imported lead

  • Choose how to handle duplicates:

    • Don’t Import Duplicates

    • Import Duplicates

Duplicate Handling

If duplicates are imported:

  • Existing leads are updated with new contact info and notes

  • Existing data is not overwritten

Fixing or Reverting an Import

If something goes wrong:

  1. Go to Gear icon → Lead Import History

  2. Locate the import batch

  3. Click Remove Imported Leads

📝 This removes only the leads from that specific import, not all leads in your CRM.

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Best Practices

  • Clean your CSV before uploading (remove duplicates, validate emails)

  • Use consistent tags for routing and filtering

  • Always assign leads to a user or pond if agent matching isn’t possible

  • Store extra data in Import Notes rather than forcing unsupported fields


Troubleshooting Common Issues

Leads not assigned correctly

  • Confirm assigned agents exist in Sierra

  • Ensure names match exactly

Import failed or missing data

  • Check file formatting and date formats

  • Confirm headers match supported field names

Unexpected duplicates

  • Select Don’t Import Duplicates

  • Or remove the batch from Lead Import History

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FAQs

  • Can I import leads with the same email address?
    Yes, if you allow duplicates. New info will be added without overwriting existing data.

  • Can I apply tags to all imported leads?
    Yes. You can add one or more tags during the final step before import.

  • Do imported leads get saved searches set up?
    No. Saved searches are not created automatically via import.