Partner CRM Import
Partner CSV Import Guide
Overview
The Partner CSV Import feature allows you to bulk import and manage your link building partners, their contact information, companies, and pricing details directly into Pitchbox. This is perfect for marketers and agencies who maintain partner databases in Google Sheets, Airtable, or similar tools.
Supported CSV Formats
Format 1: One Row Per Partner (Basic)
The simplest format with one row containing all partner information:
Partner URL | Partner Category | Contact Email | Contact Name | Company |
---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | Technology | john@example.com | John Doe | Example Corp |
https://another.com | Finance | jane@another.com | Jane Smith | Another Corp |
Format 2: One Row Per Partner + Contact Combination
Multiple rows for the same partner when you have multiple contacts:
Partner URL | Partner Category | Contact Email | Contact First Name | Contact Last Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | Technology | john@example.com | John | Doe |
https://example.com | Technology | jane@example.com | Jane | Smith |
https://another.com | Finance | contact@another.com | Mike | Johnson |
Format 3: One Row Per Partner + Link Type Combination
Multiple rows for the same partner with different link types:
Partner URL | Partner Category | Link Type | Link Type Price | Link Type Rel |
---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | Technology | Guest Post | 150 | follow |
https://example.com | Technology | Sponsored | 200 | sponsored |
https://another.com | Finance | Affiliate | 50 | nofollow |
Format 4: Link Types as Separate Columns
All link type information spread across dedicated columns:
Partner URL | Partner Category | Guest Post Price | Guest Post Rel | Affiliate Price | Affiliate Rel | Sponsored Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | Technology | 150 | follow | 50 | nofollow | 200 |
https://another.com | Finance | (empty) | (empty) | 75 | nofollow | (empty) |
Format 5: Mixed Contact and Link Type Data
Complex format combining contacts and link types in the same row:
Partner URL | Contact Email | Contact Name | Link Type | Link Type Price | Contact Email 2 | Contact Name 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | john@example.com | John Doe | Guest Post | 150 | jane@example.com | Jane Smith |
https://another.com | contact@another.com | Mike Johnson | Affiliate | 75 | (empty) | (empty) |
Format 6: Everything in One Row
Maximum data density with multiple contacts and link types:
Partner URL | Contact Email | Contact Name | Contact Email 2 | Contact Name 2 | Guest Post Price | Affiliate Price | Sponsored Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | john@example.com | John Doe | jane@example.com | Jane Smith | 150 | 50 | 200 |
How the System Handles Different Formats
Intelligent Row Processing
- Same Partner, Multiple Rows: The system recognizes when multiple rows reference the same partner URL
- Data Consolidation: Information from multiple rows is combined into a single partner record
- Last Value Wins: When the same field appears multiple times, the last occurrence takes precedence
Multiple Contact Handling
The system supports several approaches for multiple contacts:
Approach 1: Multiple Rows
Partner URL | Contact Email | Contact First Name |
---|---|---|
https://example.com | john@example.com | John |
https://example.com | jane@example.com | Jane |
Approach 2: Multiple Columns
Partner URL | Contact Email | Contact First Name | Contact Email 2 | Contact First Name 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | john@example.com | John | jane@example.com | Jane |
Link Type Flexibility
Method 1: Generic Link Type Column
Partner URL | Link Type | Link Type Price | Link Type Rel |
---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | Guest Post | 150 | follow |
https://example.com | Affiliate | 50 | nofollow |
Method 2: Specific Link Type Columns
Partner URL | Guest Post Price | Guest Post Rel | Affiliate Price | Affiliate Rel |
---|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com | 150 | follow | 50 | nofollow |
Method 3: Combined Pricing (Price;Rel Format)
Partner URL | Link Type | Link Type Price |
---|---|---|
https://example.com | Guest Post | "150;follow" |
https://example.com | Affiliate | "50;nofollow" |
Getting Started
Step 1: Access the Import Feature
- Navigate to your Partners section in Pitchbox
- Click on "Import CSV File" to begin the process
Step 2: Upload Your CSV File
- Drag and drop your CSV file into the upload area, or
- Click "Select file" to browse and choose your file
- Click "Continue" to proceed
Step 3: Configure Import Settings
Before mapping your columns, configure these settings:
✅ First row contains column headers - Check this if your CSV has header rows
Update Options:
- ✅ Update existing Companies - Updates company information if it already exists
- ✅ Update existing Partners - Updates partner information if it already exists
- ✅ Update existing Contacts - Updates contact information if it already exists
🔘 Attach Contacts from Opportunities - Links contacts to existing opportunities when possible
Step 4: Map Your Columns
The mapping interface will show all columns from your CSV. For each column, select the appropriate Pitchbox field:
Essential Partner Fields
- Partner URL - The website URL of your partner (required)
- Partner Category - Industry or category classification
Company Information
- Company Domain - Company's website domain
- Company Name - Company name
- Company Description - Brief company description
Contact Details
- Contact Email - Primary contact email
- Contact First Name - Contact's first name
- Contact Last Name - Contact's last name
- Contact Company - Contact's company name
- Contact Job Title - Contact's position
- Contact Work Phone - Business phone number
- Contact Mobile Phone - Mobile phone number
- Contact Tags - Comma or semicolon-separated tags
Link Type Information
- Link Type - Type of link placement (Guest Post, Affiliate, Sponsored, etc.)
- Link Type Price - Cost for the link placement
- Link Type Rel - Link relationship (follow, nofollow, sponsored)
- Link Type Placement Note - Additional notes about placement
Specific Link Type Columns
- [Link Type Name] Price - e.g., "Guest Post Price", "Affiliate Price"
- [Link Type Name] Rel - e.g., "Guest Post Rel", "Affiliate Rel"
- [Link Type Name] Placement Note - e.g., "Guest Post Placement Note"
Choosing Your CSV Format
When to Use Each Format
Format 1 (One Row Per Partner) - Best for:
- Simple partner lists
- When you have one primary contact per partner
- Basic link type information
Format 2 (Partner + Contact Rows) - Best for:
- Partners with multiple contacts
- When contact information is your primary focus
- Clean contact management
Format 3 (Partner + Link Type Rows) - Best for:
- Partners offering multiple link types
- Detailed pricing structures
- When link types change frequently
Format 4 (Link Types as Columns) - Best for:
- Spreadsheets with predefined link type columns
- When you want everything in one row
- Pricing comparison across link types
Format 5 & 6 (Mixed/Complex) - Best for:
- Comprehensive partner databases
- When you need maximum data density
- Advanced users comfortable with complex mapping
Best Practices by Format
For Multi-Row Formats (Formats 2-3)
- Keep Partner URLs identical across related rows
- Use consistent formatting for the same partner
- Consider sorting by Partner URL for easier validation
For Column-Heavy Formats (Formats 4-6)
- Leave empty cells blank (don't use "N/A" or "0" unless intentional)
- Use consistent column naming (e.g., "Guest Post Price", "Affiliate Price")
- Group related columns together (all Guest Post fields, then all Affiliate fields)
General Tips
- URLs: Always include protocol (https:// or http://)
- Pricing: Use numbers only, no currency symbols
- Link Relationships: Use standard values (follow, nofollow, sponsored)
- Contact Tags: Use semicolons or commas to separate multiple tags
- Empty Fields: Leave blank rather than using placeholder text
Import Behavior
Data Consolidation
When multiple rows reference the same Partner URL:
- All contact information is combined
- All link type information is combined
- For duplicate fields, the last row's value is used
- Empty cells don't overwrite existing data
Creating vs. Updating
- New Partners: Created when Partner URL doesn't exist
- Existing Partners: Updated based on your settings
- Contacts: Added or updated based on email address
- Link Types: Added or updated based on link type name
Troubleshooting by Format
Multi-Row Format Issues
- Inconsistent Partner URLs: Ensure exact matches including protocol
- Duplicate contacts: Check for slightly different email addresses
- Missing link types: Verify link type names match your system
Column-Heavy Format Issues
- Unmapped columns: Some columns might not map to available fields
- Empty vs. zero values: Distinguish between "no price set" and "price is 0"
- Column naming: Ensure link type names in column headers match your system
Example Mapping Scenarios
Scenario: Google Sheets Export
Your sheet has columns like "Website", "Contact", "GP Price", "Affiliate $":
- Map "Website" → "Partner URL"
- Map "Contact" → "Contact Email"
- Map "GP Price" → "Guest Post Price"
- Map "Affiliate $" → "Affiliate Price"
Scenario: Airtable Export
Your table has separate rows for each contact:
- Multiple rows with same "Partner URL"
- Different "Contact Email" in each row
- System will create one partner with multiple contacts
Scenario: Complex Pricing Sheet
Your sheet has "Link Type" and "Price;Rel" columns:
- Map "Link Type" → "Link Type"
- Map "Price;Rel" → "Link Type Price" (system will parse automatically)