Can Vtiger import an Excel file?

Not directly. Vtiger's help center states that you can import data from CSV and VCF files only, and tells you to convert an Excel sheet to a supported format such as CSV first. In Excel use Save As and choose CSV, ideally UTF-8. VCF is for Contacts only, and ICS is for calendar data only.

How do I import contacts into Vtiger from a CSV file?

Open the Menu, go to Tools, select Import and click New Import. Enter a title, choose Contacts as the module, pick the file format, header setting, character encoding and delimiter, and choose the file. Map the columns, set duplicate handling, review the preview of up to three records and click Start Import.

What is the file size limit for a Vtiger import?

50 MB. Vtiger's prerequisites page says the local file you import must not exceed 50 MB and that larger files cannot be imported. The pages we read state no maximum number of rows, so for a very large dataset split the file by size and import it in several runs.

Why is my Vtiger import failing?

Vtiger's troubleshooting FAQ lists the usual causes: a file that is not CSV or VCF, an encoding other than UTF-8, missing or duplicate header names, a file over 50 MB, hidden characters, wrong field mapping, picklist values that do not match, a lookup record that does not exist yet, or no import permission.

How does Vtiger handle duplicates on import?

At the duplicate step you choose Check Duplicates and pick the field that identifies a duplicate, or choose not to check. With checking on, Add New Records imports only new records and skips duplicates in the file, while Add New Records and Update Existing Records also updates matching CRM records with the file values. Not checking creates every row as new.

Can I undo a Vtiger import?

Yes, but only the latest one. On the Import Summary screen, click Undo, and Vtiger deletes the records that import created. Earlier imports cannot be undone that way. Vtiger also notes that a pending import should be finished or undone before you start another one.

How do I import data into custom fields in Vtiger?

Create the field first under Settings, Module Management, Module Layouts and Fields. Then put the custom field's name and its values in your import file and map the column during the import. The same CSV, ICS or VCF file rules apply, and picklist custom fields need values that match the options exactly.

What happens if a mandatory field is empty in my Vtiger import?

Vtiger fills missing mandatory values with ????. For Contacts the mandatory field is Last Name, so a file without a value for it imports records with that placeholder. Optional fields can stay blank. Fix this before importing by filling the column, or use the Default Value option on the mapping step for empty cells.

How do I find which Vtiger rows failed to import?

After the import, Vtiger reports the number of records imported, updated, merged, skipped and failed, and keeps a list of previous imports. Download the error file from the results: it lists the failed rows and the reason for each failure. Fix those rows in your spreadsheet and import them again.

Do I need special permission to import into Vtiger?

Yes. You need import rights for the module. Vtiger says admins can turn off import access for standard users, and that if you do not see the Import option you should ask your CRM admin to enable it. Check this before blaming the file when the option is missing.

By Alpit Patel and the aibrevo team · October 22, 2026 · 6 min read

How Do You Import Data Into Vtiger From Excel?

Quick answer

Vtiger does not import Excel files directly. Save the sheet as CSV (UTF-8), keep it under 50 MB, then go to Menu, Tools, Import, click New Import, choose the module, map the columns, set duplicate handling and click Start Import. You need import permission and values for the mandatory fields.

Updated October 22, 2026 · Reviewed by Alpit Patel, Founder and CEO

Key takeaways

Vtiger's help center says you can import data from CSV and VCF files only, so an Excel workbook has to be saved as CSV first. CSV works for any module, VCF for Contacts only and ICS for events and tasks.
Prerequisites from Vtiger: the file must be 50 MB or smaller, include values for the module's mandatory fields (a missing one is filled with ????), and you need import permission, which admins can switch off for standard users.
The wizard has four steps: select the file, map the fields, set duplicate handling, then preview (up to three records) and Start Import. Duplicate handling is Check Duplicates, with Add New Records or Add New Records and Update Existing Records, or Do not check.
Undo is available only for the most recent import, from the Import Summary screen. After an import you can download an error file listing failed rows and the reason for each.
Frequent failure causes in Vtiger's own list: encoding not UTF-8, no header row, picklist values that do not match case-sensitively, lookup records that do not exist yet, and missing import permission.

Vtiger does not import Excel files directly: its help center says you can import data from CSV and VCF files only. Save the Excel sheet as a UTF-8 CSV, keep it under 50 MB, then go to Menu, Tools, Import and click New Import. Choose the module, map the columns, set duplicate handling and click Start Import. The steps and limits below come from Vtiger’s help center, checked on October 22, 2026.

How do you import an Excel sheet into Vtiger CRM?

Convert first, then import. The conversion matters because the wizard offers no Excel option.

In Excel, use Save As and choose CSV. Choose UTF-8 if offered, so accented names survive. Keep column headers in the first row and give each header a unique name.
In Vtiger, click the Menu icon, open Tools, select Import and click +New Import.
Enter a title for the import and choose the module, for example Contacts.
Select the file format and whether the file has a Header row. Choose a Character Encoding that matches the file and the delimiter that separates fields. Click Choose file, then Next.
Map each file column to a CRM field. Fields with matching names are mapped automatically. You can set a Default Value for a field, used when the file’s value is empty. Click Next.
Choose duplicate handling (below) and click Next.
Review the Preview Import window, which shows up to three records, and click Start Import.

Three file types are accepted: .csv for any module, .vcf for Contacts only, and .ics for calendar data (events and tasks) only. The duplicate step does not appear when importing Inventory records or Users.

What are Vtiger’s import requirements and limits?

Vtiger’s prerequisites page lists three, and its troubleshooting FAQ adds the rest.

Requirement	Detail
File size	50 MB maximum, larger files cannot be imported
Mandatory fields	The file needs values for them. For Contacts that is Last Name. A missing value is filled with ????
Permission	You need import rights. Admins can turn import off for standard users
Encoding	UTF-8 recommended
Headers	First row, clear and unique names
Row limit	Not stated on the pages we read

Source: Vtiger Help Center, “What are the pre-requisites to importing records?” and “Why is my import failing?”, checked Oct 22, 2026.

Because only a size limit is stated, a wide file with many columns hits 50 MB sooner than a narrow one. For how other CRMs cap rows and files, see our CRM import limits comparison.

How does Vtiger handle duplicate records during import?

You pick one of three behaviours at the duplicate step.

Choice	Result
Check Duplicates, then Add New Records	Imports only new records. Duplicates inside your file are skipped
Check Duplicates, then Add New Records and Update Existing Records	Imports new records and updates matching CRM records with the file’s values
Do not check for duplicates	Creates every row as a new record

Source: Vtiger Help Center, “What are the steps to Import records into Vtiger CRM?”, checked Oct 22, 2026.

When you pick Check Duplicates you also choose the field that decides what counts as a duplicate, such as email for contacts. Choosing a field with blanks or typos makes the check unreliable, so clean the sheet first. Our guide to CRM data cleaning before migration lists what to fix.

Why does a Vtiger import fail, and how do you fix it?

Vtiger’s FAQ “Why is my import failing?” lists the causes. This table pairs each with the fix it gives.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Import option is missing	No import permission	Ask the CRM admin to enable it for your role
File rejected	Not CSV or VCF, or over 50 MB	Save as CSV, split large files
Accented characters turn into symbols	Encoding is not UTF-8	Save as UTF-8 and select the same encoding in the wizard
Columns do not map	No header row, or repeated header names	Put headers in row 1 and make them unique
Records imported with odd values	Hidden characters, stray commas or spaces	Remove them from the file
Picklist values missing	Values do not match, and they are case-sensitive	Match the CRM’s picklist values exactly
Linked record not attached	The related record, such as an Account for a Contact, does not exist yet	Import the related module first
Some rows not imported	Failed rows	Download the error file and fix the listed reasons

Source: Vtiger Help Center, “Why is my import failing?”, checked Oct 22, 2026.

Run the file through a checker before you start. Our CRM import file checker can flag blank headers and malformed values, and how to fix HubSpot import errors shows the same error families in another CRM.

How do you undo a Vtiger import or import into custom fields?

You can undo only the most recent import. On the Import Summary screen, click Undo, which deletes the records that import created. Earlier imports cannot be reversed that way, and a pending import must be finished or undone before you start a new one. After any import, Vtiger reports the number of records imported, updated, merged, skipped and failed, and lists previous imports in an import history.

For custom fields, create the field first under Settings, Module Management, Module Layouts & Fields. Then include the field’s name and values in the import file and map it. Test with a small file, because undo works only once and only for the last import.

What does Vtiger’s Excel limitation mean for a migration?

It means a spreadsheet is a conversion step, not a transport. When the source is another CRM, exporting to CSV per module and importing module by module keeps control, and you can import parent modules (accounts) before children (contacts). Vtiger’s feature page also mentions importing data from other CRMs through migration, without details, so we cannot describe that route. If you are weighing Vtiger against a free plan elsewhere, see is Vtiger CRM free. For other CSV flows, how to import a CSV or Excel file into monday.com covers a platform that does accept Excel.

When to get help

A single contacts file is quick. Help pays off when the import is part of a migration: several modules, custom fields, picklists that must match, lookups across modules and a cut-over date. Vtiger is quoted per project and aibrevo does not implement it. Migrating Vtiger data into Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics 365, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, monday.com, Airtable or GoHighLevel is a common request. Book a short call or send a message, and see the Pipedrive service page as one example destination.

Sources

Vtiger Help Center, How do I import data from Excel?, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Vtiger Help Center, What are the steps to Import records into Vtiger CRM?, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Vtiger Help Center, What are the pre-requisites to importing records?, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Vtiger Help Center, Why is my import failing?, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Vtiger Help Center, How do I undo an Import? and How do I import data into custom fields?, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Vtiger, Import and export features, checked Oct 22, 2026.

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