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How to add or import private contacts without creating duplicates

Learn how to add or import private contacts while automatically identifying existing database contacts to prevent duplicates and keep your contact lists clean.

When you add or import a private contact, CisionOne automatically checks for potential matches in the database. Reviewing these matches before saving helps you avoid creating duplicates and use existing database contacts when available.

This feature helps you:

  • Prevent duplicate contacts by identifying existing database contacts before creating or importing a private contact.

  • Save time by adding an existing database contact instead of creating a duplicate private contact.

  • Use curated contact information and metadata maintained for database contacts.

  • Keep imports clean by automatically identifying existing database contacts during import.

Add a private contact

1. In the left navigation menu, select Outreach > Lists, then select the Private Contacts tab.

Outreach Lists page with the Private Contacts tab selected.

2. Select Add Private Contact. The Add Private Contacts panel opens.

Add Private Contacts panel with fields for entering contact details.

3. Enter the contact's First Name, Last Name, Email Address, or Phone. CisionOne checks these details for potential matches in the database. If matches are found, a notification banner appears at the top of the Add Private Contacts panel, showing the number of matching contacts so you can review them before saving.

Notification banner displaying potential database matches in Add Private Contacts panel.

4. Select the notification banner to open the Potential Matches panel and review matching database contacts.

Potential matches panel listing similar contacts found in database.

5. Continue entering or refining the contact details. The Potential Matches banner and panel automatically update, narrowing the list of matching database contacts as you type.

Potential Matches panel updating as contact details are entered.

6. The Preview option appears when you hover over a match. Select Preview to review a matching database contact.

Preview option displayed for a matching databse contact.
Contact preview pane showing details of a matching databse contact.

Additional actions (optional)

Select the more arrow next to Add to list, then choose one of the following actions for the selected contact:

7. Choose one of the following options:

  • Select Create New List to create a new list and add the existing database contact into it.

  • In the bottom of the Add Private Contacts panel expand the Add to List section. Select one or more existing lists to add the database contact to those lists.

  • Complete the remaining fields in the details section and select Save to create a new private contact without adding it to a list.
    ​

    Add to List section showing option to add the contact to lists.

Note: Potential matches don't prevent you from creating a private contact. To create a new private contact even when a matching database contact exists, complete the remaining fields and select Save.

For more information on lists, see How can lists in CisionOne help me organize media contacts?

Import private contacts

  1. In the Private Contacts tab, select Import Private Contacts.

Private Contacts page with the import private contacts selected.

2. In the Add Private Contacts dialog, select Upload File and choose your CSV file. Ensure your CSV file contains all columns shown on the screen. The first_name, last_name, and email columns are required. Select Download Sample file for a template.

Add Private Contacts import window showing the Upload File button, a list of required CSV columns, a note that first_name, last_name, and email cannot be blank, and a Download Sample file link.

3. Select Next to continue the import.

4. Review the column mappings and make any necessary changes. To exclude a column from the import, select the corresponding available fields drop-down and choose Skip this column. Select Next to continue.

Import wizard displaying CSV column mappings and skip option.

5. Choose one of the following options:

  • Create New List to create a new list and import the contacts into it.

  • Select one or more existing lists and then select Import Private Contacts to import the contacts into those lists.

  • Select Import Private Contacts without choosing a list to import the contacts without adding them to a list.

List selection screen for adding imported contacts to lists.

After the import starts, a confirmation message appears indicating that your contacts are being imported. You'll receive an email when the import is complete.

7. Review the email sent to you after the import finishes.

8. Open the attached CSV file to see which contacts were skipped because matching database contacts already existed.

Notification showing import results and skipped contacts.

Note:

  • During the import, CisionOne compares each contact's first name, last name, and email address with existing database contacts. If all three values match exactly, the contact is not imported as a private contact.

  • When importing contacts directly into a new or existing list, CisionOne still checks for exact matches. If a matching database contact is found, the contact is not imported as a private contact. Instead, the existing database contact is added directly to the selected list. This ensures the list contains all intended contacts, either as private contacts or as matched database contacts.

For more information about creating and managing private contacts, see What are private contacts and how can I utilize them.

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