Customers · updated 2026-08-08

How to import customers from a CSV in Dumpster Controls

Moving from spreadsheets or another system? The "Import Customers" wizard validates every row before anything is written.

Before you start

A CSV file with your customers. The columns are: first_name, last_name, email, phone, customer_type, company_name, address_line1, city, state, zip_code, notes.

Open the importer
Click "Import" on the Customers page. The modal explains: "Upload a CSV file to import your customers in bulk."
Grab the template first
The "Download Template" card says "Use this CSV template as a starting point. Fill in your customer data and upload it below." Click "Download CSV Template" to get a file with the correct headers and two example rows.
Upload your file
Drag the file onto the dropzone ("Drop your CSV file here or click to browse") or click to pick it. "Only .csv files are supported".
Review the validation
The review step shows "{count} rows found. Review before importing." with badges counting "valid", "warnings", and "errors" rows. Rows with errors are highlighted red ("First name is required", "Invalid email format"); warnings are amber ("Last name is empty", "Email is empty", "Phone is empty", or an unknown type note that defaults the row to residential).
Run the import
Click "Import {count} Customers" (only valid rows count). Use "Start Over" to fix the file and re-upload instead. While it runs you will see "Importing customers..." and "This may take a moment."
Read the results
The "Import Complete" screen shows three counters: "Imported", "Duplicates", and "Failed". Click "Done" to close; the table refreshes with the new customers.

Duplicates are detected by email: rows whose email matches an existing customer (or an earlier row in the same file) are skipped, never overwritten.
Valid values for customer_type are residential, contractor, and broker; anything else imports as residential with a warning.

The file must have the .csv extension. Export your spreadsheet as CSV first.

The CSV needs a header row plus at least one data row.

Every row has errors, so there is nothing valid to import. Fix the first names and email formats, then "Start Over".