Mailchimp
Freshsales Contacts9 fieldsHow to import Mailchimp data into Freshsales
Export your Mailchimp audience and bring those subscribers into Freshsales. This template maps email, name, phone, and the full address to Freshsales's snake_case contact fields. Freshsales splits phone numbers into Work and Mobile; Mailchimp only exports one phone column, so we map it to Work by default.
Field-by-field mapping
This is the complete column mapping from Mailchimp to Freshsales. The left column is the header in your CSV export. The right column is the Freshsales field it should map to.
Before you start
This template's destination has a required field that needs attention before upload. You can still use this template. The steps below tell you what to add and where.
- Last Namelast_name
Freshsales requires last_name on every contact. Mailchimp subscribers who signed up with only an email leave Last Name blank.
What to do. Before upload, fill any blank Last Name cells with a placeholder like 'Unknown' so every row passes Freshsales's import validation.
| Mailchimp column | Freshsales field | |
|---|---|---|
| First Name | First Namefirst_name | |
| Last Name | Last Name*last_name | |
| Email Address | Emailemail TransformLowercased and trimmed | |
| Phone Number | Work Numberwork_number Freshsales splits phone into Work and Mobile. Mailchimp only exports one phone column, so we map it to Work by default. TransformStandardized to international format (+1, +44, etc.) | |
| Address | Addressaddress | |
| City | Citycity | |
| State | Statestate | |
| Zip | Zip Codezipcode | |
| Country | Countrycountry |
Required by Freshsales.
Columns we don't use
Your Mailchimp export includes 4 columns this template doesn't map. Each one below explains why, plus the workaround if you want the data in Freshsales.
- MEMBER_RATING, OPTIN_TIME
Mailchimp's engagement score and opt-in timestamp are Mailchimp-specific. Freshsales contacts don't have equivalent fields by default.
If you need it. Add custom number and date fields on the Freshsales Contact called Member Rating and Opt-in Time, then re-run this template to map them.
- TAGS
Mailchimp tags export as a comma-separated string. Freshsales uses custom fields or lifecycle stages instead of free-form tags.
If you need it. Add a custom multi-select field on the Freshsales Contact called Tags, or build saved filters in Freshsales after import to segment by Mailchimp tag values.
- NOTES
Mailchimp's NOTES column holds free-text annotations on each subscriber. Freshsales stores notes as separate Note records attached to the contact.
If you need it. Add a custom multi-line text field on the Freshsales Contact called Imported Notes, then re-run this template to map NOTES. Or import the notes as a separate Note batch in Freshsales after the contacts are in.
Formatting and cleanup
Mailchimp exports rarely match the format Freshsales expects. Fix these before you import.
- 1.Lowercases and trims email addresses
- 2.Standardizes phone numbers to international format (+1, +44, etc.)
- 3.Renames Mailchimp columns to Freshsales's snake_case API names
- 4.Maps Mailchimp's address block to Freshsales's address, city, state, zipcode, country fields
- 5.Maps Phone Number to Freshsales's work_number field by default
Or skip the manual work
Operelio runs this cleanup and mapping for you. Upload your Mailchimp export and download a clean, import-ready file for Freshsales.
Mailchimp to Freshsales FAQ
How do I export my Mailchimp audience?
In Mailchimp, go to Audience, click View Contacts, then click Export Audience. Download the CSV when it's ready.
Why does Phone Number go to work_number?
Freshsales splits phone numbers into Work and Mobile. Mailchimp only exports one phone column without labeling it. We default to work_number; if your Mailchimp subscribers' phones are consistently mobile numbers, remap to mobile_number after upload.
Freshsales requires last_name. What if my Mailchimp subscribers have blanks?
The 'Before you start' banner above explains the workaround: fill blank Last Name cells with 'Unknown' before upload so every row passes Freshsales's import validation.
What about unsubscribed contacts?
Mailchimp exports include subscribed and unsubscribed addresses. Filter unsubscribed rows out of the CSV before upload to avoid importing people who opted out.
Will this create duplicate contacts in Freshsales?
Freshsales uses email as the unique identifier on contacts. Contacts with matching emails update the existing record. New emails create new contacts.
