---
schema_version: "1"
id: be8230cd5acdb4de2743f6752d009bcc6ce5c7c8b745d860105690caee7482d2
title: Import File Requirements for Email Studio
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_es_import_file_requirements.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_import_file_requirements.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 1e5f87da3cde0d81b1a0527e3e10acbbee35aaf69e5c67b4be23f29b7b4de512
description: To ensure compatibility with Email Studio in Marketing Cloud Engagement, import files have some detailed requirements.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Import File Requirements for Email Studio

To ensure compatibility with Email Studio in Marketing Cloud Engagement, import files have some detailed requirements.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
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        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d11000e38">Requirement</th>
            <th scope="col" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" id="d11000e41">Description</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Format</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">When creating the file of subscriber data to be imported into the application, save it
              as a tab-delimited .txt file or a comma-delimited .csv file. Many applications, such as
              Excel, offer these formats. </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">File location</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">Save the import file on a locally mapped drive. Browse to this file from within the
              application. Only files on a locally mapped drive are supported. You cannot upload a file
              from a UNC path, such as \\ abcfiles\.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Header row</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">A header row is recommended for mapping purposes. If the labels in the header row
              exactly match the names of the attributes in your account, the application maps the data by
              default. For example, if importing a group of unsubscribed subscribers, you need a column
              labeled "Subscriber Status" with "Unsubscribed" in each row.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Attribute data type</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">
              <p>If you're importing subscriber attributes, the data in the import file must be of the
                same data type, that is, text, date, or numeric, as the attribute field in the
                application.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">If you're importing an attribute that exists in the application, you receive
                a warning.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Attributes with restricted values</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">If importing subscriber data into attribute fields that restrict the possible values,
              the import data must exactly match one of the values defined as allowable for that
              attribute.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Use correct values for subscriber preference data</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">
              <p>If you're importing subscriber preference data, use one of the following value pairs:</p>
              <ul>
                <li>Yes or No</li>
                <li>Y or N</li>
                <li>True or False</li>
                <li>1 or 0</li>
              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Delete any columns in the file that are not used in the import</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">Limiting the import file to only the data that is imported ensures that the system
              processes the file as efficiently as possible, saving time.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Make the email address the last column in the file</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">Email address is a required field and every row in your file must contain an email
              address, making it the last column in the file ensures that the last column of every row
              contains data. The system can process the file more efficiently when the last column of the
              row contains data because the system can then recognize how many columns each row
              has.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">If in doubt, save the file in the tab-delimited format rather than the comma-delimited
              format</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">If any of the values in your file contain a comma (as part of the value), you must use
              the tab-delimited format rather than the comma-delimited format.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Save the file in Microsoft Excel</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">The application is designed to handle files created in Microsoft Excel. If you didn't
              create the import file in Excel, avoid most errors by opening the file in Excel and resaving
              it.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Paste into a new spreadsheet</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">If you have trouble importing a file and can't figure out why, copy all the cells
              containing data into a new spreadsheet. When you paste the data into the new spreadsheet,
              use the Paste Special option and choose to paste just the values in Excel.</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Use the supported date formats</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">
              <p>Download a list of supported date formats. Use a supported date format when you upload
                into a date-type field in a subscriber attribute or data extension.</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">When you import dates
                into lists or a data extension, enter the date in the same format as is indicated on your
                account. If the userdate format is different from the account, use the format of the
                account.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Requirement" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e38 ">Map the columns in your import file to the attribute names in Email Studio</td>

            <td data-label="Description" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d11000e41 ">To map attributes, match the columns in your import file to the attributes names you
              created. In other words, map the import column to the attribute. For example, if you have an
              attribute in Email Studio called First Name, the import file should contain a column called
              First Name. When you import, any value in the First Name column lives in the First Name
              attribute.</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>