> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.peoplevine.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.peoplevine.com/products/control-panel-overview/forms-overview/import-form-responses.md).

# How to Import Form Responses

### Before you begin (Prerequisites)

* **Permissions**: You must be an **Administrator**, **Supervisor**, or **Support**. See: [How to Manage Users and Permissions](/products/control-panel-overview/admin-overview/manage-roles-permissions.md).
* **Existing Form**: The form must already exist in Peoplevine with questions that match the data you plan to import. See: [How to Create a Form](/products/control-panel-overview/forms-overview/create-form.md).
* **CSV File**: Your import file must be saved as a CSV. Do not use other Excel file types or Google Sheets.
* **Unique Identifiers**: E-mail addresses and Mobile Numbers must be unique per person — duplicates will cause CRM records to merge during import. If unique email or mobile is not available, use **customer\_no** or **Reference ID** to map responses to existing CRM records.

### Instructions

#### 1. Prepare the Import File

1. Open your CSV file containing the data you plan to import.
2. Set up your column headers using one of these approaches:
   * **By question text** — use the form's question text as column headers (e.g., "What is your dietary preference?"). The system can auto-map these during import.
   * **By field ID** — use the field IDs from the form. To find them: open the form's Form Detail page, click **VIEW QUESTIONS** — the **Settings** column shows each question's field ID (e.g., `field_1661_2154`). Use these as column headers for precise mapping.
3. Include a column for at least one customer identifier so responses can be linked to CRM profiles: **E-mail**, **Mobile Number**, **customer\_no**, or **Reference ID**.
4. Add a **Response ID** column — every import file requires a unique response ID per row. Label the column `response_id` and generate a unique number for each row. In Excel, use this formula: `=TEXT(RAND()*(999999999999-100000000000)+100000000000,"000000000000")`. Copy the formula down for all rows, then paste as values.
5. Optionally include these system columns:
   * **Created On** — the date the response was originally captured.
   * **Survey Group No** — required if importing responses for forms that are part of a multi-step application. To find the survey group number, navigate to the application, hover over the **Review** button, and note the last number in the URL.
6. Save the file as CSV.

> **Note**: Photo data cannot be imported via this method. Contact Peoplevine Support for guidance on importing photos.

> **Note (Multi-step applications)**: When importing responses across multiple forms in an application, the `response_id` must be the **same** for each person across all forms. For example, if Jane has responses in Form 1 and Form 2, both rows must use the same `response_id`.

#### 2. Import the File

1. Navigate to [**ENGAGE > Survey & Forms > Manage Forms**](https://control.peoplevine.com/surveys).
2. Locate the form and click the **Menu** button (blue) to open its Form Detail page.
3. Click **IMPORT DATA**.
4. Under **Imported Data Type**, select **Survey Data**.
5. Check **Automatically map fields based on titles** if your CSV column headers match the form question text.
6. Click **Choose File**, select your CSV, and click **LOAD FILE**.
7. Review the mapping — for each CSV column, select the matching field from the dropdown. Options include:
   * **Customer identifiers**: Reference ID, customer\_no, E-mail, Mobile Number
   * **System fields**: Response ID, Created On, Survey Group No
   * **Form questions**: The form's actual question text (e.g., "What is your dietary preference?")
   * **Ignore This Field**: Skip columns you do not want to import
8. Optionally enter a **Label Import** to tag imported records with an attribute for easy filtering.
9. Click **PROCESS IMPORT**.
10. You will receive an email notification when the import is complete.

> **Note**: Maximum file size is **10 MB** (\~15,000 records). For larger datasets, use the Peoplevine API.

### Best Practice

Test with a small file of 5–10 records first to verify that field mappings are correct before uploading the full dataset. Deduplicate E-mail addresses and Mobile Numbers before importing to avoid merging CRM records.

### What Happens Next

* **On the system side**: Imported responses appear under **FORMS COMPLETED** on the Form Detail page, linked to the corresponding CRM profiles. See: [How to Manage and Export Form Responses](/products/control-panel-overview/forms-overview/manage-form-responses.md).

***

*Last updated: 2026-05-24*


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