How to export enriched contact lists from Introhive to your CRM

If you’ve ever tried to get a clean, up-to-date contact list from one tool to another, you know it’s rarely as simple as “just click export.” This guide is for anyone who wants to get the most out of Introhive by moving enriched contact data into their CRM—without turning it into a weekend project.

We’ll walk through what actually works, what to skip, and how to avoid the usual headaches. Whether you’re in sales ops, marketing, admin, or just the one stuck with “data stuff,” this is for you.

Why bother with enriched contact exports?

Let’s be honest: most CRMs are only as good as the data you feed them. If contacts are outdated, missing context, or full of duplicates, your CRM turns into a graveyard pretty fast. Introhive’s main draw is that it automatically enriches contact data—pulling in fresh info from email signatures, calendar invites, and beyond. But getting that enriched data out of Introhive and into your CRM, in usable form, is where things get tricky.

So, why export? Here’s the real-world payoff:

  • Cleaner data: Fewer duplicates, more complete records.
  • Less manual entry: Nobody wants to copy-paste job titles all day.
  • Better targeting: Sales and marketing actually reach the right people.
  • Compliance: Keep your data sources auditable (important if legal ever comes knocking).

Let’s get into what works—and what to watch for.

Step 1: Know your CRM’s requirements

Before you even log in to Introhive, get clear on what your CRM needs. Every CRM—Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics, you name it—has its own quirks. Some care about field names, some reject incomplete records, some choke on special characters.

Checklist:

  • What fields must be present? (e.g. email, first name, etc.)
  • What format does the CRM expect for imports? (CSV, Excel, API, etc.)
  • Are there field length limits or required formats (like phone numbers)?
  • Will the CRM deduplicate on import, or do you need to clean up first?

Pro tip: If you haven’t done an import in a while, try a quick test with a dummy file. It’ll save you a lot of back-and-forth later.

Step 2: Prep your Introhive account (and permissions)

Not every Introhive user can export data—sometimes you need admin or special report access. If you don’t see export options, talk to whoever manages your Introhive setup.

What you need:

  • Access to the “Contacts” or “Relationships” module
  • Permissions to run and export reports
  • (Optional) API access if you want to automate or do bulk exports

What doesn’t work: Don’t try to “screen scrape” or copy-paste from the UI—Introhive’s exports are much cleaner and less error-prone.

Step 3: Filter and clean your contacts in Introhive

Introhive pulls in a lot of contacts—some useful, some not so much. Exporting everything is a rookie mistake. Before you hit export:

  • Use filters: Narrow by company, geography, contact owner, or relationship strength.
  • Exclude junk: Weed out generic emails (info@, sales@), old contacts, or anyone marked as “do not contact.”
  • Check enrichment status: Some contacts are only partially enriched. Decide if you want to include these or not.

What to ignore: Don’t get bogged down in fields you never use. If your CRM doesn’t care about “LinkedIn Profile,” leave it out.

Step 4: Export the data

Now for the part everyone wishes was magic. In reality, most users go with the built-in export tools, but there are a couple of ways to do it.

Option 1: Manual CSV Export

  • From the Contacts/Relationships module, apply your filters.
  • Look for an “Export” or “Download” button—usually top right.
  • Choose CSV (or Excel, if your CRM prefers it).
  • Save the file locally.

Pros: Simple, no setup required.

Cons: Not automated. You’ll need to clean things up manually if you do this often.

Option 2: Scheduled Reports

If you need regular exports (e.g. weekly updates):

  • Use Introhive’s reporting tools to schedule a recurring export.
  • Make sure the report includes all the fields your CRM needs.
  • Set it to email you the file or drop it in a secure location.

Works well for: Teams that update contacts in bulk, or if you want to keep an audit trail.

Option 3: API Export (for the technical crowd)

If you’ve got dev resources or use an integration platform (like Zapier, Workato, etc.), you can pull enriched contacts out via API. This is overkill for most, but handy if you want full automation.

Warning: API setups require more upfront work and maintenance. Don’t bother unless you have a real need for it.

Step 5: Clean and map your data

Here’s where most exports fall apart: the data you get rarely fits neatly into your CRM’s fields. Don’t just import and hope for the best.

Checklist:

  • Field mapping: Match Introhive’s column headers to your CRM’s fields. Watch out for subtle differences (“Work Phone” vs. “Phone”).
  • Standardize formats: Dates, phone numbers, and addresses are usually messy.
  • Deduplicate: Remove obvious duplicates—Introhive is good but not perfect.
  • Fix weird characters: Sometimes exports include strange formatting or encoding. Clean up any odd symbols.

Pro tip: Most spreadsheet tools (Excel, Google Sheets) have “find and replace” and dedupe features. Use them.

Step 6: Import to your CRM (with a dry run first)

Don’t import the full list right away. Always do a test import with a sample file—maybe 10-20 contacts.

Why?

  • You’ll catch field mismatches or formatting errors before they hit your live database.
  • Easier to undo if something goes wrong.

Steps:

  1. Use your CRM’s import tool to upload the test file.
  2. Check that all fields landed where they should.
  3. Confirm that enrichment data (job titles, last touch, etc.) shows up as expected.
  4. Only then, import the full file.

What doesn’t work: Don’t skip the test. Every CRM has its own little “gotchas”—better to find them early.

Step 7: Automate (if it’s worth your time)

If you’re doing this more than once a quarter, consider automation. Depending on your tech stack, this could mean:

  • Setting up scheduled exports and imports: Many CRMs can import on a schedule from a set location (like an SFTP folder).
  • Using integration tools: Zapier, Workato, or similar can connect Introhive’s API to your CRM. Just be realistic—these tools can be fiddly, and maintenance isn’t zero.
  • Write a custom script: If you’ve got dev help, a simple script can handle the export, clean-up, and import steps. But again, only do this if you’ve got ongoing volume to justify the effort.

Honest take: For most teams, manual exports every few weeks are enough. Automation pays off only at scale.

What to watch out for (real-world gotchas)

  • Partial enrichment: Not all contacts will have full details. Decide if you want to import “bare minimum” records.
  • Privacy concerns: Double-check what data you’re exporting and importing. Some info may be sensitive.
  • Duplicates: Both Introhive and your CRM try to dedupe, but neither is perfect.
  • Field mismatches: Even a single mismatched field can cause a lot of cleanup later. Don’t rush mapping.
  • Access controls: Only certain users can export data. If you hit a wall, talk to your admin.

Keep it simple, iterate as you go

Exporting enriched contact lists from Introhive to your CRM isn’t rocket science, but it’s rarely “set and forget.” Start small, test often, and fix what breaks. Don’t over-engineer—get the basics working, then automate if you really need it. Your future self (and your CRM) will thank you.