How to manage and update contact information efficiently in Getcabal

If you're handling a growing list of contacts—customers, leads, partners—you probably know the pain of out-of-date info, duplicate entries, and messy spreadsheets. This guide is for anyone using Getcabal who wants to keep their contact info accurate without wasting hours or making things more complicated than they need to be.

Let's ditch the marketing fluff and actually get your contacts under control.

1. Get Your Contacts Into Getcabal the Right Way

First things first: You can't manage what you can't find. If your contacts are scattered in emails, spreadsheets, or your brain, Getcabal won't magically organize them for you. Here’s how to start clean:

a. Import contacts in bulk

  • Getcabal lets you import contacts from CSV files and some CRMs.
  • Make sure your CSV headers match what Getcabal expects (like First Name, Last Name, Email, etc). If you aren't sure, export a sample from Getcabal first—it'll show you the format.
  • Don't try to import everything at once if you have a mess. Start with your most important contacts, then add more as you clean them up.

b. Watch out for duplicates

  • Getcabal has basic duplicate detection, but it's not psychic. If your spreadsheet has “John Smith” and “Smith, John” with the same email, you'll probably get two contacts.
  • Before importing, run a quick find/replace in Excel or Google Sheets to standardize email addresses and names.
  • Pro tip: Email is usually the best unique identifier. Make sure each row has a good email.

c. Set default fields up front

  • Decide which fields actually matter to you. Name, email, company, maybe phone—don’t overcomplicate it with 20 custom fields unless you’re sure you’ll use them.
  • Getcabal lets you add custom fields, but more fields = more maintenance.

2. Make Updating Contacts Easy (So You’ll Actually Do It)

The number one reason contact lists get messy? No one wants to update them. Here’s how to keep things simple:

a. Edit in bulk where possible

  • If you need to update a bunch of contacts (like a company name change), use Getcabal’s bulk edit feature.
  • Select multiple contacts, then apply changes to a single field across all of them.
  • This beats updating one at a time, especially after a big import.

b. Use quick inline editing

  • For one-off updates (a new phone number, typo fix), Getcabal lets you click straight into a contact’s field and edit.
  • No need to open a separate modal or page for every tiny change.

c. Leave notes or tags for context

  • If a contact changes jobs or you’re unsure about their info, add a note or tag.
  • Tags like “verify-email” or “left-company” make it easy to follow up later.
  • But don’t go overboard—keep tags simple and consistent.

d. Don’t ignore the activity log

  • Getcabal keeps track of changes to each contact.
  • If something looks off (“Why did Bob’s email change?”), check the log to see who made the edit and when.

3. Set a Routine for Maintenance (So Things Don’t Spiral Again)

You don’t need to be obsessive, but a little routine goes a long way.

a. Schedule a regular cleanup

  • Once a month (or quarter, if you're sane), set aside 15-30 minutes to:
  • Merge duplicates
  • Delete outdated contacts (people who bounced or unsubscribed)
  • Check for missing key info (emails, names)

b. Use filters and search

  • Getcabal’s filters let you find contacts missing certain fields or tagged for review.
  • Use “Last updated” filters to spot stale records.

c. Delegate if you can

  • If you work with a team, assign someone to own contact hygiene.
  • Make it part of onboarding: “If you add a contact, you’re responsible for keeping it up to date.”

d. Resist the urge to over-automate

  • There are fancy tools and Zapier automations out there, but connecting a dozen systems is asking for trouble unless you really need it.
  • Start manual. Automate only when you’re sure what you need automated. Less can go wrong.

4. Merge and De-Duplicate Like a Pro

Duplicates are a fact of life. Here’s how to handle them without making things worse:

a. Use Getcabal’s built-in merge tool

  • When you spot duplicates, select them and hit the merge option.
  • Review both records before merging—sometimes the fields are different, and you’ll want to keep the best info.

b. Be careful with automated merges

  • Some CRMs promise “automatic duplicate detection.” In reality, they miss things or even merge the wrong people.
  • Always review suggested merges, especially if your contact list is messy.

c. Use email as the deciding factor

  • If two contacts have the same email, they’re probably the same person—even if the name is a little different.
  • If in doubt, add a note and revisit later.

5. Don’t Over-Complicate Permissions and Sharing

It’s tempting to lock everything down with granular permissions, but most teams don’t need that level of control.

a. Default to open, with clear accountability

  • Let your team view and edit contacts unless there’s a good reason not to.
  • Use the activity log for accountability—if someone messes up, you’ll know who did what.

b. Avoid “permission paralysis”

  • If you spend more time setting up roles than actually updating contacts, you’re missing the point.
  • Start simple. You can always tighten things up later if you run into problems.

6. Keep Data Clean—But Don’t Chase Perfection

Here’s the truth: Your contact data will never be perfect. People change jobs, emails go stale, and things slip through the cracks. That’s okay.

a. Focus on what matters

  • Make sure core info is accurate: name, email, and whatever else you really need.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff—if a job title is a little out of date, it’s not the end of the world.

b. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good

  • It’s better to have a “pretty good” list you actually use than a “perfect” list you’re afraid to touch.

c. Use validation features (but don’t rely on them)

  • Getcabal can warn you about invalid emails or missing fields, but it’s not going to do your thinking for you.
  • Use warnings as a nudge—not a substitute for paying attention.

Summary: Keep It Simple, Review Often, and Don’t Stress

Managing contacts in Getcabal isn’t magic, and it’s never totally done. But if you import carefully, keep fields simple, update as you go, and set a monthly reminder to clean up, you’ll stay miles ahead of most teams.

Don’t get sucked into over-automating or building a “perfect” system. The goal is to have up-to-date info you actually use—not to win an award for cleanest data. Start small, improve over time, and focus on what helps you work, not what looks impressive on paper.