How Bulk Upload Works

A full walkthrough of the Reach Bulk Upload feature: selecting your file, assigning criteria, previewing, and confirming the upload.

Overview

Bulk Upload lets administrators add or update large numbers of subscriber records at once using a CSV file, instead of entering each one by hand. It is a three-step wizard: you upload the file, assign criteria (department, categories, channels), then review and confirm. This article walks through the full process from start to finish.

Who can use Bulk Upload?

Only Reach Administrators and Department Administrators have access to the Bulk Upload feature. Department Staff cannot upload subscribers.

What You'll Need

• Administrator access to Reach (Reach Admin or Department Admin role).
• A CSV file formatted to Reach's template. See KB-014 to download the template.
• The correct Department, Category Group, Category, and Channels you want to assign to the uploaded subscribers.

Step-by-Step: Running a Bulk Upload

Step 1: Go to Bulk Upload

1. Click Subscribers in the left sidebar.
2. Click the Bulk Upload sub-tab at the top of the page.
3. The upload wizard loads with three stages: Select File, Assign Criteria, and Preview and Upload.

Step 2: Select your file

1. Click Select File or drag and drop your CSV into the upload area.
2. Once selected, the file name and row count appear in the upload area.
3. The Next button activates. Click it to move to the next step.
4. If you need the official template, click Get Bulk Upload Sample file here before selecting your file. See KB-014 for more on the template.

File requirements

The file must be in .csv format. Excel files (.xlsx, .xls) will not upload. The file cannot exceed 150,000 rows. If your dataset is larger, split it into multiple files and upload them separately.

Step 3: Assign criteria

This step applies to every subscriber in your file. You are not assigning criteria row by row, you are setting the department, category, and channel for the entire batch.

1. Select the Department from the dropdown.
2. Select one or more Category Groups from the dropdown. Your selections appear as tags next to the field.
3. Select one or more Categories from the dropdown.
4. Select one or more Channels (SMS, Email, Voice) depending on which contact fields you have populated in the CSV.
5. Click Next when done.

Wait 10 minutes after upload

Reach needs up to 10 minutes to index newly uploaded subscribers before they are available for campaign targeting. Do not launch a campaign immediately after an upload.

Step 4: Preview and upload

1. The final step shows a summary table with the number of rows to be uploaded, the Department, Category Group, Category, and Channels you selected.
2. Review everything carefully. If something is wrong, click Back to make corrections.
3. When everything looks right, click Upload.

Step 5: Check Upload History

1. After clicking Upload, go to the Upload History tab.
2. Your upload will appear with a Pending status while processing.
3. Once complete, the Status column updates and the Success and Errors columns show how many rows processed correctly and how many failed.
4. If there are errors, click the error link to download a CSV of the failed rows. See KB-017 for how to fix them.

Tips for Success

Common Pitfalls

• ×Uploading an .xlsx file instead of .csv. Only .csv is accepted.
• ×Uploading without assigning any categories. Those subscribers will not receive campaign messages.
• ×Launching a campaign within 10 minutes of an upload before subscribers are indexed.
• ×Exceeding 150,000 rows in a single file. Split large files into multiple uploads.

Best Practices

• ✓Download the official template each time rather than reusing old files with potentially outdated headers.
• ✓Test with a small batch of 5 to 10 rows first to validate formatting before uploading your full dataset.
• ✓Keep a record of what categories and channels you assigned in each upload for troubleshooting later.
• ✓Use the SYNC button in Upload History to refresh the status if it stays on Pending for a while.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use Bulk Upload to update existing subscribers?

A: Yes. Include the existing Subscriber ID in the Subscriber_Id column of your CSV. Reach matches the ID and updates that record with the new values. See KB-016 for the full update process.

Q: What happens to subscribers who are already in Reach if I upload them again without an ID?

A: Reach will create duplicate records. Always include the Subscriber ID when updating existing subscribers to avoid duplicates.

Q: Can I upload subscribers for multiple departments in one file?

A: No. Each upload applies to one department, set in the Assign Criteria step. Run separate uploads for each department.

Q: How do I know if my upload is complete?

A: Check the Upload History tab. A Pending status means it is still processing. Click SYNC to refresh. A Failed status with errors means some rows need fixing.

Q: Can I cancel an upload after clicking Upload?

A: No. Once submitted, the upload processes automatically. If the wrong data was submitted, contact Convey support.

Need More Help?

If you have followed the steps above and still require assistance, please refer to the relevant articles listed below for additional guidance.

• Download CSV Template Get the official upload template with all required headers.
• How to Fix Upload Errors What to do when rows fail and how to correct them.
• Upload History Explained How to read the Upload History tab and export error logs.