Steps to Migrate From Excel to CRM Platform: 2025 Guide

Remember when Excel could call your leads or remind you to follow up? 

Yeah… us neither.

Excel might’ve helped when you had one rep, two clients and one user maintaining simple spreadsheets. But now, your business operations are more complex, your team is growing and inefficiencies are starting to show.

This is the point at which most growing businesses realise the need to migrate from Excel to a CRM (customer relationship management).

With a CRM, you’re not just moving data fields; you’re upgrading your customer relationship management strategy. You’re switching from manual work to automated clarity and bringing all your data into one organised system that scales with your team.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through why switching to a CRM platform matters, how to export data from Microsoft Excel and how to choose the right CRM software for your team.

Why do you need to migrate from Excel to CRM system?

Excel was never meant to act like your CRM. It’s a spreadsheet tool, not a system for managing customer relationships, automating sales processes or scaling your business operations.

Still, many businesses hang on to Excel sheets because they’re familiar, simple and well, free. But what they don’t realise is not switching to a CRM system is silently costing them their money, time and the chance to grow their business.

Here’s what happens when you continue using Excel as your CRM:

1. No visibility across your team

With multiple users, you never know who updated what. Two people could follow up with the same lead within a fraction of time. There’s a centralised customer data, yes, but it is just endless versions of the same spreadsheet.

2. Leads can quietly go cold

Leads go cold when you delay follow-ups and with Excel, delays are guaranteed. No alerts, no pipeline view, just rows of data you’ll check too late.

3. No accountability from reps

In Excel, reps can enter whatever they want “20 calls made” could mean anything. You have no way to verify who actually called, when or what was said. Without detailed activity logs or call tracking, you’re relying on guesswork, not data and that’s why accountability falls apart.

4. Unreliable data

You’ve got Excel columns full of typos, outdated information, inconsistent formats and duplicate entries. And when it’s time to use that data for campaigns or reports, nothing makes sense.

5. Zero scalability

As your business grows, Excel becomes a bottleneck. You have multiple sheets, disconnected workflows. You keep praying the file doesn’t crash. And if you want email integration, deal tracking or custom fields? Good luck.

Related read: CRM vs Excel

How to export data from Excel to the CRM system (Telecrm)

Moving your customer data from Excel to Telecrm is fast, easy and doesn’t require any tech skills. Just follow this step-by-step process and you’ll have all your leads imported in minutes.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Prepare your Excel file

Before anything else, clean up your Excel spreadsheet:

• Ensure each column has a clear heading (Name, Phone, Email, Source, etc.)
• Remove duplicates and blank rows
• Format phone numbers and dates consistently
• Save the file in .csv or .xlsx format (max 100MB or 100k rows per sheet)

Step 2: Log into Telecrm and go to “Add Leads”

• Once inside your Telecrm workspace, look for the ‘Add Leads’ icon
• Click on it, then choose ‘Add from Excel’

Step 3: Choose the right import option

You’ll now see three options:

1. Import Leads – To add new leads in bulk from your Excel file
2. Import Actions – To bulk assign activities like follow-ups, calls or notes based on what’s in your sheet
3. Update Leads – To update existing leads using new information (e.g., new stage, last contacted)

Step 4: Upload your file

• If you click on ‘Import Leads’
• Upload your .csv or .xlsx file by clicking the big purple Upload file button

Once uploaded, you’ll see the file listed below with the number of leads and who uploaded it.

Once your file is uploaded, you’ll go through these 4 simple steps to complete the import:

4.1 Field mapping

Match your Excel columns to CRM fields like Name, Phone Number, Email, etc.

• Telecrm automatically detects common fields
• You can manually match any custom fields as well (e.g. Budget, Location)

4.2 Duplicate checking

Telecrm checks for duplicate leads.

If there are, then you have to manually check for them and then proceed with “continue”

4.3 Campaign and list configuration

Assign the imported leads to a campaign, tag or custom list.

• Helps you keep your CRM data organised from Day 1
• Useful for running targeted follow-ups or bulk actions later

4.4. Lead distribution

Decide how you want to assign leads to your team.

Select users manually, assign equally or filter by role (Admin, Caller, etc.)

Makes sure each sales rep gets their fair share, no more manual juggling

Step 6: Confirm and import

• Review the preview to check for errors
• Once all the steps are done, click Upload.

Whether it’s importing contacts, adding custom actions or updating existing data, Telecrm gives you full control of your data migration.

Points to consider before you decide to export data

Before you upload that Excel file into your CRM system, take a pause. The import process might seem simple and it is, but skipping the basics can lead to messy data, broken automation or duplicate records.

Here’s what you should keep in mind before you export data from Excel:

1. Clean up your Excel sheet

Make sure there are no blank rows, spelling errors or inconsistent data fields. Check that names are capitalised properly, phone numbers follow one format and outdated information is removed.

2. Standardise column headers

Your Excel columns should clearly say what each field is like: “Full Name,” “Phone Number,” “Lead Stage,” or “Source.” This helps the CRM system auto-match them correctly during field mapping.

3. Remove duplicates

If the same contact is entered twice with slight variations (e.g., one with a phone number, one without), the CRM might treat them as different people. This skews reports and confuses sales reps.

4. Keep custom fields in mind

If your Excel file has extra data like “Preferred Visit Time” or “Referred By,” set those up as custom fields in Telecrm before importing. That way, nothing gets lost.

5. Check data volume

Most CRMs (including Telecrm) support up to 100k rows and 100MB per sheet. If you’re importing massive files, split them up to avoid upload errors.

6. Match using phone numbers or unique IDs

If you’re using Import Actions or Update Leads, ensure your sheet includes a unique field (like Phone Number) that the CRM can use to match and update the right leads.

7. Back up your original data

Once imported, you can’t always “undo” a messy import. Keep a backup of your original Excel spreadsheet just in case you need to rework anything.

In short: clean, well-structured data ensures a smooth migration and sets your team up for success from Day 1 in the new CRM system.

5 CRMs to switch from Excel

When you’re moving on from Excel spreadsheets, the CRM you choose makes a huge difference. It’s not just about importing your customer data, it’s about how easily your team can adapt, how well it fits your business processes and how it helps improve customer relationship management from Day 1.

Here are five CRM systems that are particularly well-suited for businesses making the shift from Excel:

1. Telecrm

Telecrm is the go-to choice for Indian sales teams that rely heavily on calling and WhatsApp. If your current Excel setup is just a list of numbers and notes, Telecrm takes that and turns it into a powerful engine complete with call tracking, WhatsApp automation and structured sales pipeline management. The import process is smooth and beginner-friendly.

You simply clean up your Excel file, map the data fields and you’re live. Within minutes, your reps can start calling leads, setting reminders and tracking every action in real time.

It’s designed for telecallers, field sales teams and growing businesses that need clarity without complexity.

2. Zoho CRM

If you’re looking for a more expansive suite of tools, Zoho CRM is another solid option. It goes beyond lead tracking, offering everything from email integration and marketing automation to custom workflows and advanced reporting.

Zoho makes it easy to import contacts from Microsoft Excel or even other CRMs and once the data is inside, you can build dashboards, set triggers and even run campaigns.

3. HubSpot CRM

For those who want to keep it simple and cost-effective, HubSpot CRM offers a clean, intuitive experience and the base version is completely free.

It’s perfect if you’re just starting your CRM journey. You can import data via CSV files, organise contacts, create deals and send follow-up emails, all in one place

While its free tools are enough for basic needs, do note that pricing can escalate quickly if you need marketing or sales automation features later on.

4. Bigin by Zoho

If you love the simplicity of Excel and want a CRM that feels familiar, Bigin by Zoho is a perfect middle ground.

It offers a spreadsheet-like interface, so there’s almost no learning curve. You get a visual sales pipeline, quick lead views and a smooth import process that allows you to bring in Excel columns just like you used to manage.

5. Pipedrive

It is ideal for sales-focused teams that want visual clarity and fast performance. Pipedrive offers a drag-and-drop pipeline, easy deal tracking and solid automation features.

You can quickly migrate from Excel using its step-by-step importing data flow, which includes smart field mapping and duplicate detection.

Once your data is inside, you can instantly see which deals are hot, who’s responsible and what’s next, something Excel CRM setups could never offer.

Related read: Best CRM softwares in India

Conclusion

Excel might have helped you get started, but it’s not built to manage modern customer relationships, track sales team activity or scale your business processes.

The longer you stick to Excel sheets, the more opportunities you risk missing. Missed follow-ups, scattered customer data, zero visibility. It all adds up.

And while you’re busy updating Excel columns, your competitors are closing deals through structured, automated CRM systems.

Migrating to a CRM doesn’t mean losing control. It means gaining it. Your system becomes efficient and you get full visibility into your sales pipeline. And with Telecrm, moving your data from Microsoft Excel is quick, simple and doesn’t require a tech team.

If you’ve read this far, it’s time to stop managing your important leads in spreadsheets. Start working smarter. Switch to Telecrm today by booking your free demo now