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Upload a File and Choose the Data to Process

Pick the worksheet, header row, rows and columns before preparation

Overview

The Upload step decides exactly which data the Studio will work with. Exports often contain title rows, summaries, notes or unused columns. Choosing the worksheet, header row, rows and columns carefully at this stage prevents problems later in mapping and review.

Supported files

  • Upload a CSV or XLSX file. The upload area shows the maximum file size for your workspace.
  • Very large files are rejected with a clear message. By default, a file can contain up to 100,000 rows and 500 columns, although your workspace may use different limits.
  • Files that are encrypted, corrupt, have duplicate or empty headings, or are in an unsupported format are rejected with an explanation.
  • Do not upload macro-enabled workbooks or other executable content.

For XLSX files, formula cells use the values last calculated and saved in Excel. Formulas are not recalculated. If a formula result is missing or out of date, open the workbook in Excel, recalculate, save it and upload it again.

Choose the worksheet and header row

  1. For a workbook, choose the Worksheet you want to import.
  2. Find the row that contains the column headings. Select it in the preview and choose Header, or type its number in Header row.
  3. Rows above the header are ignored automatically.

Changing the worksheet or header row resets the import's mappings, column preparation and row decisions, because the columns may now mean something different. Choose them first, before you invest time in later steps.

Use the source preview

The preview shows the file as a read-only grid. Use the arrows to page through rows and Expand preview for a larger view.

Choose Rows to work with rows:

  • Header: Use the selected row as the header row.
  • Start: Start processing after the selected row.
  • Skip: Exclude the selected rows, such as totals, blank lines or test entries.
  • Include: Bring skipped rows back.

Choose Columns to work with columns:

  • Skip columns: Exclude the selected columns from processing.
  • Include columns: Bring skipped columns back.

Skipping never deletes anything from the original file.

Automatically skipped empty columns

New uploads skip columns that contain no values below the header row. The Studio tells you how many columns were skipped.

  • Only blank or whitespace-only cells count as empty.
  • Text such as NA or NULL counts as a value, so those columns are kept.
  • If every column is empty, none are skipped.
  • To keep a skipped column, choose Columns, select it and choose Include columns.

This behaviour can be switched off in the portal's Preparation settings.

Process only newer rows

Use Process rows after (file row number) when an earlier import already handled the first part of a file. Only rows after the number you enter are processed.

  • This is a manual cutoff. The Studio does not detect which rows are new or changed.
  • For XLSX files, the number refers to the worksheet row number. For CSV files, it counts parsed records.
  • Changing the cutoff clears row decisions and hides previous downloads until you prepare the files again.

Record the last processed row for each recurring source so the next import starts at the right place.

Name the import

The import name is prefilled from the file name and can be edited at the top of the import. It is used:

  • In the import history.
  • As the base of every downloaded file name.
  • As the HubSpot import name for automated ingestion, and in segment names created from the import.

If you rename an import after preparing files, prepare it again so the files use the new name.

Optional AI header suggestions

Select Explicitly enable AI header mapping before analysing the file to get mapping suggestions for unfamiliar headings.

  • Only column headings and the allowed HubSpot property names are shared. Cell values are never sent.
  • Uncertain headings are left unmapped rather than guessed.
  • Suggestions are a starting point. Always review them in Map.

If AI assistance is not enabled for your workspace, the option is unavailable and the Studio uses its standard header recognition.

Continue

Choose Analyse file to profile the data, then Continue to preparation. Until then, you can remove an upload with Delete upload.

What to do next

  • Read Clean and Prepare Source Columns to profile and clean the selected data.
  • Read Data Ingestion Studio Best Practices for tips on preparing source files before upload.