Import CSV files into Zaps

Written by Owner

Updated at August 20th, 2025

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Table of Contents

Limitations 1. Add a Formatter Utilities step to your Zap 2. Set up your transform 3. Test your CSV import step

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With Formatter's Import CSV File transform, you can import the content of a CSV file and use the data in your Zap. This can be useful when you want to pass each row of a CSV separately to another app. You can use a CSV file sent by an app or a public URL that points to a CSV file.

Limitations

The Import CSV File transform supports files that are 150 KB or less (around 1,000 rows of a 10-column CSV file). If your file is larger than that, use Files by Zapier.

1. Add a Formatter Utilities step to your Zap

In the Zap outline, click the Action step or the plus sign + to add a new action. A dialog box will open.
In the search box, search for and select Formatter. The right sidebar will open to the Setup tab.
Click the Action event dropdown menu and select Utilities.
Click Continue.

2. Set up your transform

Next, set up the action:

Click the Transform dropdown menu and select Import CSV File.
Click the CSV File field and select a file or a public URL that links to a file from a previous step.
Click Continue.

In most cases, you can leave the fields Force First Row as Header Row, Type of CSV file and Encoding of CSV File on the default option. If your file is not properly recognized when you test this step, go back to the Configure tab and select different options for the header, file type or encoding and test again.

3. Test your CSV import step

Click Test step. If the import is successful, you will see two output fields:
- csv_text: a text field that includes all the content from the CSV file in one field.
- line_items: the content of the file as line-items.

After importing your CSV file with Formatter, you can map the line items to other steps of your Zap. You can also add a new Formatter step to convert line items into text strings.

Note

When you test the step, it will only return the first 50 line items. When the Zap runs, it will import the full file.

Import CSV files into Zaps

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Limitations

1. Add a Formatter Utilities step to your Zap

2. Set up your transform

3. Test your CSV import step

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