How to Export Business Card Contacts to Salesforce
A step-by-step guide to getting business card contacts into Salesforce - via CSV import with the Data Import Wizard or by scanning and syncing leads directly.
Business cards collected at events are only valuable if they reach your CRM and get followed up. This guide covers two ways to get business card contacts into Salesforce: importing a CSV with the Data Import Wizard, and scanning cards that sync to Salesforce directly.
Method 1: Import a CSV with the Data Import Wizard
If you have scanned your cards into a digital database, you can export them to CSV and import that file into Salesforce as Leads or Contacts.
Export your scanned cards to CSV
From your scanner, export the contacts as a CSV file with columns for name, company, title, email, and phone.
Open the Data Import Wizard
In Salesforce, go to Setup → Data → Data Import Wizard and launch it.
Choose what to import
Select Leads or Contacts, then choose whether to add new records, update existing ones, or both.
Upload the CSV and map fields
Match each CSV column to the matching Salesforce field. Salesforce maps common fields automatically.
Start the import and review
Run the import, then check the results to confirm records were created correctly.
Turn on Salesforce duplicate rules, or use the “update existing records” option matched on email, so you do not create the same lead twice.
Method 2: Scan and sync directly
The faster approach skips spreadsheets entirely. With a scanner built for sales teams, you scan a card and push it straight to Salesforce as a Lead or Contact, with fields mapped automatically.
- 1Scan the business card with your phone.
- 2Review the extracted name, company, title, email, and phone.
- 3Tap export to Salesforce - the record is created with fields mapped for you.
This is ideal at trade shows and conferences, where reps can capture dozens of leads and have them in the pipeline before they leave the venue - instead of typing them in days later.
Map your fields correctly
Whichever method you use, consistent field mapping keeps your CRM clean. Map the standard business-card fields to Salesforce like this:
- Name → First Name / Last Name
- Job title → Title
- Company → Company (Lead) or Account (Contact)
- Email → Email
- Phone / mobile → Phone / Mobile
- Notes from the meeting → Description
Get started
See all the CRM integrations and export formats VisiScanner supports, or learn how scanning works end to end.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I import business card contacts into Salesforce?
Export your scanned cards to a CSV file, then use the Salesforce Data Import Wizard (Setup → Data → Data Import Wizard) to import them as Leads or Contacts, mapping each column to the matching Salesforce field. Alternatively, use a scanner that syncs to Salesforce directly.
Can I scan a business card straight into Salesforce?
Yes. A scanner built for sales teams can push a scanned card to Salesforce as a Lead or Contact with fields mapped automatically, so you skip CSV exports and manual entry entirely.
How do I avoid duplicate leads when importing?
Enable Salesforce duplicate rules, or use the “update existing records” option in the Data Import Wizard matched on email address, so existing leads are updated instead of duplicated.
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