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The CSV Audit Checklist

Twelve checks that reveal how follow-up-ready your lead data really is. Run it on any export in about five minutes.

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A. Structure

• One header row. Exactly one row of column names at the top — no merged cells, no title rows above it.
• One record per row. Each row is one lead. No multi-line notes spilling into extra rows.
• Consistent columns. Every export from the same source uses the same columns in the same order.

B. Identity

• Duplicate companies. Sort by company name and scan for near-matches ("Northline Supply" vs "Northline Supply Co.").
• Duplicate emails. The same email under two different company spellings usually means one real lead.
• Canonical naming. Pick one spelling per company and note it — you'll reuse it every week.

C. Contactability

• Email format. Flag anything without an @ and a domain. Fix obvious typos; mark the rest for verification.
• Missing contact. A row with no email and no phone number can't be followed up — move it to a "research" list.
• Role or context. Do you know why this person is on the list (form, event, referral)? If not, note the source column you're missing.

D. Follow-up readiness

• One date format. Convert every date to a single format (e.g. YYYY-MM-DD) so sorting actually works.
• Last-touch date. Every lead should have a "last contacted" date — even if it's "never."
• Next step. The real test: for each A-priority lead, can you write the next action in five words? If not, the data isn't the problem — the routine is.