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Import and Export Contacts

BeePass allows you to import your existing contacts from a CSV file and export your complete contact book. These features make it easy to migrate from another tool or back up your data.

Importing Contacts​

Preparing Your CSV File​

Your CSV file must contain the following columns (order does not matter):

ColumnRequiredDescription
firstnameYesContact's first name
lastnameYesSurname
emailNoEmail address
phoneNoPhone number
categoryNoCategory (see below)
companyNoCompany or association
addressNoFull postal address
notesNoPersonal notes
File Encoding

Save your file in UTF-8 to avoid issues with special characters. Most spreadsheet applications (Excel, LibreOffice) offer this option when exporting to CSV.

Accepted Categories​

The category column accepts the following values: eleveur, testeur, fournisseur, veterinaire, association, autre.

If an invalid value is detected, BeePass automatically corrects it to autre and notifies you in the import report.

Running the Import​

  1. From the contact book, click the Import button
  2. Drag and drop your CSV file into the designated area or click to select it
  3. Check the mapping preview: BeePass matches your columns to the expected fields
  4. Correct the mapping if necessary using the dropdown menus
  5. Click Confirm Import

A report is displayed showing the number of imported contacts and any errors encountered (skipped rows, corrected categories).

Duplicates

The import does not create duplicates. If a contact with the same email address already exists in your book, the row is skipped.

Exporting Contacts​

To back up or share your contact book:

  1. Select the contacts to export (or use Select All)
  2. Click Export CSV
  3. The file is downloaded automatically

The exported file is encoded in UTF-8 with BOM for correct opening in Excel. It contains all visible fields: surname, first name, email, phone number, category, company, address, and notes.

Duplicate Detection and Merging​

BeePass automatically detects potential duplicates in your contact book by comparing names, email addresses, and phone numbers.

Viewing Duplicates​

From the contact book, go to the Detected Duplicates section. Each group of duplicates displays the relevant cards side by side for easy comparison.

Merging Duplicates​

  1. Select the primary contact (the one that will be kept)
  2. Review the information that will be merged from the other cards
  3. Click Merge
Smart Merging

During merging, BeePass fills in empty fields of the primary contact with data from the duplicates. Fields that are already filled are not overwritten. The interaction history is preserved for all merged cards.

Interaction History​

Each contact card has a timeline that traces all your interactions:

  • Messages sent and received via chat
  • Evaluations carried out on your queens by this contact
  • Key dates: date added to the book, last modified

This timeline provides a complete chronological view of your relationship with each contact.

See Also​