CSV Import & Enrichment

Enrich imported CSV data by filling only empty values

CSV Import & Empty Value Enrichment

A common workflow is importing a CSV with partial data and enriching only the missing values. This pattern saves API calls and avoids overwriting existing data.

1. Import CSV

   Your CSV has partial data—some fields filled, some empty

2. Create View

   Filter to show only rows where the target field is empty

3. Set Up Enrichment

   Either convert the column to code or create a separate enrichment column

4. Run Empty Rows Only

   Run only the filtered rows to enrich missing values

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Example Scenario

You import a CSV with contact data. Some emails are already filled in, others are missing:

First Name	Last Name	Company	Email
John	Doe	Acme Corp	[e-mail]
Jane	Smith	TechStart
Bob	Wilson	BigCo	[e-mail]
Alice	Brown	StartupXYZ

You want to enrich only Jane and Alice’s emails without overwriting John and Bob’s existing data.

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Two Approaches

There are two ways to handle this:

Approach A: Direct Column Enrichment

Best for: When you want to fill in the same column that has missing values.

1. Create a view that filters for empty Email values
2. Convert the Email column to an enrichment column (or it already is one)
3. Navigate to the view and run only those rows

Be careful not to run rows that already have values—the view helps you target only the empty ones.

// Email column code - runs on rows you manually select
const firstName = await ctx.thisRow.get("First Name");
const lastName = await ctx.thisRow.get("Last Name");
const company = await ctx.thisRow.get("Company");

// Find and enrich contact info
const contactInfo = await services.person.contact.get({
  firstName,
  lastName,
  company,
});

return contactInfo?.work_emails?.[0] || contactInfo?.personal_emails?.[0];

Approach B: Separate Enrichment Column

Best for: When you want to preserve the original column and check for existing values automatically.

Create a new column (e.g., “Email (Enriched)”) that checks for existing values before enriching.

Important: A column cannot reference itself with ctx.thisRow.get(). You must reference a different column to check for existing values.

// "Email (Enriched)" column - checks the original "Email" column first
const existingEmail = await ctx.thisRow.get("Email");

// Skip enrichment if email already exists
if (existingEmail && existingEmail.trim() !== "") {
  return existingEmail;
}

// No existing email - proceed with enrichment
const firstName = await ctx.thisRow.get("First Name");
const lastName = await ctx.thisRow.get("Last Name");
const company = await ctx.thisRow.get("Company");

const contactInfo = await services.person.contact.get({
  firstName,
  lastName,
  company,
});

return contactInfo?.work_emails?.[0] || contactInfo?.personal_emails?.[0];

You cannot reference your own column. ctx.thisRow.get("Email") inside the Email column will not work. If you need to check for existing values, you must use a separate enrichment column that reads from the original column.

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Creating a View for Empty Values

Create a view that shows only rows where the Email field is empty. This lets you target exactly which rows need enrichment.

Method 1: Filter Panel

1. In the right-hand panel, click Filters
2. Click Add Filter
3. Set the filter:
   • Column: Email
   • Operator: is empty
4. Click Save filters as view
5. Name your view (e.g., “Missing Emails”)

Method 2: New View

1. In the left sidebar, right-click on your sheet
2. Click + New View
3. Name your view (e.g., “Missing Emails”)
4. Navigate to the Filters tab
5. Add a filter:
   • Column: Email
   • Operator: is empty
6. Save the view

Method 3: Ask Chat

Ask the AI assistant in chat:

“Create a view called ‘Missing Emails’ that shows rows where Email is empty”

The assistant will create the view with the correct filters automatically.

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Running the Enrichment

Once your view is set up:

1. Click into the view — Only rows with empty Email values appear
2. Select the rows — Choose which rows to enrich (or select all in the view)
3. Click “Run” — Execute the enrichment on selected rows only
4. Watch progress — As emails are enriched, rows disappear from the view (they no longer match the “is empty” filter)

This gives you real-time progress feedback and ensures you never accidentally overwrite existing data.

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Complete Example: Approach B

Here’s a full example using the separate enrichment column approach:

// ============================================================================
// COLUMN: "Email (Enriched)"
// ============================================================================
// This column checks the original "Email" column first, then enriches if empty.

// Step 1: Check if email already exists in the original column
const existingEmail = await ctx.thisRow.get("Email");

if (existingEmail && existingEmail.trim() !== "") {
  // Email exists - return it without making any API calls
  return existingEmail;
}

// Step 2: No existing email - gather data for enrichment
const firstName = await ctx.thisRow.get("First Name");
const lastName = await ctx.thisRow.get("Last Name");
const company = await ctx.thisRow.get("Company");

// Step 3: Find contact information
const contactInfo = await services.person.contact.get({
  firstName,
  lastName,
  company,
});

// Step 4: Return the best email found
return contactInfo?.work_emails?.[0] || contactInfo?.personal_emails?.[0];

Result:

First Name	Last Name	Company	Email	Email (Enriched)
John	Doe	Acme Corp	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Jane	Smith	TechStart		[e-mail]
Bob	Wilson	BigCo	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Alice	Brown	StartupXYZ		[e-mail]

The enrichment column returns existing values for John and Bob (no API calls), and enriches only Jane and Alice.

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Workflow Summary

Step	What Happens	Why It Matters
1. Import	User imports CSV with some empty values	Starting point
2. Create View	Filter WHERE Email IS EMPTY	Shows only rows needing work
3. Set Up Code	Either convert column or create separate one	Prepares the enrichment
4. Run in View	Run only the filtered/selected rows	Targeted enrichment
5. Progress	Enriched rows leave view as they’re filled in	Visual feedback

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Best Practices

Cannot Reference Your Own Column

A column cannot use ctx.thisRow.get() to read its own value. If you need to check for existing data before enriching, create a separate enrichment column that reads from the original column.

// ❌ WRONG: Inside "Email" column
const existingEmail = await ctx.thisRow.get("Email"); // Won't work!

// ✅ CORRECT: Inside "Email (Enriched)" column
const existingEmail = await ctx.thisRow.get("Email"); // Reads from different column

Use Views to Target Empty Rows

Create views for “needs enrichment” states. Navigate to the view before running to ensure you only process rows that actually need enrichment.

Batch Wisely

Select manageable batches (50-100 rows) to run at a time. Monitor for errors before processing all data.

Prioritize Work Email

When enriching contact info, prioritize work emails over personal for B2B outreach:

const contactInfo = await services.person.contact.get({ firstName, lastName, company });

// Prioritize work email
return contactInfo?.work_emails?.[0] || contactInfo?.personal_emails?.[0];

Handle Missing Input Data

Always validate that you have the required input data before making API calls:

const firstName = await ctx.thisRow.get("First Name");
const lastName = await ctx.thisRow.get("Last Name");

if (!firstName || !lastName) {
  return; // Can't enrich without name
}

// Proceed with enrichment...