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Mailchimp won't import your audience file?

Fix the errors Mailchimp shows when importing contacts, then import clean every week.

An address is malformed or incomplete

Malformed or incomplete email addresses are treated as syntax errors and won't be added to your audience.
Mailchimp help centre

An opt-in or confirm time is in the future

future dates in these fields will cause an error
Mailchimp help centre

The file is too large

If your CSV or TXT file size exceeds 200MB, or about one million contacts, it may cause import errors.
Mailchimp help centre

What Mailchimp’s importer checks

  • An email address must be complete, well formed and free of extra spaces. Mailchimp help centre

    Type

    Trim the spaces in Email Address

    we point out an invalid address once you mark the column required (column ⋯ menu → Configure Field → Required Field; the Health panel’s Invalid tab lists each); clicking the Email Address column header → Trim Spaces, then Lowercase, trims spaces and fixes case, but a badly-formed address is yours to fix

  • Fields must be separated by commas, not semicolons. Mailchimp help centre

    DocTransform fixes this: in Export, pick the CSV format and click Download the whole file; the file is written with commas, whatever separator it came in with

  • Role-based addresses like sales@example.com are removed from the import. Mailchimp help centre
  • A CSV or TXT file over 200 MB, or about one million contacts, must be split into smaller files. Mailchimp help centre
  • OPTIN_TIME and CONFIRM_TIME must not hold a future date. Mailchimp help centre

Before and after

12,480 contacts

audience_export.csv
Email AddressFirst NameLast NameOPTIN_TIME
ana.ruiz@solymar.example 1AnaRuiz2025-03-14 09:12:00
marc.bloch@nordic.exampleMarcBloch2025-06-02 17:40:00
sales@nordic.example2NordicSales2025-06-02 17:41:00
julia.novak@praha.example3JuliaNovak2025-09-21 08:05:00
tomas.silva@lisboaexample4TomasSilva2026-01-11 12:30:00
anna.keller@wien.exampleAnnaKeller2026-02-27 10:15:00
leo.martin@paris.exampleLeoMartin2031-01-01 00:00:005
eva.berg@oslo.exampleEvaBerg2026-05-19 15:55:00

    Before

    Fix it by hand in Excel or Sheets

    1. Wrap the Email Address column in TRIM() to remove stray spaces, then paste the values back over the column.
    2. Check each address by eye for a missing dot or domain, and fix it directly in the cell.
    3. Expect Mailchimp to drop role addresses like sales@example.com; add those contacts by hand or through your signup form.
    4. Save the file as CSV with commas, not semicolons, between fields: find and replace in a text editor works.
    5. Check that no OPTIN_TIME or CONFIRM_TIME holds a future date, and split a file over 200 MB into smaller files.

    Fix it in DocTransform

    1. 1. Upload audience_export.csv into DocTransform.
    2. 2. Type

      Trim the spaces in Email Address

      and press Send. Check the steps it adds; Undo takes them all back. Or by hand: Apply the fixes: click the Email Address column header → Trim Spaces to remove the stray spaces. Fix the malformed address, the role address and the future opt-in time by hand, and split a file over 200 MB yourself: DocTransform saves no step for them.
    3. 3. Download the cleaned file as CSV with Download the whole file: it is written with commas, ready for Mailchimp’s importer.
    “Trim the spaces in Email Address” typed into DocTransform; one step applied, two Email Address cells trimmed; Undo shown
    1. Type the change in one sentence, in your own words.
    2. Wait about 5 seconds while the steps are written. Stop cancels.
    3. Check each step and how many cells or rows it changes.
    4. The file is clean. Not what you meant? One Undo takes it all back.

    Save this fix once, then rerun it on next week’s export with one click.

    Questions

    Does DocTransform split my file if it’s over Mailchimp’s limits?
    No — DocTransform doesn’t split files. If your export is over 200 MB, split it by hand before uploading.
    Will DocTransform remove role addresses like sales@ for me?
    No — Mailchimp removes them from your import itself, and DocTransform saves no step to filter them out first. Add those contacts by hand or through your signup form.
    Can I reuse this fix next time I export my audience?
    Yes — save it once in DocTransform and rerun it on next week’s export.
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