How to Export Contacts from Salesforce

Published: January 2, 2024 - 2 min read

Julian Alvarado

Exporting contacts from Salesforce is crucial for effective data management. This skill allows seamless management of contacts in spreadsheets. It’s also essential for using data in tools like email marketing platforms. 

In this article, we explore how to export a contact list from Salesforce, among other effective practical solutions. 

Understanding Salesforce Export Functionality

Salesforce is a premier cloud-based Customer Relationship Management platform. It enables detailed record-keeping of customer information. This includes names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses. 

Preparing to Export Contacts from Salesforce

Before you start your export, it’s critical to organize your data to maintain its integrity and usability:

  • Defining Objectives: Clarify your data export goals and determine the specific data sets required.
  • Data Mapping: Document how Salesforce data corresponds with the fields in your target system for accurate extraction.
  • Data Cleanup: Address duplicates and inaccuracies in your records to ensure data quality during the export.
  • Utilize Reports and Dashboards: Create custom reports to organize and visualize the data you plan to export.

Step-by-Step Guide: Exporting Contacts from Salesforce 

First, navigate to Salesforce’s printable view. This is where you’ll start the contact exporting process.

Navigating to the printable view in Salesforce for initiating contact export.

Then, select the number of records you need. This will give you a detailed display of the contacts.

Using the 'Print this page' feature in Salesforce to prepare contacts for export.

Next, use the ‘Print this page’ feature. 

After that, highlight the data and copy it. 

Salesforce Admin Time Saving Tips
Top 8 Techniques Salesforce Admins are Using To Save Time in 2024

Explore 8 cutting-edge techniques that are revolutionizing how Salesforce admins manage their daily tasks. Contribute more significantly to business outcomes and become a key driver of efficiency and innovation.

See the Techniques

Next, paste the copied data into a new Google Sheet. Make sure to check its accuracy once it’s copied.

Pasting the exported Salesforce contact data into a new Google Sheet for verification

Common Challenges and Troubleshooting Tips

Exporting contacts can sometimes present challenges:

  • Duplicate Contacts: Use Salesforce’s tools for managing duplicates.
  • Incomplete Contact Information: Perform data cleanup for comprehensive exports.
  • Data Volume Restrictions: Export in smaller batches if dealing with large volumes.
  • Custom Fields and Formats: Ensure consistent data formats and create a robust data mapping document.
  • Security Settings: Review and update security settings and permissions as necessary.

Conclusion

Exporting contacts from Salesforce is a seamless process that users can leverage to harness crucial data for insights and strategic decision-making. 

For a more efficient way to manage Salesforce data, consider Coefficient. It allows you to automate data import into Google Sheets, providing real-time data refreshes and live pivot tables for advanced data analysis.

Install it for free today to get started! 

Connect Salesforce to Spreadsheets Instantly

Sync Salesforce data or reports into Google Sheets or Excel with Coefficient's bi-directional connector.

Try the 2-Way Salesforce Spreadsheet Sync Trailblazers are Raving About

When did you last hit a blocker with native Salesforce reports? Find yourself manually exporting data to spreadsheets to make reports there? Or manually pushing data updates back to Salesforce?

Say goodbye to repetitive tasks and hello to efficiency with Coefficient, the leading Salesforce spreadsheet automation tool trusted by over 350,000 professionals worldwide. Nix the manual labor and drive more flexible reporting in Google Sheets or Excel on your Salesforce data.

Julian Alvarado Content Marketing
Julian is a dynamic B2B marketer with 8+ years of experience creating full-funnel marketing journeys, leveraging an analytical background in biological sciences to examine customer needs.
350,000+ happy users
Wait, there's more!
Connect any system to Google Sheets in just seconds.
Get Started Free

Trusted By Over 20,000 Companies