Agency lead-list QA
A lead CSV handoff checklist your client can follow.
Before you send a prospect list to a client or SDR team, make the file understandable to the person inheriting it. This checklist covers the source, visible file problems, row decisions, and the short note that should travel with the batch.
The checklist
Six checks before someone else inherits the batch.
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Keep the original export and name the batch.
Record the source system, export date, client or campaign, and expected row count. Keep the untouched CSV so a changed value can be traced back. If the source or permitted use is unclear, resolve that with the data owner before handoff.
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Check that the CSV is structurally intact.
Confirm a header row, the expected email column, consistent field counts, readable UTF-8 text, and no values shifted into neighbouring columns. Open a few rows with commas or line breaks in notes: those are common places for a broken export to hide.
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Separate visible email and domain risks.
Flag malformed addresses, generic role inboxes, disposable patterns, missing or weak company domains, and blank contact fields. A plausible address is still only plausible; syntax and pattern checks do not test a live mailbox.
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Find duplicates inside this file.
Group repeated normalized email addresses and decide which source row should survive. If the destination CRM already has records, check that system separately. A duplicate pass on this CSV cannot see records already in the client account.
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Give each questionable row a next action.
Use clear decisions such as keep, review, dedupe, replace contact, verify domain, or remove. Keep a reason alongside the row. Do not quietly discard source columns such as title, phone, or notes from the broad client handoff.
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Send a short handoff note with the file.
State the source and row count, what was checked, how many rows need review or removal, which file is for client review, and what remains unverified. If you also supply an import subset, explain why it is narrower than the handoff file.
Try a safe example
See the difference between a raw list and a handoff decision.
Example CSV
The downloadable six-row file uses reserved example domains and invented people. It includes a repeated email, a malformed address, a role inbox, a blank address, and a weak domain. It is for testing the preview, not for outreach or import.
Run the same check on your batch
ListSift’s free preview checks the CSV you provide and shows issue counts plus a sample of flagged rows. If cleanup is worth paying for, the exact-batch purchase adds the broad handoff CSV, readable report, and narrower HubSpot and Apollo files with rejects. Prices are £29 up to 1,000 rows and £49 up to 5,000 rows.
Handoff note template
Write down the limits as clearly as the findings.
“This batch came from [source] on [date] and contains [count] rows. We checked CSV structure, visible email and domain patterns, and duplicate email addresses within this file. [Count] rows need review and [count] are proposed for removal. The full handoff file keeps those decisions visible; the import subset excludes rows blocked by the stated file rules. We have not verified live mailboxes, consent, or existing records in your CRM.”
Adjust that note to what you actually checked. Confirm the destination’s current import rules before upload: HubSpot’s file guidance and Apollo’s contact CSV guidance are the source of truth for their respective products.
Next step
Start with the free preview of the exact CSV you plan to hand off.
Review the visible damage before deciding whether the paid bundle saves enough operator time. Read how ListSift handles your CSV before uploading a client list.