---
title: How can we update contact data? 
description: Learn how you can update contact data in ActBlue Field Tools.
---

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# How can we update contact data? 

It's easy to update contact data in ActBlue Field Tools by simply re-importing contacts with their relevant data added or corrected.

Field Tools uses phone number as the unique ID for contacts, so if you upload a contact with the same phone number as they already had within Field Tools, a duplicate contact will not be created - the same contact will simply be updated with whatever new or corrected data is imported.

(Note that this is true for both contacts [imported](https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/importing-contacts-impactive-help-center) manually via CSV, or imported via integration with VAN/EveryAction, etc.)

To give a very simple example - let's say that you originally imported a contact John Smith with a simple CSV like this:

![Screenshot 2026-04-27 at 11.35.34 AM](https://help.actblue.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-04-27%20at%2011.35.34%20AM.png?width=670&height=114&name=Screenshot%202026-04-27%20at%2011.35.34%20AM.png)

A few days later, you realize that John's name is actually spelled 'Jon', so you need to update the contact. Easy! You just need to re-import the CSV with the information corrected, **using the same phone number for this contact** - Field Tools will match on that phone number as the contact's unique ID, and will thus update the data for that phone number accordingly:

![Screenshot 2026-04-27 at 11.36.22 AM](https://help.actblue.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-04-27%20at%2011.36.22%20AM.png?width=670&height=100&name=Screenshot%202026-04-27%20at%2011.36.22%20AM.png)

After importing that second CSV - in the same way you normally [import a CSV contact list](https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/importing-contacts-impactive-help-center), via Contacts \> Lists \> + Import List - Jon's contact record will be updated with the new spelling of his name.

Note that this method of updating contacts by re-importing them using the same phone number is also the way that an administrator can manually add tags and custom fields to contacts (without filling a report via the volunteer interface) - more on that [here](https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/how-can-we-add-a-tag-or-custom-field-to-a-contact-impactive-help-center).

<https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/importing-contacts-impactive-help-center><https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/using-dynamic-variables-in-texting-scripts-impactive-help-center><https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/our-csv/txt-contact-list-is-not-importing.-impactive-help-center><https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/how-can-we-add-a-tag-or-custom-field-to-a-contact-impactive-help-center><https://help.actblue.com/hc/en-us/using-dynamic-variables-in-phone-banking-scripts-impactive-help-center>

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