Before you can verify an email list, you need it in a format a verification tool can actually read. If your contacts are sitting in a spreadsheet, a CRM export, or a platform that doesn’t connect directly, converting that list to a clean CSV or TXT file is a five-minute job — as long as you know what format the upload actually expects.
What a Verification Tool Expects
Zuhal reads the first column of an uploaded CSV or TXT file as the email address list. A header row is fine (it’s detected automatically and skipped) — you don’t need to remove it manually. What matters is that email addresses are in the first column, one address per row, with no extra formatting or merged cells.
Exporting to CSV from a Spreadsheet
- Open your contact list in Excel or Google Sheets.
- Make sure email addresses are in column A. If they’re not, cut and paste them into a new column A, or delete the columns to the left.
- In Excel: File → Save As → CSV (Comma delimited). In Google Sheets: File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv).
- Open the resulting file in a text editor to spot-check that it’s one address per line with no stray commas splitting an address across columns.
Exporting to TXT
A TXT file works the same way — one email address per line, nothing else on the line. This is the simplest option if your list is already just a column of addresses with no other data attached:
- Paste your list of addresses into a plain text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, or similar).
- Make sure each address is on its own line, with no bullets, numbering, or trailing commas.
- Save the file with a
.txtextension.
Common Mistakes That Break an Upload
- Multiple columns of data with no email in column A. If names, companies, or phone numbers are in the first column instead of the email address, move the email column to the front before exporting.
- Extra whitespace or trailing characters copied in from a CRM export — usually harmless, but worth a quick scan if a lot of rows fail.
- Saving as .xlsx instead of .csv. Spreadsheet formats other than CSV/TXT won’t be read correctly — always export, don’t just rename the file.
- Merged or duplicate header rows from copying multiple exports into one file — keep a single header row at the top, if you use one at all.
Next Step: Verifying the List
Once your file is a clean CSV or TXT with one email per row, it’s ready to upload for verification. Zuhal checks every address and sorts results into six categories — Valid, Invalid, Catch-all, Disposable, Risky, and Unknown — so you know exactly which addresses are safe to send to before your next campaign. See what each result category means.
If your list already lives inside Mailchimp, HubSpot, or another connected platform, you can skip the export step entirely — see connecting a platform directly instead.
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