Changing the Email Addresses for Contacts

Changing the Email Addresses for Contacts

Delivra uses the email address as the primary identifier for contacts. This means that if you import a new email address, Delivra will treat it as a new contact. But what if you simply need to update an existing contact's email address—whether it's a one-off fix or a bulk change? This article walks you through both options.

Update a Single Contact’s Email Address

The simplest way to update an email address is directly through the contact record. This method preserves all historical engagement and mailing data.

Steps to update a single contact:

  1. Go to the Contacts dashboard and select All Contacts.
  2. Search for the contact using their current email address.
  3. Hover over the returned result and click the Edit button.
  4. Locate the Email field on the contact record.
  5. Enter the new email address.
  6. Click Save.

Once saved, the contact’s email address is updated across your account, and all past data stays linked.



Update Email Addresses in Bulk

For updating multiple contacts—especially when syncing with another system—use the External System ID field. While Delivra typically uses the email address as the unique identifier, it will reference the External System ID instead if it’s included in your import.

How it works:

  • If your import file contains both Email Address and External System ID, Delivra will use the External System ID to locate the matching contact.
  • If a match is found, the existing contact’s email address will be updated.
  • This allows you to change the primary identifier (email) without losing associated data.

Important notes:

  • Each External System ID must be unique across all contacts.
  • Be cautious—using this method may permanently modify contact records.
  • If you have questions, ask our Support team for help at support@delivra.com.

Best Practices and Tips

  • Use External System ID only when necessary. For most users, single-record updates are sufficient and safer.
  • Test before importing in bulk. Try a small test file with one or two records to ensure your process works as expected.
  • Maintain a backup. Keep a copy of your original import file for reference or rollback if needed.
  • Coordinate with integrations. If you're syncing data from a CRM or external system, confirm that External System ID values align.

Practical Use Cases

  • A customer changes their email address but wants to maintain their history with your brand.
  • You're migrating data from another system where contacts are referenced by ID.
  • You’re cleaning up duplicate records and want to unify engagement data under a single updated email address.
As always, you can email our Support team at support@delivra.com with any questions you may have.

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