Spreadsheet phone lists
How to validate phone numbers in Excel or CSV
Upload your spreadsheet and we’ll flag the fake and invalid numbers and tell you whether each one is a cell phone, landline or VoIP. Your results come back in the same order as your list, so you can paste them right beside it.
From $0.002 per number, with a $35 minimum. You’ll see your exact total before you pay.
1. Get your file ready
- Leave your other columns in place. There’s no need to cut your file down to just phone numbers. You’ll pick the phone column when you upload.
- In Excel, format your phone column as Text. This stops Excel from dropping leading zeros or turning long numbers into scientific notation.
- Add the country code to numbers outside the US and Canada.
- Save as
.xlsxor.csv. Keep your original list handy, because you’ll add the results back to it.
Not sure about the format? Start from the CSV template. Using Google Sheets? Choose File › Download › Comma-separated values (.csv) and upload that file.
Does your phone column have formulas or links?
Copy the column and paste it back as values only, then remove any hyperlinks. Workbooks that link to other Excel files can’t be uploaded, so copy the phone numbers into a new file first.
Is your list very large, in another format, or stored in S3, Google Drive or another system? We can import it for you. Contact us.
2. Upload and choose your check
- Choose your file and pick the phone column (and worksheet, for Excel) from a preview of the first few rows.
- Choose what to check. Line Type + Fake Number Check ($0.004 per number) includes every column described below. Fake Number Check only ($0.002 per number) just flags fake and invalid numbers.
- Choose which countries to check. Pick Worldwide if you’re not sure. If you select specific countries, numbers from anywhere else are marked invalid.
- Review your total and pay by card or invoice. We’ll email you a download link when your results are ready. Most lists finish in under 30 minutes.
3. Add the results to your list
Your results file has one row for every row you uploaded, in the same order, with blank rows kept in place. That means you can paste the results straight into your original list.
- Don’t sort or filter anything yet. Rows only line up while both files are in their original order.
- Copy everything in the results file, including its heading row.
- Paste it into the first empty column of your list, so the results heading sits beside your list’s heading. If your list has no heading row, insert an empty row at the top first.
- Spot-check a few rows near the top, middle and bottom.
PHONE_NUMBERin the results should match your phone column. Results show digits only, so (612) 718-1490 appears as 6127181490.
Once the rows match, sort and filter however you like.
What your results mean
Here’s what each column in a Line Type + Fake Number Check results file tells you, and what most teams do with it.
FAKE_NUMBERYESif the number is fake or invalid.FAKE_REASONsays why.What to do: fix the number or remove it. If it came from a lead vendor, raise it with them.
PHONE_LINE_TYPECELL PHONE,LANDLINE,VOIPorTOLL-FREE. Flagged numbers showFAKE. Learn more about cell vs. landline.What to do: sort or segment your list by the type of line.
PHONE_COMPANYThe carrier, when it’s available.
What to do: use it for context, such as spotting Google Voice and other VoIP providers.
PHONE_LOCATIONWhere the number was first assigned, based on its area code.
What to do: treat it as the number’s origin, not where the person is now.
A VoIP or blank line type doesn’t mean a number is bad. Plenty of real people and businesses use VoIP.
Can Excel validate phone numbers on its own?
Only the format. In Microsoft 365, this formula returns TRUE when cell A2 holds exactly 10 digits, the length of a US or Canadian number without the leading 1:
=LEN(REGEXREPLACE(A2,"[^0-9]",""))=10
That catches typos and missing digits, but a correctly formatted number can still be fake, unassigned or a landline. Excel has no way to tell. That’s what a validation service checks.
Is this the same as scrubbing my list?
It covers part of it. We find the fake and invalid numbers and tell you what kind of line each one is.
We don’t check Do Not Call registries, confirm who owns a number, or tell you whether you have permission to call or text someone. Handle those checks separately before you reach out.
Ready to clean up your list?
Upload your file and see your total before you pay. Want to check leads as they come in instead? Use the API or see phone validation for leads.