This article is for returning Requesters and contains guidance on making bulk edits to your Request list via CSV file upload and on how to resolve errors encountered when uploading the CSV file in the CDP Portal.
We advise you to only use this method of list creation if you have robust records of your requested organizations’ DUNS numbers and need to bulk upload contacts, requester references, or add Forest/Water requests. For further information, please see our video tutorial on uploading a Request list.
Contents
About the CSV file template
The CSV file template is a CSV file that allows you to create and edit your Request list in bulk. Please note that as of 2026 this feature will be disabled by default. To enable it, please contact your Account Manager or the Customer Support Team via My Support.
We recommend you have a list already created with the organization names, contacts and DUNS details before using the CSV file upload function. Please refer to the next section of this article for steps to download the CSV file template.
Uploading a list via CSV will overwrite any list previously created in the Portal. This is why it is only recommended for bulk changes as any edits made will replace the information on the previous list.
Important: CSV file upload is only available before list submission.
The CSV file template consists of 6 columns:
RequestedOrgName*: Registered organization name consistent with Dun & Bradstreet.
DUNS*: D&B assigned unique number associated with a registered business.
ReferenceNumber: An internal reference field selected by the Requester.
ContactEmail: Requester must first confirm agreement to share contact details of requested organizations in the CDP Portal.
ForestTheme (Y/N)*: Indicates whether, yes or no, you wish to request this environmental issue (only applicable if included in your agreement with CDP).
WaterTheme (Y/N)*: Indicates whether, yes or no, you wish to request this environmental issue (only applicable if included in your agreement with CDP).
*RequestedOrgName, DUNS, ForestTheme (Y/N) and WaterTheme (Y/N) are all mandatory fields.
Downloading and populating the CSV file template
To download the CSV file template:
From the navigation sidebar in your Requester CDP Portal, click ‘Manage organizations’.
Next, click the ‘Create a list for this cycle (2026)’ button and select ‘Upload a file’ from the options displayed.
Note: If this option is disabled (greyed out), please contact your Account Manager or the Customer Support Team to enable it.
Alternatively, if you have already created your 2026 Request list:
Navigate the ‘Manage organizations’ page and click ‘View’ on the current disclosure Request list.
Click the ‘Upload a file’ button at the top of your Request list.
In both cases:
In the ‘Upload a CSV file of organizations’ pop-up that appears, select ‘Download template as a CSV file’ at the bottom to download the blank CSV template that includes all the columns needed for the upload to be successful.
Important: Always use the CDP downloaded .csv template, not your own template. The template file downloaded is a CSV file; most computers open these in Excel which shows the data separated into columns. When opening the file, you will receive a prompt regarding Excel data conversions. Select ‘Don’t Convert’ to ensure DUNS numbers retain any leading zeros in the file.
Once you have downloaded the template, you will need to populate all the mandatory columns to successfully upload the CSV file.
These include:
The ‘RequesterOrgName’ and ‘DUNS’ columns which cannot be null and must match the data in either the CDP database or the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) database.
Organizations are added based on their DUNS numbers. Please see the how DUNS numbers are added section below and visit our FAQs for more information on DUNS numbers and the D&B database.
The ‘ForestTheme (Y/N)’ and ‘WaterTheme (Y/N)’ columns which must and must match also be filled in either with Y or N (not Yes or No).
These columns are used to indicate whether the selected organizations will also be requested for Forests or Water, respectively. This information is required and ensures a comprehensive view of all environmental data. Requesting organizations on specific environmental issues is limited to certain memberships; please reach out to your Account Manager for more information.
The following columns are optional, but CDP still recommends filling them in:
The ‘ContactEmail’ column can be null if you do not wish to add in this information.
The ‘ContactEmail’ column refers to the single, primary contact associated with the organization. Here, you should add a single email address. Multiple contacts will not allow the successful upload of the file. Only add contacts if the data privacy and sharing statement has been previously confirmed; contact information will be ignored if not. Please see our sharing contact information with CDP section and adding contacts in bulk via CSV section of our Providing Disclosers with access to the CDP Portal article for further information.
The ‘ReferenceNumber’ column can also be null if you do not wish to add in this information.
The ‘ReferenceNumber’ column refers to unique references Requesters can optionally associate with Disclosers. This will support tracking and engaging your Disclosers and will appear in the organizations’ Portal, once added. There is a limit of 50 characters for this field. Each reference number must be unique. Further information can be found in our updating Requester reference section of our ‘Guidance on viewing and tracking your lists’ article.
Tip: Do not add columns to the .csv. If you open the .csv in Excel or other applications, always save back as .csv file, and not .xls or .xlsx format.
Upload your CSV file template
Important: Please share the populated CSV file with your Account Manager prior to uploading the list so it can be checked. This will ensure that the list is uploaded correctly and prevent errors from occurring.
Once you are ready to upload your completed CSV file:
Navigate back to the ‘Upload a CSV file of organizations’ pop-up using the instructions previously provided.
In the pop-up, drag and drop your CSV file or click ‘Upload’ to manually select it.
The uploaded file will then be reviewed for duplicates, errors and other possible issues. This may take some time, please wait for it to be completed.
If the upload is successful, your updated Request list will appear with a red ‘> Submit list’ option on the top right hand side.
If the upload fails, the error message ‘Your last file upload failed’ will appear. Please see the following section for guidance on resolving the issue.
About the CSV file upload log
If you encountered the error message mentioned previously, we recommend downloading the error log to identify and correct the errors, before you upload the file again.
To do this:
Click ‘Upload logs’ from the Upload file pop-up.
Click ‘Show log’ on the right-hand side of the file previously uploaded.
Download the error file/log to identify and correct the errors before uploading the file once more.
Upload logs provide a history of organizations added to the Request list and contains the following details:
Date: The date of upload.
Organizations: The number of organizations uploaded. Please note that this will be 0 if the upload failed.
Summary status: Successful, Failed, or Invalid file format.
How DUNS numbers are added
When organizations are added using a CSV file, the DUNS numbers in the file are checked against the CDP database. If there is a match, the organization is successfully added to the Request list.
If there is no match, the system searches for the DUNS numbers in the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) database. If D&B returns a match, a new organization is created in the CDP database using the D&B database details. Then the organization can be added to the Request list. If there is no match in the D&B database, you will see an error in the upload log.
Please visit our FAQs for further information on DUNS numbers and D&B database.
Common CSV file upload errors and resolutions
1. Organization already exists in the CDP database
Organization "XYZ" already exists in the CDP database. To prevent a duplicate record being created, remove this row from this CSV file and upload the file again. This organization must be added manually so that a DUNS number can be assigned to it. To do so, click ‘Add an organization’ to find and add it separately.
Reason: An organization with the exact name exists in the CDP database without a DUNS number.
Resolution: Use the ‘Add an organization’ feature to find and add the organization in the CDP database. This will assign the DUNS number to the organization. Please see our article on adding organizations to your Request list for further guidance.
2. Organization already exists in the CDP database with a DUNS number
The DUNS number you entered for organization "XYZ" doesn't match the DUNS number we have associated to that organization in our database. To prevent a duplicate record being created, correct the DUNS number in this CSV file and upload the file again.
Tip: Click ‘Add an organization’, search for the organization you’re trying to add, and check you've selected the correct organization.
Reason: An organization with the exact name exists in the CDP database with a different DUNS number.
Resolution: Update the DUNS number for the organization in the CSV file. If you believe CDP’s records to be incorrect, please contact your Account Manager (if applicable) or our Customer Support Team via My Support in the Help Center. Refer to the guidance provided in the last section of this article to raise a case for CDP to update the organization name or DUNS number.
3. DUNS number should not be null
Reason: You have provided a row in which the ‘DUNS’ column is blank. This is a mandatory field.
Resolution: Add the correct DUNS number that corresponds to the organization in the same row in the CSV file and upload the file again.
4. DUNS value is not valid
Reason: The DUNS number entered does not match any DUNS number in the D&B database.
Resolution: Review the DUNS number in the CSV file and ensure it is correct. If it is correct, please contact your Account Manager (if applicable) or our Customer Support Team via My Support in the Help Center, and refer to the guidance provided in the last section of this article to raise a case.
5. Incorrect DUNS number format
Reason: DUNS numbers are unique nine-digit identifiers. The DUNS number in your CSV file does not match this format.
Resolution: Review the DUNS number supplied, ensure it is correct, and upload the file again.
6. Account already exists but no data found
Reason: This could indicate a possible synchronisation issue within CDP’s databases.
Resolution: Raise a case in the CDP Help Center asking for support. Please provide information of the organization you are trying to request and the error message received. The CDP team will investigate and attempt to resolve the issue. You can remove this organization and upload the remainder of the file; this organization will need to be added to your list manually once the issue is resolved.
7. Requested organization name should not be null
Reason: You have provided a row in which the ‘RequestedOrganization’ column is blank. This is a mandatory field.
Resolution: Add the organization’s name in the ‘Requested Organization’ column or remove any rows with partial data and upload the file again.
8. Wrong columns mapping
Reason: The columns in your CSV file do not match the columns in the template provided exactly.
Resolution: Download the template again by navigating back to your Requester Portal. On the left bar of the navigation panel, click ‘Manage organizations’ and then click ‘Upload log’. In the pop up that appears you will find a link to download the template once more, from here paste the information into the correct columns. Ensure you do not add, remove, move, or edit any columns in the file.
Raising a CSV file issue case
If you are unable to resolve any errors or issues using the guidance in this or other articles, please contact your Account Manager (if applicable) or our Customer Support Team using the ‘Contact Support’ button at the bottom of this page. This will take you to our My Support page in the CDP Help Center and pre-populate the case category and subcategory relevant to your situation.
Note: You need to be signed in to access the CDP Help Center. Further guidance can be found in our how to raise a case in the CDP Help Center article.
When raising a case about a CSV file issue, attach your CSV file and the error log in the case so the team can investigate the issue. Please see the about your CSV file log section above for instructions on downloading the log.
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