Keep a backup of the original file before editing it. Use one row per person where possible; a household is a relationship between people, not a replacement for their individual names. A row that says “The Smith family, four people” cannot tell you which child has an allergy or who is coming to brunch.
| Column | Fictional example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| First name | Alex | Identifies the person |
| Last name | Rivera | Helps distinguish people with the same first name |
| alex@example.com | Use the address that person checks | |
| Phone | Include the country code | Avoid guessing where a local number belongs |
| Household | Rivera household | Review the shared invitation grouping |
| Address | Keep postal parts in clear columns | Do not combine a postal code with a phone number |
Keep an unknown contact blank rather than inserting a fake address or repeating another guest’s phone. Preserve diacritics in names and check that your spreadsheet has not dropped leading zeros or changed phone numbers into numeric notation.