Export leads for AICSV, Excel, or JSON to feed your AI with data
Capture businesses with the free Vonsel extension, export CSV, Excel, or JSON, then work the whole list with ChatGPT, Claude Code, and local models.
AI Workflows··9 min read
Key takeaways
The Vonsel Chrome extension is the means for capturing Google Maps businesses and exporting them as CSV, Excel, or JSON in one click, for free
A clean file is the fuel for AI. Upload it to ChatGPT or point Claude Code at it, then score, segment, and draft outreach at scale
When you want to act on the analysis, the Vonsel dashboard is where it ends: mapped CRM, review intelligence, and an AI email per business
To export Google Maps leads for AI, capture the businesses with the free Vonsel Chrome extension and download them as CSV, Excel, or JSON from the same capture. Use CSV for ChatGPT uploads, Excel when a person edits rows first, and JSON when you keep nested reviews or script the analysis with Claude Code.
The idea
A good export is fuel for your AI
Every useful AI workflow starts with a file. You cannot ask a model to score your local market, cluster your prospects, or write a hundred first lines if it has nothing to read. Usually the hard part is getting clean, structured lead data out of Google Maps and into a format the model can parse.
That is exactly what the Vonsel Chrome extension does. You search on Google Maps, capture the businesses you want, and export the list as CSV, Excel, or JSON. The feed your AI with data idea is simple: the extension produces the raw material, and your AI turns it into decisions. The export is where the work starts.
If you want to skip straight to acting on the results, the paid Vonsel dashboard already bundles a mapped CRM, review intelligence, and an AI email per business. This guide covers the do-it-yourself path: export a file and run your own model over it.
Get the raw material first
Install the extension, capture a list, and export it in the format your AI likes best. Free download. No trial, no credit card.
the universal default every chat model reads without fuss
XLSX
best when a human edits or filters the list before the AI does
JSON
best for nested fields and scripted analysis with Claude Code
Pick a format
CSV vs Excel vs JSON for AI
All three formats come from the same capture, so you are not locked in. Which one to pick depends on what you plan to do next.
Format
Reach for it when
AI fit
CSV
You will paste or upload into a chat tool
Best for ChatGPT
Excel (XLSX)
A person filters or tidies rows first
Good, convert if needed
JSON
You keep reviews, hours, or nested data
Best for scripting
CSV is the safe default because it is a flat, well defined text format that every model handles. If you want the formal rules, the CSV standard is documented in RFC 4180. JSON keeps structure that a spreadsheet flattens, so it shines when each business carries a list of reviews or attributes. The JSON format nests objects and arrays cleanly, which is why scripts and agents prefer it. For a deeper split, see our note on JSON vs CSV for AI analysis and the extension's export options.
The main flow
Upload the file to ChatGPT and work the list
This is the workflow most people reach for, and it needs zero setup. Export your captured businesses as CSV or Excel, open ChatGPT, attach the file, and describe the job in plain language. The model reads the columns, runs the analysis in its sandbox, and returns a table you can download again.
Attaching a spreadsheet lets the model parse and compute over the rows rather than guess. If you want the official primer on how uploads behave, the agentic coding tools that read local files follow the same principle: give the AI the raw file, then ask precise questions.
Try prompts like these once the file is attached:
Goal
Prompt you can paste
Score fit
Rank these businesses by fit for a web design service. Return the top 25 with a one line reason.
Segment
Group these leads into 4 tiers by review count and rating, and label each tier.
Spot gaps
List every business here with no website in the data and sort by rating.
Draft outreach
Write a short, specific first line for each of the top 20 rows.
For the full step by step, read upload a lead CSV to ChatGPT, and for outreach specifically see writing cold emails from scraped data. The pattern is always the same: clean file in, structured answer out.
The power flow
Point Claude Code at a JSON export
When your list grows past a few hundred rows, or you want repeatable analysis, a scripting agent beats a chat window. Export the capture as JSON, drop it in a folder, and open Claude Code in that folder. It reads the file, writes the analysis code, runs it, and shows you the result, all from plain language.
Because it works on your machine, nothing leaves your laptop and you can rerun the same job on next week's export in seconds. Ask it to parse the JSON, compute a lead score, filter out low quality entries, and write a clean CSV back. Then ask it to build a small map or chart from the coordinates so you can see coverage at a glance.
Our walkthrough on analyzing leads with Claude Code covers the exact prompts. The advantage over a chat upload is memory and repeatability: your scoring logic lives in a script, so every future export runs through the same rules without you re-explaining anything.
No file, no AI workflow
The export is step zero for every prompt above. Grab the extension and capture your first list. Free download. No trial, no credit card.
The model is only as good as the file you hand it. A messy copy paste gives you a hallucinated answer. A clean CSV or JSON export from the extension gives the AI real names, ratings, phones, and coordinates to reason over. Structure in, signal out.
Other engines
Codex and local LLMs on the same file
The same export feeds any engine you prefer. If you live in a code editor, Codex style assistants can read a CSV or JSON in your project and generate the parsing and scoring script for you, much like the Claude Code flow. The file format does not change, only the tool that consumes it.
Privacy sensitive teams can keep everything offline. Run a local model over your lead data and the export never touches a third party server. For plain lists, CSV is easiest to stream into a local model; for richer records, JSON keeps the reviews and attributes intact so the model can weigh them.
From file to action
Where the dashboard takes over
Exporting and prompting is powerful, but at some point the analysis needs a home. That is the job of the Vonsel dashboard. The extension captures and exports; the dashboard is where the enriched list becomes a working pipeline.
Instead of scoring a CSV by hand every week, you get a mapped CRM that plots every business, review intelligence that surfaces the pain points buried in Google reviews, and an AI email written for each business from that context. It is the same value the do-it-yourself flow chases, without stitching four tools together. Compare the paths in Vonsel vs Outscraper or browse the rest of the AI Workflows series.
The extension hands your AI the fuel. CSV, Excel, or JSON, ready to work
Feed your AI with real business data
Capture on Google Maps, export CSV, Excel, or JSON, and run any model over it. Free download. No trial, no credit card. See the dashboard or view plans.
If you have not captured a list yet, watch the video tutorial to see the extraction from start to finish. When you are ready to work the data inside a CRM, the plans and pricing page shows what the dashboard adds. These guides cover the next steps with your exported file:
Which export format is best for feeding leads to AI?
CSV is the safest default for chat tools like ChatGPT because every model reads it cleanly. Excel is best when a human edits the file first. JSON is best when you keep nested fields such as reviews or opening hours, or when you script the analysis with Claude Code or Codex. Vonsel exports all three from the same capture.
How do I upload a lead list to ChatGPT?
Export the list as CSV or Excel from the Vonsel extension, open ChatGPT, attach the file, and describe what you want. For example: score these leads by fit and return the top 20 with a reason. The model reads the columns, runs the analysis, and hands back a table you can export again.
Is the Vonsel Chrome extension free?
Yes. The Vonsel Chrome extension is a free download with no trial and no credit card. You capture businesses from Google Maps and export CSV, Excel, or JSON. The paid Vonsel dashboard adds the mapped CRM, review intelligence, and AI email per business when you want to act on the data.
What is the difference between CSV and JSON for lead data?
CSV stores one flat row per business, with one value per column, so it opens in any spreadsheet and any chat tool. JSON stores each business as an object that can hold lists, such as several reviews or opening hours. The CSV format is described in RFC 4180 and the JSON format in RFC 8259. Pick CSV for simple tables and JSON when the data has layers.
Can ChatGPT read an Excel file of leads?
Yes. You can attach an Excel or CSV file to ChatGPT and ask for the analysis in plain language. The model reads the columns, filters and ranks the rows, and returns a table you can download. If the workbook has several tabs or heavy formatting, export a clean CSV from the Vonsel extension instead, because a flat file is the easiest format for any model to parse.
Which fields should a lead export include for AI analysis?
Include the fields the model needs to judge fit: business name, category, rating, review count, phone, website, address, and coordinates. Keep reviews and opening hours in a JSON export, because they are nested lists that a flat sheet has to flatten. A missing website column is also a useful signal, since it lets you ask the model to list businesses with no site.
Can I analyze exported leads with a local model instead of ChatGPT?
Yes. The export is a plain file, so any engine can read it, including a local model running on your own machine. Nothing is sent to a third-party server, which suits teams that care about privacy. CSV is the easiest format to stream into a local model, and JSON keeps reviews and attributes intact when you want the model to weigh them.
When should I use Claude Code instead of uploading a CSV to ChatGPT?
Switch to Claude Code when the list grows past a few hundred rows or when you want the same analysis every week. Export the capture as JSON, open Claude Code in that folder, and it writes and runs the scoring script on your machine. The logic stays in a script, so each new export goes through the same rules without extra prompting.