How-to guides
Sign in

Contacts & groups

Import contacts from Excel or CSV

Add many people at once from a spreadsheet, check them first, and undo it if something is wrong.

If you have a list of people in Excel or a CSV file, you can add them all in one go instead of one by one. Nobody is added until you have checked the list.

What your file needs

  • The first sheet is used.
  • It needs a Name column and a number column.
  • It can also have a Number for calls column and a Notes column.
  • Up to 5,000 rows.

On the import screen, tap Download a sample file to see how it should look.

Important: Only import people who agreed to receive messages from ABMTC.

Import step by step

  1. Open Contacts and tap Import. You only see it if you can manage a number.
  2. Choose the Number if you have more than one, then choose your File.
  3. Tap Preview.
  4. If the columns are not matched by themselves, you are asked "Tell us which column is which." Pick the Name, Number, Number for calls and Notes columns, then tap Preview.
  5. Check the preview. See below.
  6. Tap Next.
  7. Fill in Received from. This is who gave you the list, for example "Ushers unit". It is kept with the contacts.
  8. Under Agreed to receive, tick only what they all agreed to: WhatsApp, SMS or both. Anyone who opted out of a way stays opted out of it.
  9. Under Add everyone to a group, choose a group, or New group..., or leave it as No group.
  10. The first time, tick I confirm this beside the consent statement.
  11. Tap Import. When it finishes, tap Done.

Reading the preview

  • It tells you how many people will be added and how many are already in the list.
  • Possibly already in contacts lists people with the same name but a different number. They are added as new people unless you say they are the same person.
  • Worth knowing lists small things, such as a landline saved as a call number.
  • Rows left out shows rows that cannot be added, with the reason. Tap Download these rows to fix them in Excel and import again.
  • Use the box at the top to say whether the numbers are WhatsApp numbers, numbers for calls, or not sure.

Undo an import

Tap Earlier imports on the first screen. You can see each import and tap Undo for up to 7 days. Only the person who ran it, or an admin, can undo it. It removes the people that import added. People who were already in your list keep their details.

Next steps

See Groups and Add contacts. If something fails, see A contact can't be added.

Still stuck?

Sign in, then select Help at the bottom right of any page.

Sign in