Import contacts and organise them into groups
Bring in customers from an Excel/CSV file or a Google Sheet, put them into groups, and undo an import within 7 days.
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What it does
If your customers' numbers are in a register, an Excel sheet or a Google Sheet, you can bring them into ApnaBot in one go. You can also put customers into groups, like "Diwali offer list" or "Class 10 parents", and later send a broadcast to just that group.
When to use it
Glow Beauty Salon
Priya has 800 regular clients saved in an Excel file from her billing software. She imports them into a group called "Regular clients" so she can send them her festive offer.
Steps
Start the import
Open Customers and tap Import contacts. Choose File (CSV / Excel) and pick your file, or choose Google Sheet and paste the sheet's link. Tap Next: check columns.
Match the columns
Pick which column has the phone number in Phone number column. For names, choose One name column or First + last name. Check the First rows preview, then tap Next: review.
Review the numbers
You'll see how many contacts are new, Already in your contacts, invalid, or Duplicates in file. Invalid rows are listed so you can fix them in your file if needed.
Choose a group and confirm consent
Under Add to a group, pick a group or create one. Under Offers on WhatsApp, tick These customers agreed to receive offers from us on WhatsApp only if that's true. Then tick the second box and tap Import. Not sure? Tap How opt-in works next to Offers on WhatsApp.
Manage groups
Open the Groups tab to create, rename or delete groups. To add existing customers, tick them on the Customers tab, pick the group in the bar that appears, and tap Add to group.
Example
storefrontBright Minds Coaching
Anita has a Google Sheet of last year's enquiries. She sets it to Anyone with the link → Viewer, pastes the link, and imports 1,200 parents into "2025 enquiries". On the last step she taps Send a broadcast to this group to announce the new batch.
Good to know
- Files can be CSV or Excel (.xlsx), up to 5 MB and 5,000 rows. For Google Sheets, only the first tab is read.
- For a Google Sheet, open Share → General access → Anyone with the link → Viewer before copying the link.
- Only the business owner can import contacts and confirm consent.
- Undo: In the Imports tab, you can Undo an import for 7 days. Contacts from that import who never replied are deleted, even if you sent them a broadcast. Contacts who messaged or booked are kept.
- Deleting a group removes only the group. The customers stay.
- Imported contacts who haven't messaged you show Never messaged. Use that filter to find them.
- Send a broadcast to this group only appears when Broadcasts is turned on for your business. Broadcasts are off by default. If you don't see Broadcasts in the menu, ask ApnaBot support to turn it on.
- A broadcast can go to up to 20 groups at once. Someone in several groups gets it only once.
Related
- Your customer listFind any customer, add tags and private notes, track where they are (New, Contacted, Converted, Lost), mark VIPs and block spam.
- Send offers with templates and broadcastsCreate a WhatsApp message template, get it approved by Meta, and send it to everyone, a group, chosen customers or a filtered list.
- Opt-in links, QR posters and STOPAsk customers' permission to send offers with a link or a printed QR poster, and understand what happens when someone sends STOP.
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