Summary
Importing contacts to Wati involves several steps, including clicking the "Import" button, browsing and uploading a CSV file, mapping columns, and confirming the import. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of importing contacts to Wati.
Instructions
Importing contacts to Wati
Follow these steps to import your contacts to Wati:
1. Click the "Import" button to import contacts into Wati.
2. Browse and upload a CSV file to begin the import process.
3. The next step is to map the columns in the uploaded CSV file.
Map the mandatory "Name" and "Phone" columns first, then the optional columns using the dropdown's search feature.
4. Once all required columns have been mapped, click the Confirm Import button.
5. Verify that your contacts are successfully imported by checking the Wati interface.
Tip: To ensure a successful contact import, please ensure your CSV file follows the correct format as shown below. The country code and phone number should be in their respective columns.
Contact import checklist
If you encounter errors while importing contacts, review this checklist before uploading your file. These checks follow the most common issues new customers face during contact imports.
1. Verify the column structure
Before importing your contact file, make sure the columns in your spreadsheet follow the correct format.
The column names must be exactly the same, with no extra spaces.
The default column names must always be in English.
There should be no missing or incorrect column names.
The columns must appear in the correct order.
The correct order of default column and column names should be as below:
Name
CountryCode
Phone
2. Check phone number formatting
CountryCode and Phone are in separate columns.
Phone numbers do not contain spaces or dashes.
CountryCode should only contain the code without the + sign.
The country code should not be duplicated in the Phone field. For example, for an India phone number where the country code is 91:
+919876543210 ❌ (country code included in the Phone field)
+91 ❌ (+ sign included in the CountryCode field)
91 ✅ (correct format for CountryCode field)
9876543210 ✅ (correct format for Phone field)
In this case, 91 should be placed in the CountryCode column, and 9876543210 should be placed in the Phone column.
3. Check for duplicate data
The file does not contain duplicate contacts or duplicate phone numbers.
4. Check the spreadsheet content and size
Cells should not contain formulas. If your spreadsheet uses formulas, convert the results to plain text values before importing the file.
Remove all empty cells to avoid import errors.
Ensure the CSV file size is 1 MB or smaller before uploading the contacts file.
Example of correct CSV format
852 is the country code
64318721 is the phone number
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Contact import process in Wati
1. How do I import contacts into Wati?
To import contacts into Wati, click the Import button, upload a CSV file, map the required columns from the file, click Confirm Import, and then verify the imported contacts in the Wati interface.
2. What file format is required to import contacts into Wati?
Contacts must be uploaded using a CSV file when importing them into Wati.
3. Which columns must be mapped when importing contacts to Wati?
The mandatory columns that must be mapped during the import process are Name and Phone. After mapping these columns, you can map optional columns using the dropdown search feature.
CSV file structure and formatting
4. What column structure is required in the CSV file for importing contacts into Wati?
The CSV file must contain the following default columns in the correct order:
Name
CountryCode
Phone
The column names must match exactly, must be written in English, and must not contain extra spaces, missing columns, or incorrect column names.
5. How should phone numbers be formatted in the CSV file?
The CountryCode and Phone values must be placed in separate columns. The CountryCode column should contain only the country code without the + sign, and the Phone column should contain only the phone number without spaces or dashes.
6. Should the country code be included in the Phone column?
No. The country code should only appear in the CountryCode column and should not be included in the Phone column.
7. What is an example of the correct country code and phone number format?
For an India phone number, the correct format is:
CountryCode: 91
Phone: 9876543210
The country code and phone number must be placed in their respective columns.
Data validation and file requirements
8. Can the CSV file contain duplicate contacts or phone numbers?
No. The CSV file should not contain duplicate contacts or duplicate phone numbers.
9. What checks should be done on the spreadsheet before uploading the CSV file?
Before uploading the CSV file, ensure that:
Cells do not contain formulas. If formulas were used, convert them to plain text values.
All empty cells are removed.
The CSV file size is 1 MB or smaller.