Skip to main content

How to Bulk Update Contact Attributes

Updated over 2 weeks ago

Summary

In this article, we will walk you through the process of adding a new attribute to an existing list of contacts in WATI.

Instructions

Requirements:

  • WATI account

  • CSV file with attribute data

Step 1: Download Sample CSV File

To begin, access the "Contacts" screen and click on the "Import" button. Then, click on the "Download Sample CSV" option to download the Contacts sample file.

Step 2: Fill Data into the File

The sample file already contains Name, CountryCode, Phone, and Required Attributes: Allow Broadcast and Allow SMS. Two sample columns for inputting attributes (Attribute 1 and Attribute 2) are provided.

  • Allow Broadcast: If set to TRUE, allows this contact to receive broadcast messages.

  • Allow SMS: If set to TRUE, allows this contact to receive SMS messages (not available in Growth and Pro plans).

  • For attributes from column F onwards, the user can input attributes. The attribute column is for the attribute name, and the value in the row is the attribute's value.

Step 3: Select Import Button

Select the Import button again, click on the 'Browse files' option, and select the CSV file to upload the inputted file. The new imported contacts will be displayed with full attributes.

Step 4: Update Attributes of Existing Contacts

To update attributes of existing contacts, first download existing contacts to a CSV file by selecting the "Export to CSV" button. After downloading, the CSV file will contain the full list of contacts and their attributes. You can then update old attributes and amend new attributes data by following steps 2 and 3 above. After updating the data in the file, you can import it again and select 'Update records' or 'Skip records' option in the import screen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Questions

  1. What is the purpose of adding attributes to contacts in WATI? → Attributes allow you to store additional information about contacts, making it easier to segment and manage them efficiently.

  2. Do I need a WATI account to add attributes to contacts? → Yes, you must have an active WATI account to access the Contacts section and import CSV files.

CSV File Preparation

  1. Where can I find the sample CSV file? → You can download the sample CSV file by navigating to the Contacts screen, clicking the Import button, and selecting Download Sample CSV.

  2. What fields are included in the sample CSV file? → The sample file includes the following fields:

    • Name

    • CountryCode

    • Phone

    • Allow Broadcast (TRUE/FALSE)

    • Allow SMS (TRUE/FALSE) (Not available in Growth and Pro plans)

    • Attribute 1, Attribute 2 (for additional attributes)

  3. How should I format custom attributes in the CSV file?

    • From column F onwards, enter the attribute name in the column header.

    • Below the column header, enter the corresponding values for each contact.

Importing and Updating Contacts

  1. How do I upload a CSV file with updated attributes? → Click the Import button, then select Browse files to upload your modified CSV file. The updated contacts with attributes will be reflected in WATI.

  2. Can I update attributes for existing contacts? → Yes, you can update attributes by:

    • Downloading the existing contacts using Export to CSV.

    • Editing the file to modify or add new attributes.

    • Importing the updated file and selecting either Update records or Skip records.

  3. What happens if I select 'Update records' during import? → Selecting Update records will modify the attributes of existing contacts while retaining their other details.

  4. What if I select 'Skip records' during import? → The import process will ignore any records that already exist in the system and only add new contacts.

Troubleshooting

  1. Why is my CSV file not uploading correctly? → Ensure that:

    • The file follows the correct format as shown in the sample CSV.

    • Column headers are not altered.

    • No additional spaces or special characters are present in attribute names.

  2. Can I remove an attribute from contacts using this method? → No, this process is for adding or updating attributes. To delete an attribute, you need to do so manually in WATI.

Did this answer your question?