Contacts Management
Organize and manage contacts across WhatsApp with WAB2C. Add, edit, filter, import, export, and manage contacts with full CRM capabilities including lead tracking, group assignment, and compliance-ready opt-out management.
1. Adding New Contacts
All created contacts appear in the Contact List table. Here is a breakdown of each column and its purpose:
Screenshot 1 - Contact List Table View
Contact list showing columns for name, type, phone, assigned agent, status, source, group, opt-out status, and creation date.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| SR.NO | Serial number of the contact in the list |
| Name | Full name of the contact (clickable to view details) |
| Type | Contact classification: Lead, Customer, or Guest |
| Phone | Contact's phone number |
| Assigned | The user or team assigned to the contact |
| Initiate Chat | WhatsApp icon button to send template-based messages |
| Status | Contact's progress: New, In Progress, Contacted, Qualified, Closed |
| Source | Where the contact came from: Facebook or WhatsApp |
| Group | Group(s) the contact belongs to (N/A if none) |
| Opted Out | Whether contact has opted out from campaigns |
| Active | Toggle switch to activate/deactivate contact |
| Created At | When the contact was added |
How to Create a New Contact
Open the Contact Form
Click the "+ New Contact" button on the contacts page. A form titled "Add New Contact" will open. You can also click "Import Contacts" to upload contacts in bulk from CSV or Excel.
Screenshot 2 - Add New Contact Form
Contact creation form showing required and optional fields including status, source, name, type, email, and phone.
Fill in Contact Details
In the Contact Details tab, enter the following required and optional fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Yes | New, In Progress, Contacted, Qualified, Closed |
| Source | Yes | Facebook or WhatsApp |
| First Name | Yes | Contact's first name |
| Last Name | Yes | Contact's last name |
| Type | Yes | Lead, Customer, or Guest |
| Yes | Valid email address | |
| Phone | Yes | Phone number with country code |
| Assigned | No | Assign to team or user |
| Company | No | Associated company name |
| Groups | No | Assign to one or more groups |
Optional: Fill Other Details
Switch to the "Other Details" tab for City, State, Country, Zip Code, Address, and Description fields.
Save the Contact
Click "Add" to save. The number of contacts you can create depends on your subscription plan.
Understanding Contact Types
WAB2C supports three types of contacts to help you categorize and manage your interactions effectively:
Lead
Potential customers who have shown interest in your business.
Used for prospecting and nurturing campaigns
Customer
Existing clients with established business relationships.
Used for support, retention, and loyalty programs
Guest
Users who have sent messages but haven't been converted.
Auto-assigned to new message senders
Guest Auto-Classification: When someone sends a message to your WhatsApp Business number for the first time, they are automatically stored as a Guest type if the WhatsApp Auto Lead setting is not enabled. Guest contacts can be targeted in bulk messaging, campaigns, Template Bots, and Message Bots.
Initiate Chat - Send Template Messages
The Initiate Chat feature allows you to send template-based WhatsApp messages to contacts, compliant with Meta's 24-hour messaging policy.
Screenshot 3 - Initiate Chat Popup
Template message popup showing template selection dropdown, dynamic variables with @ mention system, and live message preview panel.
Template Selection
Choose from pre-approved WhatsApp message templates. Templates must be approved by Meta before they can be used.
Dynamic Variables with @ Mentions
Type the @ symbol to trigger a popup showing all available merge fields: Contact First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Company, Website, Type, and ID.
Live Message Preview
The right panel shows a real-time preview of how the message will appear. Variables are highlighted in blue and replaced with actual contact data when sent.
Meta's 24-Hour Messaging Policy: Once a contact replies to your template message, a 24-hour conversation window opens. During this time, you can send free-form messages without templates. After 24 hours of inactivity, you must use another template to re-initiate the conversation.
Common Use Cases
2. Export Contacts
Click the green "Export CSV" button in the top-right corner of the contact list. A CSV file containing all your contacts (or filtered contacts) will be downloaded directly to your device. Use this for reporting, backup, or external processing.
3. Filtering Contacts
Screenshot 4 - Contact Filters Panel
Advanced filter panel showing dropdown menus for Type, Assigned, Status, Source, and Groups with real-time filtering.
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Type | Lead, Customer, or Guest |
| Assigned | Specific user or team |
| Status | New, In Progress, Contacted, Qualified, Closed |
| Source | Facebook, WhatsApp |
| Groups | Contacts belonging to specific groups |
Note: Filtering affects exports. Only filtered contacts will be included in CSV downloads. Use the "Reset" button to clear all active filters.
4. Bulk Actions
Select multiple contacts using checkboxes to reveal three action buttons: Initiate Chat, Bulk Actions, and Bulk Delete.
Screenshot 5 - Bulk Actions Toolbar
Contact list with multiple contacts selected showing Initiate Chat (purple), Bulk Actions (green), and Bulk Delete (red) buttons.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Status | Change status of selected contacts (New, Contacted, etc.) |
| Source | Update source field for multiple contacts |
| Assign to Groups | Add selected contacts to one or more groups |
| Assigned | Reassign contacts to a different user or team |
Important: Bulk actions cannot be undone. Make sure you have selected the correct contacts before applying changes.
5. Opt-Out Management
The "Opted Out" column indicates whether contacts have opted out from receiving campaign messages. Both automatic and manual opt-out management are supported.
Automatic Opt-Out
When a contact opts out (e.g., by replying "STOP"), their status updates automatically based on application settings.
Manual Opt-Out
Manually set opt-out status from the contact list or edit screen when contacts request opt-out through other channels.
Campaign Restriction: Contacts marked as Opted Out will NOT receive template broadcasts, automated marketing messages, or bulk campaigns. They can still receive transactional messages (order confirmations) and replies to their inquiries.
6. Contact Groups
Organize contacts into groups for better segmentation, targeted campaigns, and easy filtering. Multiple groups can be assigned to a single contact.
Segmentation
Create customer segments for personalized communication
Easy Filtering
Quickly find contacts by group membership
Organized Campaigns
Target specific groups with relevant messages
7. Import Contacts via CSV
Import multiple contacts at once by uploading a properly formatted CSV file. The import process runs asynchronously.
Screenshot 6 - CSV Import Modal
Import contacts modal showing CSV file upload area, sample file download link, and reference panels for staff members, contact groups, and status IDs.
Access Import Feature
Navigate to Contacts page and click the "+ Import" button in the top-right corner.
Download Sample File
Click "Download Sample File & Read Rules" to get a pre-formatted CSV template with the correct headers and format.
Prepare Your CSV
Ensure your CSV includes these columns:
| Column | Required |
|---|---|
| FIRST_NAME | Yes |
| LAST_NAME | Yes |
| PHONE (with + country code) | Yes |
| TYPE (Lead, Customer, Guest) | Yes |
| STATUS_ID | Yes |
| SOURCE_ID | Yes |
| No | |
| COMPANY | No |
| GROUP_ID | No |
Upload CSV File
Drag and drop your .csv file into the upload area, or click to browse. The file must be UTF-8 encoded.
Phone Format: Each phone number must include the country code with a + sign. Example: +92 300 1234567 for Pakistan, +1 555 123 4567 for the US.