How to Manage Contacts for Targeted Messaging in SMSGatewayCenter

Updated on 05/03/2025

7 min read

The Contacts feature in SMSGatewayCenter allows you to manage phone numbers and contacts, create or import unlimited contacts with names, and add them to specific groups for effective SMS campaigns. This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through searching, adding, importing, and managing contacts using the Contacts interface, ensuring you organize your audience efficiently while avoiding common pitfalls.

Step-by-Step Guide #

1. Access the Contacts Interface #

What to Do: Log in to your SMSGatewayCenter account and navigate to the Contacts section in the dashboard or menu. This interface provides tools to search, add, import, and manage your contacts for targeted messaging.
What Not to Do: Don’t attempt to access or manage contacts without logging in, as unauthorized access will result in errors or restricted functionality. Avoid navigating to the wrong section (e.g., Groups or Campaigns) if you intend to manage contacts.

Searching Contacts #

2. Use the Search Contacts Functionality #

What to Do: To find specific contacts, follow these steps in the Search Contacts section:

Open the SMSGateway.Center application and go to the Contacts section.
Locate the “Search Contacts” form, which includes the following fields:
- Name: Enter the name of the contact you want to search for (e.g., “John Doe”).
- Mobile Number: Enter the mobile number associated with the contact (e.g., “919999999999” with the country code).
Click the “Search” button to initiate the search and wait for the results to load, which will display matching contacts in the Contacts table.

What Not to Do: Don’t enter vague or incomplete search terms, as this could return too many results or none at all. Avoid leaving fields blank unless you want to search by a single criterion, and don’t refresh the page repeatedly while waiting for results, as this could disrupt the process.

Managing Contacts #

3. Understand the Contacts Table #

What to Do: Review the Contacts table, which provides an overview of all your contacts. It includes the following columns to help you manage them:
ID: Displays the unique identifier for each contact, sortable in ascending order by clicking the column header.
Group Name: Shows the group each contact belongs to, sortable in ascending order.
Contact Name: Lists the name of each contact, sortable in ascending order.
Mobile Number: Displays the phone number for each contact, sortable in ascending order.
Contact Type: Indicates the type of contact (e.g., promotional, transactional), sortable in ascending order.
Action: Use the action buttons to perform operations like editing or deleting individual contacts.
What Not to Do: Don’t ignore the sortable columns—use them to organize and find contacts efficiently. Avoid selecting contacts randomly without understanding their group or purpose, as this could lead to unintended actions (e.g., deleting the wrong contact).

4. Perform Table Actions on Contacts #

What to Do: Use the action buttons at the top of the Contacts table to manage your contacts:
Delete Selected: Select one or more contacts using checkboxes, then click the “Delete Selected” button to remove them. Confirm the deletion to avoid accidental loss of data.
Export: Click the “Export” button to download the selected contacts or all visible contacts to a file (e.g., CSV) for offline analysis or backup.
Import: Click the “Import” button to bulk upload contacts from an external file (see Step 7 for details).
What Not to Do: Don’t delete contacts without verifying their importance or group affiliation, as this could remove critical data for campaigns. Avoid exporting large datasets without checking file size limits or storage capacity. Don’t import files without ensuring they meet the required format (see Step 7).

Adding New Contacts #

5. Start Adding a New Contact #

What to Do: To create a new contact, follow these steps in the Contacts section:

Click the “Add” button in the Contacts header.
A modal window titled “Add New Contact” will appear, prompting you to enter contact details.

What Not to Do: Don’t click “Add” without a clear plan for the contact’s details or group assignment, as this could lead to unnecessary or incomplete entries. Avoid closing the modal accidentally before saving, as you’ll lose unsaved data.

6. Enter Contact Details #

What to Do: In the “Add New Contact” modal, fill in the required fields:
Select Group: Choose the group to which the contact will belong (e.g., “Promotional Customers,” “VIP Contacts”) from the dropdown. Ensure the group exists and aligns with your campaign purpose.
Contact Name: Enter the name of the contact (e.g., “John Doe”) for easy identification.
Mobile: Enter the mobile number associated with the contact (e.g., “919999999999” with the country code), ensuring it’s valid and includes the correct country code.
What Not to Do: Don’t leave any required fields empty, as the “Save Changes” button will remain disabled until all fields are filled. Avoid using duplicate names or numbers without verifying, which could confuse your contact list. Don’t enter invalid mobile numbers (e.g., letters, special characters) or numbers without country codes.

7. Save the New Contact #

What to Do: After entering the contact details, click the “Save Changes” button to create the new contact. The button is enabled only when all required fields are completed, so double-check your input before saving. Once saved, the new contact will appear in the Contacts table, ready for use in campaigns or group assignments.
What Not to Do: Don’t save the contact without verifying the name, number, or group, as this could lead to errors in future campaigns. Avoid clicking “Save Changes” multiple times, as this could create duplicate entries or cause system delays.

Importing Contacts #

8. Prepare to Import Contacts #

What to Do: To bulk import contacts from an external file, follow these steps in the Contacts section:

Locate the “Import Contacts” box or button in the interface.
Ensure your file is in .xls or .xlsx format. You can download a sample contact file from our platform for reference to match the required format (e.g., columns for Name, Mobile, Group).

What Not to Do: Don’t use unsupported file formats (e.g., .csv, .txt) or files with incorrect column headers, as this will cause import failures. Avoid importing files with invalid or duplicate data without cleaning them first.

9. Import the Contact File #

What to Do: In the “Import Contacts” section, fill in the required fields:
Select Group: Choose the group to which the imported contacts will belong (e.g., “Promotional Customers”) from the dropdown.
Import Contact File: Click the “Browse” button, select your prepared .xls or .xlsx file, and upload it.
Click the “Import” button to initiate the process and wait for the import to complete, reviewing any success or error messages.
What Not to Do: Don’t import large files without testing a smaller batch first, as this could overwhelm the system or lead to errors. Avoid importing contacts without verifying their format or group assignment, which could disrupt campaigns.

Best Practices and Tips #

Organize Contacts Effectively: Before adding or importing contacts, plan their purpose (e.g., promotional, transactional, regional) and ensure mobile numbers are valid and up-to-date. Use our Manage Groups Guide and Send Group SMS Guide to target contacts efficiently.
Secure Data: Use HTTPS for all API calls and protect contact data (e.g., names, numbers) to prevent unauthorized access.
Regular Maintenance: Periodically review and update contacts to remove invalid numbers, merge duplicates, or delete outdated entries. Use the Export feature to back up your data regularly.
Monitor Usage: Use SMSGatewayCenter’s Activity Logs to track contact management activities and detect unauthorized changes. Refer to our Activity Logs Guide for more information.

Troubleshooting #

Contact Not Displaying: If a contact doesn’t appear in the table, verify you’re logged in, check the search/filter settings, or click “Reload” to refresh the interface. Ensure the contact meets naming or format requirements.
Import Failures: If imports fail, verify your file format (.xls or .xlsx) and column headers, then try a smaller batch. Check for errors in the import log and adjust accordingly.
Deletion or Export Errors: If deleting or exporting contacts fails, ensure you’ve selected the correct contacts and have permission to perform the action. Contact our team if issues persist.

For further assistance, contact our team at contact @ smsgatewaycenter.com or refer to our API Documentation.