A complete guide on how to upload a CSV file to perform bulk actions, such as starting a campaign, applying tags to a list of patients, or adding new contacts to Aloha.
✨ When You Need This Guide
This guide is your go-to resource for uploading a list of contacts to perform a specific action. Use this if:
You need to upload a list of patients from a report or spreadsheet.
You want to start a campaign for a specific group of patients all at once.
You need to apply a tag to multiple contacts in bulk.
You want to add new contacts to Aloha who are not syncing from your main PMS/EHR (e.g. like contacts from a marketing event).
You're wondering why some rows were "skipped" during a CSV upload.
Preparing Your File
Before you start, you'll need a CSV file. CSV stands for Comma Separated Value. You can create one by running a report from your PMS/EHR or by opening a spreadsheet in a program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets and using the "Save As" or "Export" function to save it as a .csv file.
Your file should have columns with clear headers like First Name, Last Name, Phone, and Email.
✅ How to Import Your CSV File
Navigate to the Import Page. Go to the CONTACTS tab, then click on the Import CSV page.
Select Your Data Type. From the first dropdown menu, you must tell the system what kind of information is in your file. This is a critical step.
Choose Contact Data Only for most actions, like applying a tag or starting a general campaign for a list of patients. Your file should contain columns for name, phone, email, etc.
Choose Contact/Appointment Data if your file contains both patient details AND specific appointment details (like appointment date, time, and type). This is necessary only if Aloha is not set up to receive this information for your EHR/PMS directly.
Choose Appointment Data Only if you're needing to update appointment information in Aloha. This is used less frequently and necessary only if Aloha is not set up to receive this information for your EHR/PMS directly.
Choose Your Action. From the "Action" dropdown, select what you want to do with the contacts in your file. Common actions include:
Start a Campaign: Immediately adds everyone in the file to a specific campaign.
Apply a Tag: Adds a specific tag to every contact in the file.
Remove a Tag: Remove a specific tag from every contact in the file.
Select Your File. Click the Pick CSV File button and choose the .csv file from your computer. Ideally, it would be formatted like the example below:
Map Your Fields. This is the most important step for accuracy.
After uploading, you'll see a preview. For each column from your file (shown on the left), use the dropdown menu on the right to match it to the corresponding field in Aloha (e.g., match your "First Name" column to the "First Name" field).
If you don't want to import a specific column from your file, choose -ignore-.
Start the Import. Click the Import CSV button. The system will begin processing your file.
💡 Common Scenarios & Questions
What You Might Notice | Why It's Happening | What to Do |
The import summary says some rows were "skipped." | This can happen if a required field (like a phone number for texting) is missing in a row. | If contacts are missing required info, you will need to add it to your CSV file and re-upload. |
I can't upload my file; it gives an error. | Your file is likely not in the correct .csv format. It might still be an Excel file (.xls or .xlsx). | Open your file in your spreadsheet program (like Excel or Google Sheets) and use the Save As or Export function to save it specifically as a CSV (Comma delimited) file. Then try uploading the new file. |
How should I format my CSV file for best results? | A clean file with simple, clear headers is best. The system needs to know what each column represents. | Your first row should be headers (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Phone, Email). Each subsequent row should be a single contact. Avoid extra empty rows or columns. For phone numbers, use a consistent format with no special characters (e.g., 5551234567). |
🎉 You'll Know It's Working When:
You see a green banner that says "X contact(s) were successfully imported.".
When you check the contacts from your list, you see that the action (like a new tag or campaign) has been applied to them.
💬 Need Help? We're Here!
If you have other questions about importing a CSV file, our support team is ready to help. Contact us at 800-563-0469 or support@getaloha.com.