The formula mentioned for creating batches of 100 contacts:
=ifs(row(D2)<100,"dr1",row(D2)<200,"dr2",row(D2)<300,"dr3",row(D2)<400,"dr4",row(D2)<500,"dr5",row(D2)<600,"dr6",row(D2)<700,"dr7",row(D2)<800,"dr8",row(D2)<900,"dr9",row(D2)<1000,"dr10",row(D2)<1100,"dr11",row(D2)<1200,"dr12",row(D2)<1300,"dr13",row(D2)<1400,"dr14",row(D2)<1500,"dr15",row(D2)<1600,"dr16",row(D2)<1700,"dr17",row(D2)<1800,"dr18",row(D2)<1900,"dr19",row(D2)<2000,"dr20",row(D2)<2100,"dr21",row(D2)<2200,"dr22",row(D2)<2300,"dr23",row(D2)<2400,"dr24",row(D2)<2500,"dr25",row(D2)<2600,"dr26",row(D2)<2700,"dr27",row(D2)<2900,"dr28",row(D2)<3000,"dr29",row(D2)<3100,"dr30",row(D2)<3200,"dr31",row(D2)<3300,"dr32",row(D2)<3300,"dr33",row(D2)<3400,"dr34",row(D2)<3500,"dr35",row(D2)<3600,"dr36",row(D2)<3700,"dr37",row(D2)<3800,"dr38",row(D2)<3900,"dr39",row(D2)<4000,"dr40",row(D2)<4100,"dr41",row(D2)<4200,"dr42",row(D2)<4300,"dr43",row(D2)<4400,"dr44",row(D2)<4500,"dr45",row(D2)<4600,"dr46",row(D2)<4700,"dr47",row(D2)<4800,"dr48",row(D2)<4900,"dr49",row(D2)<5000,"dr50",row(D2)<5100,"dr51",row(D2)<5200,"dr52",row(D2)<5300,"dr53",row(D2)<5400,"dr54",row(D2)<5500,"dr55",row(D2)<5600,"dr56",row(D2)<5700,"dr57",row(D2)<5800,"dr58",row(D2)<5900,"dr59",row(D2)<6000,"dr60",row(D2)<6100,"dr61",row(D2)<6200,"dr62",row(D2)<6300,"dr63",row(D2)<6400,"dr64",row(D2)<6500,"dr65",row(D2)<6600,"dr66",row(D2)<6700,"dr67",row(D2)<6800,"dr68",row(D2)<6900,"dr69",row(D2)<7000,"dr70",row(D2)<7100,"dr71",row(D2)<7200,"d72",row(D2)<7300,"dr73",row(D2)<7400,"dr74",row(D2)<7500,"dr75",row(D2)<7600,"dr76",row(D2)<7700,"dr77",row(D2)<7800,"dr78",row(D2)<7900,"dr79",row(D2)<8000,"dr80",row(D2)<8100,"dr81",row(D2)<8200,"dr82")
The below article will show you how to import contacts into your account from a CSV file in batches of 100. This is particularly useful when running a database re-engagement where you are sending a bulk message to hundreds of contacts. This way, you can batch the contacts and send the message out to certain batches when the time is right for you where as if you sent the message out to all of the contacts and you had 800 for example, this might be a lot of responses for you to manage. You want to ensure you are replying in a timely manner and also that you have enough availability in your calendar to book them in for a call fairly quickly.
The first thing you need to do is export your list of contacts you are wanting to upload. This could be from old Facebook lead forms, old leads from your CRM software or former members from your membership management system. When you export this file, you need to ensure it is a CSV file otherwise you will not be able to upload the contacts into your account. Once you have this file, open it up (ideally in excel as this will allow us to add the formula to batch these contacts). Once your file is open, here is where we can clean our data and add our formula.
The details you need on this spreadsheet are first name, last name, phone number and email. We will also be adding a column titled ‘tag’. Please ensure these fields are each in their own column as shown in the above screenshot. You may also wish to add additional fields if you would like that information imported as well.
Copy the formula shown at the top of this article. This formula is what will allow us to batch these contacts into lots of 100 using tags.
Under the first cell in the ‘tag’ column, paste the formula in there. This will then populate the cell with the text ‘dr1’.
From here, you can then click on the cell you just pasted that formula in and hover your mouse over the bottom right corner of the cell box. This will convert your cursor to a black cross.
If you double click this cross, it will then auto-populate all below cells in this column with that formula.
This formula will show the tag ‘dr1’ for the first 100 rows, ‘dr2’ for the second hundred, ‘dr3’ for the third and so on and so forth depending on how many rows of data you have in your spreadsheet.
Once this is complete, save your CSV file and head into your account to the ‘Contacts’ tab. To import this list into your account, follow the below steps:
Click on the ‘import’ bulk action
Upload your CSV file and click ‘Next
Ensure each field from your spreadsheet is mapped correctly to the contact fields within your account and click ‘Next’. E.g. first name to first name, last name to last name, email to email etc.
Click on the ‘Advanced’ dropdown. Here you want to ensure you have selected ‘Add new and update existing contact records’. You also want to change your primary preference to ‘Phone’ and add a secondary preference as ‘Email’. You finally want to unselect ‘Don’t update empty values for existing records’. You do have the option to add in any additional tags you would like for each contact you are importing here as well as update the name of this import (it does default to the timestamp of when you are uploading which can often be quite helpful). Once complete, click ‘Submit’
Once your contacts have uploaded, click ‘More Filters’ on the top right of the page
Select ‘tag’
Here you can filter out these dr tags. If you would like to only do the first 100, you can select tag > is > dr1 or, we would generally recommend selecting the first 200-400 contacts so you would select tag > is any of > dr1, dr2, dr3 for example. Once this is selected, click ‘Apply’
You can then select all of these contacts by checking the all box. You then want to click the ‘Select all X records’ button. This will select all records you have filtered out rather than the first 20 only shown on the first page. From there, click the robot icon which will allow us to bulk add these contacts into a workflow
Search for the workflow you would like to add these contacts into (for a database re-engagement, it will be ‘Database Re-engagement - Single SMS Send Offer’. Keep ‘Add all at once’ select as we are manually batching these contacts which allows more control. You can then name your action e.g. ‘Database re-engagement dr1-dr3’ and click ‘Add to Campaign / Workflow’. This will then add all of these contacts to the workflow which is set up to send an SMS instantly,
For more information how how to manage responses from this message, watch our Database Re-engagement video.