Overview
MyRepChat will automatically search for new contacts with phone numbers for incoming messages/calls. So, in most cases, there is little need to bulk import all contacts from a CRM. Bulk Import of large amounts of CRM data can put a strain on MyRepChat, the CRM, and also, depending on the number of contacts or the CRM API, and this may yield a poor user experience. So rather than use a bulk import, we generally recommend searching for contacts or 'groups' as you need them in MyRepChat.
However, there are CRMs that may not have the greatest search behavior (see the specific CRM integration page for search behavior) or maybe you just prefer to import everything all at once.
To do this, it is possible to bulk export from a CRM, and then import into MyRepChat, and link those contacts so that MyRepChat will write back notes to the CRM. Follow the steps below; the import successfully linked the new contacts to the CRM if, per the final step, the new contacts have the CRM logo associated to the contact name in MyRepChat AND notes are added in the CRM.
A .csv bulk import is dependent on the Unique SourceID column to make the connection. We recommend doing this process on a few (5 - 10) rows as a test on the first import process. MyRepChat does not currently have the ability check/reconcile the unique ID entered in the .csv file to be sure it is connected with the CRM system – this is why doing a test group is important. A finished import may add the logo on the contact name, but if the SourceID is not an exact match to the CRM, the contact is not actually connected to the CRM. Users need to be responsible to identify and test appropriately to confirm the contact with the CRM logo is also writing notes to the contact notes in the CRM (zeros, leading and trailing spaces considered).
Four Steps
Step 1: Set CRM integration notes settings and Test the connection
The CRM Integration settings for MyRepChat are found by going to 'settings' then 'integrations' and 'connect to CRM'. Choose the tile that has a green checkmark to show it is integrated. If there isn't a tile showing integration, please be sure to set up the integration before proceeding. There are integration setting docs on this site for the CRM systems MyRepChat integrats with; reference those docs for questions on setting up an integration.
Most integrations have a setting to 'enable' and set 'real time' notes. You want to be sure both are toggled green for on - real time notes will allow the notes to populate in real time so that you do not have to wait overnight for new texts to show in the CRM system (this is helpful for testing the import). Use the 'Test' in the integration settings - there should be a gray bar on the bottom right corner of the screen, or possibly a pop up box that will tell you that the integration is on and working properly.
Next pull in a few contacts from the CRM system, and send a few text messages to confirm it is writing to notes in the CRM. Once you've confirmed the CRM integration is on and working, and notes are showing for the contacts already in MyRepChat, move to the next step.
Step 2: Prepare the import file (export from CRM)
This is CRM specific, but the requirement for making sure the MyRepChat contact gets properly linked back to the CRM is to include the unique ID for that contact in your CRM. Most exports will automatically have it, but some require you to add columns, so make sure to add a column that is likely named 'Contact ID' or 'ID', etc.
A. Export a .csv file from the CRM with Unique Contact ID and Mobile Number:
This is CRM specific, but the requirement for making sure the MyRepChat contact gets properly linked back to the CRM is to include the CRM unique ID for that contact in the upload .csv file. Most CRM exports will automatically have the unique contact ID column in the export by default, but some are manually selected during the export process or may be a combination of two fields in the CRM. This is specific to the CRM - Make sure the final export file has a column named 'ContactID' or 'PersonID', etc. which identifies the CRMs unique contact ID for MyRepChat to link to as the 'SourceID'.
Be sure to include the 'Mobile' number in the export. This will become the messaging number in MyRepChat; so be sure to choose a field from the CRM that you're confident is all or mostly mobile numbers. The format needs to be ten (10) numbers in sequence; if needed, remove dashes, spaces and parentheses after the export. If Mobile Phone is not a CRM export option, we suggest going through a process to identify the mobile phone number or picking an appropriate primary phone number field from the CRM before importing contacts.
B. Add a column named ‘Source’ and add the CRM name to each row
Now that you have the export from your CRM, manually add a column that contains the CRM name so that MyRepChat will know which CRM the .csv is coming from – the column should be called simply ‘Source’. See the Appendix below to get the valid name CRM name format for the source column for each supported CRM (for instance ‘redtail’ or ‘smartoffice’ or ‘wealthbox’). For the new column, add the same CRM name value for every contact in the .csv file. See the column headings in the example below.
C. Review the .csv file column headings, format and clean characters:
Once the file is prepared with the correct columns, be sure it is saved as .csv in a location that can be accessed easily. Go to File, SaveAs, and use the drop-down arrow for ‘Save as type:’ and choose ‘.csv: comma delimited’.
Critical formatting points:
1. Be sure there are no commas (,) anywhere in the file as this will cause errors in the import process. You may need to do a find and replace or search / delete to remove all commas (,).
2. Be sure there are no extra spaces (leading or trailing spaces) because they can hinder mobile number or the SourceID from connecting to the CRM.
3. Test recourds with a phone number or SourceID that has a zero at the end or beginning. Excel number formatting may automatically delete leading or ending zeros, and thuse a load would not connect to the record in the CRM.
4. Mobile and Phone number format should be ten (10) consecutive numbers, no dahes or parentheses. You may use function such as Search/Delete or Find/Replace to remove those characters.
To do an import into MyRepChat, link with the CRM, and create the contacts in a group, the recommended fields (.csv column headings) are:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Mobile
- Tags
- Source
- Source ID
Important things to know about the column headings from the .csv source file fields:
- 'Mobile' - this will become the messaging number in MyRepChat for that contact; the format needs to be ten (10) numbers in sequence, be sure to remove all dashes, parentheses or spaces. You may use function such as Search/Delete or Find/Replace to remove those characters. In the test load, be sure that zeros (0) at the end did not get deleted by the number formatting. If a link is done on 'Phone' instead of ‘Mobile’ MyRepChat will not know it is a mobile number, and it will have to be set manually as a messaging number.
- 'Tags' can be used to put the contacts in a group. If you want a contact in multiple different groups, separate the tags by the pipe symbol "|" (shift +\). If you want to change the group name, import the eact same contact row again, but change the ‘Tag’ to the new group name.
- 'Source ID' - this is the CRM unique ID for that contact. This may be a combination of two fileds from the export; use the 'CONCATENATE' function to combine them into one column. Be sure you have confirmed with your CRM provider and the appendix below to know which UniqueID will allow this connection. In the test load, test contact rows with a UniqueID that has zeros (0) at the end or beginning to be sure they did not drop off.
- 'Source' - this is the CRM name that is manually entered. This tells MyRepChat to add the corresponding CRM logo to the contact record. It should be in lowercase only; see a list at the end of CRM systems currently integrating with MyRepChat and the appropriate name format. Please note: this logo does not guarantee the contact will write notes to the CRM, the SourceID is does that function.
Step 3: Link .csv column fields to target fields and import
A. Confirm the CSV Summary
Go to MyRepChat and 'Contacts' and click 'Add Contact or Group'. Choose 'Import contacts and groups from CSV'. Pick the file that was exported, edited and saved in the steps above.
MyRepChat will show a box named ‘CSV Summary’, this is confirming the number of rows of (contacts) that will be imported (number of contacts + header row + one blank row). Click ‘Close’
B. Link Fields Appropriately
Link the MyRepChat 'Target' fields to the fields in the ‘CSV Source fields’. To ensure information is imported correctly, follow these steps, take one field at a time:
- Click ‘First Name’ in the Target Fields column, it will turn red.
- Click ‘First Name’ from the CSV Source Fields, it will turn red.
- Click the blue ‘LINK’ button in the middle.
- Both fields will turn green to confirm the link was successful, and then white when the next field is clicked. The link is recorded for ‘First Name’ when it turned green. Move to the next field.
Now to go the next field.
- Click ‘Last Name’ in the Target Fields Colum, it will turn red.
- Click ‘Last Name’ in the CSV Source Fields column, it will turn red.
- Click the blue ‘LINK’ button in the middle.
- Both fields will turn green to confirm the link was successful, and then white when moving to the next field. Repeat the link for each field.
C. Import
When you are certain you have linked each field, click import. Depending on the size of the file, the CRM connection or CRM API, this may be very quick or take some time. As mentioned earlier, this can be a taxing process for the CRM. Please be patient and wait for the load to complete, refresh the browser, then review the contacts in MyRepChat.
Step 4: Verify the contacts loaded correctly:
A. Confirm the import: Refresh the browser after the import is completed and go to 'Contacts' to see the new contacts. The imported contacts should all have the CRM logo. Also, check to be sure any groups that were intended from the Tags are visible in groups.
B. Confirm notes are showing in the CRM. Do an initial small batch to test this process: Rather than loading all contacts, be sure you have tested this process with 5 -10 contact rows, and confirm it is working correctly with the CRM notes. We recommend sending a few test text messages; depending on the CRM integration settings, you may need to wait to complete testing over night when messages have been added to the contact notes in the CRM the next day. If the text reveals that the connection was not made for all contacts, fix the .csv file, and load again. If the mobile phone number was not correctly formatted, the new upload will create another record with the correct mobile number, be sure to delete the contact with the incorrect mobile number as it will not be identified as a 'dupliate' in MyRepChat.
C. Review groups to ensure any group ‘Tags’ applied are showing correctly.
Appendix:
Export fields, Source Name and SourceID Formats by CRM system: To Date, these are the formats we’re aware of; we recommend contacting your CRM support team to confirm which fields to pull in the export, and doing a test load into MyRepChat.
UniqueID Export Fields |
Example SourceID Column |
Source Column CRM Name |
Contact.SystemCode.ContactCode |
Contact.65912.9861 |
smartoffice |
RecordID_PersonID |
g8546325-e525-3fba-b95c-b28k5297834f_e856fhf5-b40d-695a-b851-n59a188628b1 |
junxure |
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redtail |
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wealthbox |
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