Managing Contacts & Lists

Keep your survey recipients organized with contact lists. This makes email distribution easier and helps you track who you’ve surveyed.

Accessing Contacts

Click Contacts in the main navigation to access your contact management area.

Adding Contacts

Manual Entry

1. Click Add Contact
2. Enter contact details:
   • Email (required)
   • First name
   • Last name
   • Custom fields
3. Save contact

Import from CSV

1. Click Import
2. Upload your CSV file
3. Map columns to contact fields
4. Select or create a group
5. Complete import

CSV Format Tips:

• First row should be headers
• Email column is required
• Use consistent formatting
• Remove duplicates before import

Copy & Paste

1. Click Import > Paste Data
2. Paste data from spreadsheet
3. Map columns
4. Import

Contact Groups

Organize contacts into groups for targeted distribution.

Creating Groups

1. Click New Group
2. Name your group
3. Add description (optional)
4. Save

Adding Contacts to Groups

• During import - Select target group
• From contact list - Select contacts, click Add to Group
• Individual contact - Edit contact, select groups

Smart Lists

Create dynamic groups based on criteria:

• Response history
• Contact fields
• Activity status

Contact Fields

Standard Fields

• Email
• First Name
• Last Name
• Phone
• Company

Custom Fields

Create fields for your specific needs:

1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
2. Click Add Field
3. Set field name and type
4. Use in contacts and surveys

Searching & Filtering

Search

Type in the search box to find contacts by:

• Name
• Email
• Custom field values

Filter

Filter your contact list by:

• Group membership
• Import date
• Survey participation
• Activity status

Contact Activity

View each contact’s survey history:

• Surveys sent
• Open/click activity
• Responses completed
• Last activity date

Managing Duplicates

Automatic Detection

SurveyMethods detects duplicate emails during import.

Resolution Options

• Skip duplicates
• Update existing contacts
• Keep both records

Merge Contacts

Manually merge duplicate contacts:

1. Find duplicate contacts
2. Select Merge
3. Choose which data to keep
4. Confirm merge

Bulk Operations

Select multiple contacts for bulk actions:

• Add to group
• Remove from group
• Delete contacts
• Export selection

Importing Best Practices

Clean Your Data

• Remove invalid emails
• Standardize formatting
• Fill required fields
• Remove duplicates

Map Fields Correctly

• Match headers to fields
• Create custom fields as needed
• Preview before importing

Group Strategically

• Create groups by purpose
• Use descriptive names
• Keep groups current

Privacy & Compliance

Opt-Out Management

• Unsubscribed contacts are flagged
• Cannot send to opted-out contacts
• Respect preferences across surveys

Data Protection

• Secure storage
• Export with permission
• Delete when requested

GDPR Compliance

• Record consent
• Provide data access
• Enable deletion requests

Troubleshooting

Import Errors

• Check file format (UTF-8 CSV)
• Verify required fields
• Review error messages
• Fix and re-import failed rows

Missing Contacts

• Check group filters
• Search all contacts
• Review import history

Duplicate Issues

• Run duplicate detection
• Merge identified duplicates
• Update import settings

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Related articles:

• Distributing Surveys via Email
• Email Reminders