How do I create a new group_list for more than one contact?

Account admins and program admins

Programs tab

A group in Message is a set of contacts that can be assigned to a counselor level user. This is a great way to organize your contacts and simplify a counselor user's inbox. 

New groups for multiple contacts must be created via a CSV upload. Groups can be created when updating existing contacts, or while adding new contacts to the program. 

If you are creating new groups for existing contacts, we recommend starting with a contact export, and making adjustments to the exported file. Starting from a contact export allows you to view the existing group_lists for each contact, and preserve them if you'd like. To learn more about contact exports, click here.

New groups for existing contacts

If starting from a contact export, delete any rows with contacts whose group list will not be changing. Delete any unnecessary columns - the only columns required when updating group_list are customer_id or signalvine_id and group_list. Make your changes to the group_list column - when the file is uploaded, any unique value that appears in the group_list column will appear as a new list.

If starting from a blank CSV file, include the customer_id or signalvine_id for each contact, as well as the group_list column with updated group information.

To add a contact to more than one group_list, use a semi-colon between each group. To add a contact to groups 1 and 2, for instance, make the group_list value Group 1;Group 2.

Upload the file to the platform via Import Contacts in the Programs tab and upload your file. Uncheck the box to Import new contacts, and check the box to Update existing contacts. A box will appear displaying the field headers in your file. Be sure to select group_list, but if you included additional columns in your CSV file that you would like updated, you can select additional fields.

Choose an error setting (the default option only runs the file if no errors are encountered; the first option runs the file regardless of errors, but gives detailed information on what rows were skipped and why). Finally, click Start Import. Once the file runs, a summary will appear with the number of updated contacts and the number of errors.

We've created a file with two columns: customer_id and group_list. We've input the customer_id of every contact we'd like to update, and typed their new list (or lists) in the group_list column. We've used a semi-colon to separate multiple groups.

After navigating to Import Contacts and selecting our CSV file, we'll choose to Update existing contacts. When the field list appears, we'll choose to update the group_list field. We've selected to Only import the file if there are no errors, and we'll click Start Import to upload the file and create the new list(s).

New groups for new contacts

Start with a CSV file containing the 6 required data fields: customer_id, first_name, last_name, group_list, timezone, and phone. You can include as many additional fields as you would like. Assign each contact one or more groups in the group_list column - when the file is uploaded, any unique value that appears in the group_list column will appear as a list. 

Upload the file to the platform via Import Contacts in the Programs tab, and upload your CSV file. Choose to Import new contacts, leaving the Update option unchecked. Choose how you would like to handler errors, and then click Start Import. 

We've created a file with the 6 required columns, as well as 7 additional fields. We've filled out the information for every contact, and used a semi-colon to separate multiple groups.

After navigating to Import Contacts and uploading our CSV file, we'll choose to Import new contacts. We've selected to Only import the file if there are no errors, and we'll click Start Import to upload the file and create the new list(s).