The "Contacts" section in Chatwoot serves as a database of end-users or customers with whom you have interacted via the Chatwoot widget. You can also upload contacts manually.

**To view the Contacts screen, click on the “Contacts” tab from the left-sidebar** of your dashboard. This is what a typical contacts screen looks like:

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBeEk1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--79961ac75879ba9d7ab25e16d1be287c3cee8e71/contacts%20screen.png)

## How to add contacts?

Contacts can be added to the list in 3 ways, as explained in the following sections.

### Manual upload

You can manually upload contacts to your Chatwoot customer database in two ways.

1. **Add a single contact**

   **Step 1.** On the Contacts screen, click on the “**New Contact**” button from the top-right corner.

   ![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBeDA1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--ece8e36b3116e89da10358b54014019c4daf6aa1/new%20contact%20button.png)

   **Step 2.** Start filling the contact details available with you. Click on “Submit”.

   ![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBeWM1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--d422b3b4ff858ba912f40332611c036b1aa131f2/contact%20details.png)

2. **Import a database of contacts**

   **Step 1.** On the Contacts screen, click on the “**Import**” button from the top-right corner.

   ![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBeW81VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--5e7011ca55c51e85f7c45f3b972c3b2cdc339a51/import%20contacts.png)

   **Step 2.** Choose a CSV file from your system to upload it to the Chatwoot database. This is what a sample database looks like:

   ![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBeXc1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--0dfcb4cf2c42ca96ab94d733e4953b63337bc314/import%20contacts%20sample.png)

### Pre-chat forms

If you have a [pre-chat form enabled](https://www.chatwoot.com/docs/user-guide/features/pre-chat-form), every time a customer gives their email and other details through it, Chatwoot will save them as a new contact.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBemM1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--f890372c9d4a6b6618d2fd81cb9b8c38d5722c00/pre%20chat%20form%20contact.png)

In the example shared above, Raji Nair will be autosaved as a contact when she fills the pre-chat form.

### Channel greeting

Whenever a customer enters their email ID in the channel greeting message, it will be autosaved as a contact.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBenc1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--0be1420ebd224b4e9553b658007a2e3bb0654435/contact%20through%20greeting.png)

## Contacts grouped by labels

You can filter your contacts by labels. Simply select a label from your list of “**Tagged with**”, as shown below.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBMEU1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--0596184f6ce15d58bc3a83fcb18a3c87b3ab4526/Contacts%20grouped%20by%20labels.png)

## Sorting contacts

To arrange your contacts, click the icon with two arrows in any column.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBMDA1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--950eb2e99636161d3518387e5720a7247405c7ad/sort%20contacts.png)

The following explains the logic behind the sorting of each column’s label.

* Sorting by name: Sorts the list alphabetically.

* Sorting by email: Sorts the list alphabetically.

* Sorting by phone number: Orders the list in numerical order.

* Sorting by company name: Sorts the list alphabetically.

* Sorting by city: Sorts the list alphabetically.

* Sorting by country: Sorts the list alphabetically.

* Sorting by last activity: Sorts the list chronologically.

## Contact actions

You can perform specific actions on a contact. To view these actions, click on the name of a contact. It will open a sidebar with the details of that contact and associated actions, as illustrated in the screenshot below.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBMVk1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--f1ad3b5ed015c522f512f83f2df6342ceeb76e46/contact%20actions.png)

### Action – Send a new message

You can send outbound messages to a contact using the “New message” button as illustrated in the screenshot above.

You can send outbound messages from your contact page to the following conversation channels.

* Website (only to HMAC identified contacts)

* Email

* SMS

* WhatsApp

## Contact Notes

You can add notes and important information to a specific contact. You can use this to manually log a call, email, or meeting with the customer.

To add notes:[**​**](https://www.chatwoot.com/docs/user-guide/contacts/#how-to-add-a-note-to-a-contact "Direct link to heading")

1. Click on Contacts menu item from the Chatwoot Dashboard.

2. Select a Contact from the list. (Click on the contact name)

3. Write down your note.

4. Click the "Add" button or press `Cmd + Enter`. Visit the individual contact page.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBNjg1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9412463192049f9e159f999bdee48185c379dda6/contact%20note%20example.png)

You can also use rich text formatting on your notes and delete them as required.

## Filtering Contacts

Use filters to group your contacts and categorize data. To start filtering contacts, follow the steps described below.

**Step 1.** Click on the “Filter” button from the top of your contacts screen.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBN2s1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--017d2a8b8aad7aa7f49b47f9dfc1265e26300253/filter%20contacts%20button.png)

**Step 2.** Select a filter from the dropdown and select “Equal to” or “Not equal to” as applicable.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBN281VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--51dc0bc920799a2b19adbafabc75c679f5f13b58/filtering%20contacts.png)

You can apply advanced filters to your contacts. The following filters are available:

1. Contact Name

2. Contact Email

3. Phone number

4. Contact Identifier

5. Country

6. City

7. Created at

8. Last activity

9. Custom attributes added to your account

**Step 3.** Add more filters using AND / OR operators if you need to.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBOEE1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--07f5cd009e688aa1374945f15b63d12c1f16bf3c/filter%20contacts%20example.png)

**Step 4.** Press on “Submit” button. You will be redirected back to the Contacts screen, and you will see only the contacts that are qualified by your selected filters.

### Saving a filter as contact segment

A filtered list of contacts shows an option to “Save Filter” at the top of your screen. Saving a filter can help you revisit it with a single click.

**Step 1.** Click on the “**Save filter**” button.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBOFk1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--e3551b2cd08b0b0abfcc6c5e29f3c54726645610/saving%20a%20contacts%20filter.png)

**Step 2.** Name your filter and click on the “**Save filter**” button. Here is an example:

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBOG81VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--2e0237106089fc582f9e9c851af402c30f23f00a/naming%20a%20contact%20segment.png)

To access a contact segment later on, click on it from the sidebar of your contacts.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBOUE1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--61f896c957582d3c87dc7794a1793a045cd55d50/contact%20segment%20in%20chatwoot.png)

### Editing or reverting a filter

To edit or clear the filters and go back to the original list, follow these steps:

**Step 1.** Click on the “Filter” button.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBOWc1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--f7eb3c03617166d2d7f55edd51258e581037e30f/applied%20contacts%20filter%20button.png)

**Step 2.** The popup will open up. Here, you can edit the existing filters using the drop-downs. You can also add filters, or clear them all to revert to the original contacts list.

![](https://app.chatwoot.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBKzA1VHc9PSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--dda8a677d98f0f531bbb46722b8cad89d1567939/editing%20filters.png)

Hit “**Submit**”.