Contacts are imported into iSend with a CSV file from inside a contact group. The file needs one column with the phone number in international format, that is with the country code 30 in front, and optionally columns for first name, last name, email, company and dates. Before the import starts you declare where you have the recipients' consent from. Duplicate numbers are merged, invalid numbers are skipped and anyone who has requested opt-out does not get back into your lists.
How to prepare the file
Excel files are not uploaded directly. Save the sheet as CSV UTF-8 from the File menu, Save As, so that Greek names are read correctly. The first line of the file is the column headers.
| Column | Required | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone | Yes | Country code and number, without + and without spaces | 306912345678 |
| First name, Last name | No | Text | Maria, Papadopoulou |
| No | Email address | maria@example.gr |
|
| Company, Address | No | Text | Cafe Kipos |
| Date of birth, Anniversary | No | Day/month/year | 21/1/1990 or 21-1-1990 |
| Gender, Salutation | No | Text | Female, Maria |
| Custom fields | No | As you defined them in the group, with the tag as the header | PINAKIDA: IKT-1234, RANTEVOU: 21/10/2026 11:30 |
For the phone number, the platform removes spaces on its own. Numbers written as 6912345678 without the 30 in front are rejected as invalid, so add the country code to the whole column before saving. In Excel this is done with a formula such as ="30"&A2, after first setting the column as text so the leading zero is not lost.
The Salutation column is the first name in the vocative case, the form used when addressing someone directly in Greek, such as «Μαρία» (Maria) or «Γιώργο» (Giorgo, the vocative of Giorgos), and it is the one you use at the start of a message.
How the import runs
- Open the Contacts menu and select the group the contacts will go into. If it does not exist, create it first.
- Click Import and upload the CSV file.
- On the mapping screen you declare which column of the file is the phone number, which is the first name and so on. Columns whose header matches a platform field are mapped automatically. The list also shows the group's custom fields, so a "License plate" or "Appointment" column is applied in bulk to all contacts. The phone number is the only required field.
- You confirm that you have the recipients' consent and select its source: written consent, email, online form, verbal confirmation or existing customer. Without this declaration the import does not start.
- Click Import. Processing happens in the background and you can close the page.
You see the progress and the result in the group's Import history tab: how many rows were read, how many were added and how many were skipped, with a log file for every rejected row.
What happens with duplicate, invalid and opted-out numbers
- Duplicates inside the file. The same number twice is kept once.
- Numbers that already exist in the group. No second contact is created. The existing one is updated with the file's details.
- Invalid numbers. Rows with an empty or wrong phone number are skipped and logged in the history, so you can correct and re-upload them.
- Numbers on the blocklist. Anyone who has requested opt-out from you is removed from the import and counts among the skipped rows.
- Contacts that had opted out from another group of yours. They go into the new group as opted out, without consent, and do not receive advertising messages. Re-importing does not cancel the recipient's STOP request.
Import by pasting
For small lists there is the Paste text option inside the group. You paste the numbers, one per line or separated by commas, declare the separator and the consent source, and the contacts are added immediately. The same rules for the country code and the blocklist apply.
Why we ask for the source of consent
The source is stored on every contact along with the import date. If a recipient asks where you got their number from, or if the data protection authority requests it, the answer is in the contact's record. Third-party lists, purchased or collected without permission, may not be imported. More on the GDPR page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload an Excel file (.xlsx) directly?
The platform reads CSV files. From Excel choose File, Save As, and the type "CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)". The file keeps your columns and your Greek text, and uploads in seconds.
My numbers are written as 69… without the 30. What do I do?
Add the 30 in front across the whole column before saving the CSV. In Excel, set a new column as text and write the formula ="30"&A2, where A2 is the cell with the number. Copy the formula downwards and use the new column as the phone number.
How many contacts can I import at once?
The import runs in batches in the background, so even files with thousands of rows complete without you staying on the page. Your account's contact limit depends on the plan. If the import stops because the limit was reached, the history reports it.