Adding Contacts

dialnote gives you multiple ways to build your contact list. You can add contacts one at a time during conversations, create them from the Contacts page, or import hundreds at once from a CSV file. Pick the method that fits your workflow.

Adding a Single Contact#

The fastest way to add a contact is right from your inbox. When you're viewing a conversation with an unknown number, click the Create Contact button in the contact details panel. dialnote pre-fills the phone number so you just need to add the person's information.

You can also add contacts from the dedicated Contacts page:

Go to Contacts in the sidebar
Click the Add Contact button in the top right
Fill in the contact details:
- Phone Number (required) - Include the country code, like +1 for US numbers
- First Name (required) - The contact's first name
- Last Name - Optional but helpful for searching later
- Company - Where they work
- Job Title - Their role at the company
- Email - Their email address
Click Create Contact

dialnote Add Contact dialog with phone number, first name, and company fields — The Add Contact dialog, opened from the Contacts page.

Pro tip

When you add a contact from a conversation, dialnote automatically links all past calls and messages with that number to the new contact record.

Importing Contacts from CSV#

Got a spreadsheet of contacts? Import them all at once instead of typing each one manually.

Preparing Your CSV File#

Your CSV file should include these columns:

Column	Required	Description
phoneNumber	Yes	Contact's phone number with country code
firstName	No	First name
lastName	No	Last name
email	No	Email address
company	No	Company name
jobTitle	No	Job title or role

Phone number format

Phone numbers should include the country code. dialnote accepts formats like +14155551234 or +1 (415) 555-1234.

Running the Import#

Go to Contacts and click Import
Download the sample CSV template if you need a starting point
Upload your CSV file (max 10MB)
Map your CSV columns to dialnote fields - drag and drop to match them up
Preview the first few rows to make sure everything looks right
Click Import Contacts

dialnote CSV import column mapper matching spreadsheet columns to contact fields — Map your CSV columns to dialnote fields during import.

After the import finishes, you'll see a summary showing:

How many contacts were created
How many duplicates were skipped
Any rows that failed with error details

Handling Duplicates#

dialnote uses phone numbers as the unique identifier. If you try to import a contact with a phone number that already exists, that row gets skipped. The existing contact stays unchanged.

Auto-Created Contacts#

When someone calls or texts your dialnote number for the first time, the system doesn't automatically create a contact. Instead, you'll see the phone number in your inbox. This lets you decide which callers deserve a spot in your contact list.

To convert an unknown number into a contact:

Open the conversation in your inbox
Look at the contact panel on the right side
Click Create Contact
Add their details and save

Duplicate prevention

If you try adding a contact with a phone number that already exists in your account, dialnote will show an error. Search for the existing contact instead of creating a duplicate.

What Happens After Adding a Contact#

Once you create a contact, dialnote does a few things automatically:

Links conversation history - All previous calls and messages with that number appear in the contact's timeline
Enables name display - The contact's name shows up in your inbox instead of just their phone number
Prepares for notes - You can now add notes to the contact record that persist across conversations

Your new contacts show up in the Contacts list immediately. You can edit them anytime by clicking on their row in the table or opening a conversation with them.