Importing Customers
Import customers in bulk using Excel or CSV files, or enter them manually in a table view. Orki intelligently merges data with existing customers to avoid duplicates.
Accessing the Import Tool
Navigate to Customers and click the Add Customer button to open the import interface.
Excel/CSV Import
The fastest way to add customers in bulk:
- Click Download Template to get a correctly formatted file
- Fill in customer data in the template
- Upload the completed file
- Review the preview to verify your data looks correct
- Confirm the import
Template Columns
| Column | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Number | Yes | Customer's WhatsApp phone number (with country code) |
| Name | No | Full name |
| No | Email address | |
| Tags | No | Comma-separated tags (e.g., VIP, enterprise) |
| Agent Instructions | No | Special instructions for the AI agent when chatting with this customer |
| Custom Attributes | No | Key-value pairs for custom data |
Phone numbers must include the country code without the + sign. For example, an Omani number should be 96871234567, not 71234567 or +96871234567.
Manual Table Entry
For adding a small number of customers without a file:
- Add rows one at a time using the Add Row button
- Configure which columns are visible
- Edit cells directly in the table
- Submit when ready
Merge Behavior
When importing customers, Orki matches existing customers by WhatsApp number and merges data intelligently:
| Field | Behavior |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp Number | Used as the unique identifier for matching |
| Name | Overwritten if a new value is provided |
| Overwritten if a new value is provided | |
| Tags | Unioned — new tags are added, existing tags are kept |
| Custom Attributes | Merged — new keys are added, existing keys are updated with new values |
| Agent Instructions | Overwritten if a new value is provided |
No duplicate customers are created. If a WhatsApp number already exists, the existing customer is updated.
Import Results
After the import completes, you'll see a summary:
| Result | Description |
|---|---|
| Created | Number of new customers added |
| Merged | Number of existing customers updated with new data |
| Skipped | Number of rows that could not be processed (with reasons) |
Common skip reasons include invalid phone number format, missing required fields, or malformed data.
Tips
Test with a small file first — upload 5-10 rows to verify your formatting is correct before importing your full customer list.
Use the Download Template button every time. The template ensures your columns are in the correct order and format, reducing import errors.
Tags in the import file are additive. If a customer already has the tag "VIP" and your file includes the tag "enterprise", the customer will end up with both tags.
Next Steps
- See Customer Overview for managing your imported customers
- Set up Custom Attributes before importing if you want to include attribute data in your file