Why Merge Contacts?
When a customer contacts you through multiple channels -- for example, WhatsApp one day and email the next -- AstraChat creates a separate contact profile for each channel. This is because the system has no way to automatically know that these are the same person. Over time, a single customer may end up with two, three, or more separate profiles.
Common Scenarios That Create Duplicates
- A customer writes via WhatsApp and later sends an email about the same issue.
- A customer uses the live chat widget on your website, then follows up on WhatsApp.
- A customer contacts you from two different phone numbers (personal and work).
- A contact was imported from a CSV and already existed from a previous conversation.
Benefits of Merging
- Unified conversation history -- see all conversations from every channel in one place.
- Better context for agents -- know the customer's full history before replying.
- Accurate reports -- avoid counting one customer as multiple people.
- Cleaner contact list -- no more duplicate entries cluttering your data.
How Merging Works
When you merge two contacts, you are combining two profiles into one. The merge dialog asks you to choose which contact to keep and which to delete. Understanding this distinction is important.
The Two Roles
Primary Contact
This is the contact that will survive after the merge. Its name, email, phone number, and profile data are preserved. All conversations from both contacts will be moved here.
Secondary Contact
This contact will be permanently deleted after the merge. Its conversations are transferred to the primary contact, but its profile data (name, email, etc.) is discarded.
What Gets Transferred
- All conversations from both contacts are combined under the primary contact.
- All messages and attachments within those conversations are preserved.
- Labels from both contacts are combined.
What Happens to Profile Data
Only the primary contact's profile data is kept. If the secondary contact had a phone number or email that the primary contact was missing, you should manually add it to the primary contact before merging, or update it afterward.
Warning: Merging contacts is permanent and cannot be undone. The secondary contact is deleted forever. Always double-check that you are merging the correct contacts before confirming.
Step-by-Step: Merge from Contact Profile
This is the most common way to merge contacts. You start from one contact's profile and search for the other.
Instructions
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1
Navigate to the Contacts page
Click Contacts in the left sidebar of AstraChat to open the contacts directory.
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2
Find and open the contact you want to keep
Use the search bar to find the contact that has the most complete profile (name, phone, email). This will be the primary contact -- the one that survives after the merge. Click on it to open its profile.
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3
Open the merge dialog
In the contact's profile page, click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner of the contact card. Select "Merge contacts" from the dropdown menu.
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4
Search for the duplicate contact
In the merge dialog, you will see two fields. The "Primary contact" (marked as "to be deleted") is pre-filled with the current contact. In the "Contact to merge" field (marked as "to keep"), type the name, phone number, or email of the other contact you want to merge with. Select it from the search results.
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5
Review and confirm
Verify that the correct contacts are shown. Remember: the contact marked "Keep" will survive, and the one marked "Delete" will be permanently removed. Click "Merge contacts" to confirm.
Tip: You need to type at least a few characters in the search field for results to appear. Try the contact's name, phone number, or email address.
Merge from a Conversation
You can also start a merge directly while viewing a conversation. This is useful when you notice during a chat that the customer already has another profile.
Instructions
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1
Open the conversation
Navigate to the conversation where you noticed the duplicate contact.
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2
Click the contact name
In the right sidebar, click the contact's name at the top to open their full profile page.
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3
Follow the same steps as above
From the contact profile page, use the three-dot menu → "Merge contacts" to open the merge dialog and complete the process.
Example: Merging a WhatsApp and Email Contact
Here is a practical example of how to merge a customer who contacted you through two different channels.
Scenario
Maria first contacted your team via WhatsApp about a billing question. A week later, she sent an email about a different issue. AstraChat created two separate contacts:
Contact A (WhatsApp)
Name: Maria Rodriguez
Phone: +506 8888-1234
Email: --
Conversations: 3
Steps
- First, open Contact A (the WhatsApp one) and manually add Maria's email address (
[email protected]) to her profile, since it is only on Contact B. - Click the three-dot menu and select "Merge contacts".
- In the "Contact to merge" search field, type "M. Rodriguez" or "[email protected]" to find Contact B.
- Select Contact B from the results.
- Make sure Contact A (the one with the most data) is set as the contact to keep.
- Click "Merge contacts".
Result
Merged Contact
Name: Maria Rodriguez
Phone: +506 8888-1234
Email: [email protected]
Conversations: 4 (3 WhatsApp + 1 Email)
Now, when any agent opens Maria's profile, they see her complete history across all channels -- WhatsApp and email conversations together in one view.
Best Practices
- Keep the contact with the most data. Always choose the profile with the most complete information (name, phone, email, labels) as the primary contact to keep.
- Copy unique data before merging. If the secondary contact has a phone number, email, or note that the primary contact is missing, add it to the primary contact first.
- Verify before confirming. Double-check both contact profiles to make sure they really are the same person. Look for matching names, phone numbers, or conversation content.
- Merge regularly. Make it a habit to check for duplicates when you notice a customer mentioning they contacted you before through a different channel.
- Use the Contacts page to spot duplicates. Sort contacts by name and scan for similar names or phone numbers to proactively find duplicates.
Remember: Merging is permanent. There is no undo button. If you are unsure whether two contacts are the same person, check their conversation history and profile details before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a merge?
No. Merging contacts is permanent and cannot be reversed. The secondary contact is deleted and cannot be recovered. Always verify the contacts before merging.
Will I lose any conversations?
No. All conversations from both contacts are preserved and transferred to the primary contact. No messages or attachments are lost.
Can I merge more than two contacts at once?
No. You can only merge two contacts at a time. If a customer has three or more duplicate profiles, you will need to merge them one pair at a time.
What happens to the secondary contact's conversations in the channel?
The conversations continue to work normally on their respective channels. For example, if the customer sends a new WhatsApp message, it will arrive in the merged contact's profile. The channel connection is preserved.
Can any agent merge contacts?
Yes. Any agent with access to the contact's profile can perform a merge. There are no special permissions required.
The search field shows no results when I try to merge. What should I do?
The search field requires you to type at least a few characters. It does not show a pre-populated list. Try typing the contact's name, phone number (including country code), or email address to find them.