Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.messagedesk.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Data Center
The Data Center is your hub for managing workspace data in MessageDesk. It has two tabs:- Import — upload CSVs of contacts and historical messages, map fields, resolve duplicates, and monitor progress.
- Message History — search, filter, and export every message sent or received in your workspace.
Access the Data Center
Go to Account → Settings → Data Center (under Workspace Settings), then choose the Import or Message History tab.Don’t see Data Center? Your role may not include access. Ask an Admin or Manager to adjust your permissions.
How to Import Contacts
Quickly build your contact list by uploading a CSV and mapping it to MessageDesk fields.Start an import
- Open Settings → Data Center.
- Click Start Import.
- Choose your .csv file and upload.
Map your columns
- Columns that match MessageDesk field names auto-map.
- Adjust mapping manually as needed.
- You can map custom fields (ensure the CSV data type matches the field type).
Review duplicates & errors
- Duplicates (by email or phone) are updated with the values in the import. Only mapped columns with a value are updated; empty cells leave existing fields unchanged.
- Invalid data (e.g., bad phone/email format) is reported so you can fix and re-upload.
- Problem rows are skipped during processing.
Monitor progress
After you start the import, you’ll see the real-time status. When complete, a summary shows total processed, imported, skipped, and any error reasons.Note: Need a walkthrough? See Create & Import Contacts for step-by-step guidance.
How to Import Messages
Preserve conversation context by importing past SMS from any platform or service into MessageDesk.Start a message import
- Open Settings → Data Center.
- Click Start Import.
- Upload your .csv file.
Map your data
- Map CSV columns to MessageDesk message fields (e.g., timestamp, direction, phone number, text, channel/line).
- Review and confirm the mapping for accuracy.
Validate, review, and import
- Preview parsed messages and fix any errors the validator surfaces.
- Click Import to start processing. A bottom banner shows pre-import issues (if any).
Supported message types
- Outbound (sent) messages
- Inbound (received) messages
- 1-on-1 conversations
- Group conversations
How message import works
- Automatic conversation creation: If a conversation doesn’t exist for a row, MessageDesk creates it.
- Existing conversations: Rows match into existing threads when possible.
- Channel requirement: Messages can only be imported into outbound channels that already exist in your workspace.
File Requirements & Limits
Format- CSV only (
.csv) - UTF-8 encoding
- Include a header row
- Each row must have the same number of columns as the header
- For contacts: At least one method — email or phone
- For messages: Required fields typically include timestamp, direction (inbound/outbound), phone number(s), message text, and channel/line identifier
- Emails must be valid email format
- Phone numbers must be valid E.164 (e.g.,
+15551234567) - Custom fields must match their defined type
- Duplicate detection runs on email and phone (contact imports)
- Max rows per file: 5,000
- Max file size: 10 MB
- Platform: Web only (imports aren’t supported on mobile or desktop apps)
What Gets Imported
- Contacts
- Custom fields (when mapped)
- Messages (text content only; no media or internal comments)
Coming soon: additional workflows (e.g., labels, opt-outs). Watch the Data Center for new options.
Frequently Asked Data Import Questions
What file types can I upload?
CSV only. Export Excel files (.xlsx) to CSV first.
Do contacts need both email and phone?
No. Each row must include at least one: email or phone (you can include both).How are duplicates handled on contact import?
We check email and phone. When a row matches an existing contact, that contact is updated with the values from the import. Updates only apply to columns you mapped, and only when the mapped column has a value—empty cells leave existing fields unchanged. Updates apply to standard fields (name, email, phone, address, etc.) and custom fields.Why did some rows fail?
Common reasons: invalid email/phone format, missing required fields, custom field type mismatch, or a channel that doesn’t exist (for message imports). Fix and re-upload.Can I import more than 5,000 rows?
Split your data into multiple CSV files. Each file can contain up to 5,000 rows and ≤ 10 MB.Can I import from mobile?
No. Imports are web-only. Use a desktop browser.Message History
The Message History tab is a searchable, filterable archive of every message in your workspace. Use it to audit conversations, build reports, or export filtered slices to CSV or PDF.Access Message History
Go to Settings → Data Center → Message History.Filter your messages
Narrow the list using the filter controls at the top of the tab. Available filters include:- Date range — limit results to a specific window
- Direction — inbound or outbound
- Channel/line — the phone number or channel the message was sent on
- Contact — messages tied to a specific contact
- Label — conversations carrying a given label
- User/agent — messages sent by a specific teammate
- Status — delivery state (e.g., delivered, failed)
Search within results
Use the search bar to run a free-text search across the messages currently shown. Search runs on top of your active filters, so you can drill into a filtered slice rather than the entire archive.Export to CSV
Click Export to download a CSV of the current view. Use CSV exports for data analysis, reporting, and bulk archiving. For a shareable, human-readable record, use PDF instead—see the next section.Export to PDF
Use PDF exports to create shareable, human-readable records of a conversation or a filtered slice of message history—useful for audits, compliance reviews, or sharing context with stakeholders.- From a conversation: Open the conversation in the Inbox, click the ⋯ More Options menu in the conversation toolbar, and choose Export → PDF. See Export a conversation for the full per-conversation flow.
- From Message History: Apply your filters in Settings → Data Center → Message History, then choose Export to PDF.
- Renderable media (images and other formats supported in PDF) is embedded inline.
- Non-renderable media (videos and other unsupported file types) is replaced with a direct S3 link to the file and the note “Could not load preview.” so the attachment remains accessible from the PDF.
Permissions
Message History is available to roles with access to the Data Center (typically Admin and Manager). Ask an Admin to adjust your role if you don’t see the tab.Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between Inbox search and Message History?The Inbox is for working live conversations. Message History is the workspace-wide archive built for audit, reporting, and bulk export. What format are exports in?
CSV for data and reporting, or PDF for shareable conversation records. Are media attachments included in exports?\
- CSV exports: No. CSV files contain message text and metadata only.
- PDF exports: Renderable media (e.g., images) is embedded inline. Non-renderable media (e.g., videos and other unsupported types) is replaced with a direct S3 link and a “Could not load preview” note.
Best practices
- Normalize phone numbers to E.164 before upload.
- Clean your data (dedupe, validate emails) to minimize skips.
- Test with a small CSV (10–20 rows) to confirm mapping and validation.
- Keep a backup of your source CSV and import results for audit.