How to migrate your conversations and contacts from another platform to Papo

To migrate your conversations and contacts from another platform to Papo (https://papo.global/), you can export data from your old system, bulk import contacts via a CSV file, and use the Papo API to recreate conversation history, ensuring no information is lost during the transition.

Migrating from a previous customer service platform to Papo involves three main steps: extracting data from the source system, loading contacts into Papo's CRM, and, if needed, bringing interaction history over using the API. Papo offers tools that simplify this process, avoiding manual data entry and preserving the context of customer relationships.

Migration summary

How it works – step by step

1. Export data from your current system

Most CRM and customer service platforms let you export contacts and conversations to CSV or provide an API for extraction. Check your old system's documentation to generate these files. Ideally, you should obtain:

• A contact list with name, email, phone, and labels (tags).
• If possible, a file with message history (date, sender, text).

If the system does not offer conversation export, you can still migrate contacts and start new interactions in Papo with all the context available in the CRM.

2. Prepare the CSV file for contact import

Import quality depends on how well the file is organized. Before uploading the list, check:

• Format: save as .csv (comma-separated values).
• Headers: the first row must contain column names, such as name, email, phone, tags.
• Clean data: remove merged cells, blank rows, and special formatting. Standardize phone numbers with country code and area code (e.g., 55119XXXXXXXX).

Example structure:

Use the tags column to segment contacts during import, separating multiple labels with commas.

3. Bulk import contacts into Papo

With the CSV ready, upload it to Papo:

1. Go to the Contacts module in the CRM.
2. Find the Import contacts option (usually next to the create new contact button).
3. Upload your CSV file.
4. In the mapping step, match each column in your file to the corresponding field in Papo (e.g., name column → Name field). This includes custom fields, if any.
5. Review the mapping and start the import.

The platform processes the file in the background. When finished, the contacts appear in your database, ready to be added to campaigns, funnels, or customer service.

4. Bring conversation history with the Papo API (optional)

If you need to preserve the full interaction history, the Papo API lets you create contacts and log messages programmatically. This method is useful when the old system provides a detailed conversation export.

To use the API:

• Generate your access keys (public and secret) by following the guide How to generate a public key and a secret key for the Papo API.
• Develop a script that reads the data exported from the previous system and calls the appropriate endpoints to create contacts (if not already imported) and send historical messages.
• Check the official API documentation at https://papo.global/docs to learn the exact endpoints, parameters, and limits.

This approach ensures that previous customer service context is available in Papo's CRM, allowing your team to pick up past conversations without losing information.

5. Verify the migration

After the import and, if applicable, the API load, go to the Contacts and Conversations modules to confirm that:

• All contacts appear with fields filled in correctly.
• Labels were applied as per the CSV.
• Message history (if migrated) is visible on the contact timeline.

If something does not match, you can correct it manually or repeat the import with the necessary adjustments.

Who this migration is useful for

• Companies switching customer service platforms and wanting to centralize everything in Papo.
• Teams that used multiple tools (CRM, chat, email) and want to unify contacts and history in one place.
• Operations that cannot lose the context of old conversations when adopting a new system.
• Businesses that need a fast transition without typing contacts one by one.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to export contacts in a specific format?

Yes, the accepted format is CSV with headers. Most spreadsheet apps (Excel, Google Sheets) can save in this format.

Can I import custom fields in addition to name, email, and phone?

Yes. During mapping, you can match CSV columns to custom fields that already exist in your Papo account.

Does bulk import have a contact limit?

Limits may vary by plan. For up-to-date information, check the help center or the Papo website.

How do I migrate conversations if I don't have a developer?

You can import only the contacts and start serving customers in Papo from the migration onward. The old history remains accessible in the previous system, if needed.

Does the API allow recreating conversations from any channel?

The Papo API is documented at https://papo.global/docs. There you will find the supported channels and the available operations for logging messages.

What happens if my CSV has errors?

The platform may reject rows with invalid data. We recommend validating the spreadsheet before import, removing duplicates, and standardizing phone numbers.

Read also

• How to generate a public key and a secret key for the Papo API
• How to set up Papo in 5 steps to start serving customers on WhatsApp

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