Contacts are the people and organizations stored inside your Ventry AI CRM. Every conversation, opportunity, appointment, and workflow in Ventry AI connects back to a contact record. This guide explains how to add, import, tag, and segment contacts so your team can organize the pipeline and automate targeted follow-up.
What a Contact Record Contains
A contact record can include first name, last name, company, email, phone, website, address, lead source, tags, custom fields, notes, tasks, appointments, communication history, opportunities, and assigned user. The more complete a contact record is, the more effectively your team and your AI agents can personalize communication.
Custom fields let you capture information unique to your business — industry, service interest, referral source, or anything else that helps you qualify and serve the contact.
Adding Contacts Manually
To add a single contact, go to Contacts, click Add Contact, fill in the available fields, and save. Add tags and custom fields at the point of creation so the contact is organized from the start.
Assign an owner when the contact should belong to a specific salesperson, recruiter, or account manager. Assignment drives routing, reporting, and automation.
Importing Contacts from a Spreadsheet
To import contacts in bulk, go to Contacts, choose Import, and upload a CSV file. Map each spreadsheet column to the correct Ventry AI field — first name, last name, email, phone, company — and confirm the import. Review for duplicates before importing a large list.
After import, apply tags in bulk so the new contacts are immediately segmentable. For example, tag an imported list of past clients as Reactivation so a database reactivation workflow can engage them automatically.
How Contacts Are Created Automatically
Contacts may also be created through forms, generated from landing pages, added from appointment bookings, created through integrations, or created through automated workflows. This is the most scalable way to grow your CRM — every inbound inquiry becomes a contact without manual data entry.
When a contact is created automatically, configure the source workflow to apply the right tags, assign the right owner, and create the right opportunity so nothing falls through the cracks.
Tags, Custom Fields, and Smart Lists
Use tags, custom fields, and smart lists to organize and segment contacts. Example tags include New Lead, Hot Lead, AI Consultation, Executive Recruiting, Fractional Consulting, Webinar Lead, Event Contact, Referral Partner, Client, Lost Opportunity, and Nurture.
Smart lists are dynamic views that automatically include contacts matching criteria you define — for example, all Hot Leads in Los Angeles who have not been contacted in 7 days. Smart lists power targeted outreach and reporting.
Assigning and Routing Contacts
Assigning a contact to an owner makes that person responsible for the relationship and the next action. You can assign manually or use round-robin and rule-based workflows to distribute leads fairly and instantly.
Routing rules can assign by territory, industry, service interest, or lead source so the right rep always gets the right lead — automatically, the moment it arrives.
Best Practices
Keep contact records complete and current. Review the contact record before responding so your team understands previous communications, appointments, opportunities, notes, and next steps. Standardize your tag taxonomy early so segmentation stays clean as your database grows.
Periodically clean your database — remove duplicates, update stale information, and verify that custom fields are still relevant. A clean contact database is the foundation of effective automation and accurate reporting.
Downloadable Resources
Branded PDF guides, SOPs, and cheat-sheets your team can print, share, and distribute.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a contact?
Go to Contacts, click Add Contact, fill in the fields, apply tags, and save.
How do I import contacts?
Go to Contacts, choose Import, upload a CSV, map columns to fields, and confirm the import.
How do I create a tag?
Add a tag in the Tags field on a contact record, or bulk-apply tags from the Contacts list view.
How do I create a Smart List?
Use filters in the Contacts view to define criteria, then save the filtered view as a Smart List for reuse.
How do I assign a lead?
Open the contact record and set the Assigned User, or use a workflow to assign leads automatically based on rules.
How do I avoid duplicate contacts?
Review imports for duplicates before confirming, and use email and phone as the deduplication keys. Ventry AI matches on those fields to prevent the same person appearing twice.
What are custom fields?
Custom fields capture information unique to your business — like industry, service interest, or referral source — so you can qualify and segment contacts beyond the standard fields.
Can contacts be created automatically?
Yes. Forms, landing pages, appointment bookings, integrations, and workflows can all create contacts automatically so every inbound inquiry enters your CRM without manual data entry.
How do I clean up my database?
Periodically remove duplicates, update stale information, verify custom fields are still relevant, and archive inactive contacts to keep reporting accurate.
Where can I get Ventry AI support?
Schedule a Ventry AI Strategy & Support Session at ventrygroup.com, email dhalli@ventrygroup.com, or call 888.451.8771.
Need help configuring your Ventry AI account?
Schedule a Ventry AI Strategy & Support Session.
