Most businesses already keep their customer, student, or member data in a spreadsheet somewhere. The question is how to turn that spreadsheet into real, personalized text messages — and the answer is simpler than most people expect.
The only rule that matters: your header row
The first row of your spreadsheet becomes the bridge between your data and your message. One column must be named exactly phone. Every other column name — name, code, order_no, balance, appointment_date, anything — becomes usable in your message as @@columnname@@.
A worked example
| phone | name | balance |
|---|---|---|
| 0704487563 | John Mukasa | UGX 45,000 |
With a message template of "Hi @@name@@, your outstanding balance is @@balance@@," John receives: "Hi John Mukasa, your outstanding balance is UGX 45,000" — automatically, with no manual editing.
Saving the right file type
Build your spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets as normal, then save it as a CSV file before uploading — File → Save As → CSV in Excel, or File → Download → CSV in Google Sheets. This is the one extra step that trips people up the first time.
You're not limited to one or two columns
Add as many custom columns as your message actually needs — a school might use name, code, and class; a shop might use name, order number, and amount. There's no fixed limit on what you can personalize.
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