Upload a CSV file to send SMS campaigns to multiple recipients at once from the Compose & Send section of the ContactMonkey dashboard. Click here for steps on uploading CSVs to your Directory for reuse across campaigns.
If your organization has the Mail tool, you must switch to the SMS view first by clicking your name at the top right of the dashboard and selecting Switch to SMS.
Before You Begin
Your CSV file must meet these requirements:
- File format: CSV with UTF-8 encoding
- First column header:
PhoneNumber - Phone number format: Country code + number, digits only (no
+, parentheses, dashes, or spaces)- Example: +1 (234) 456-7890 becomes 1234567890
You can prepare your file in Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers. A sample file is attached for reference.
Send Your SMS Campaign
- Open your ContactMonkey SMS Dashboard
- Click Compose & Send
- Enter a campaign name (this appears in the Analytics tab)
- Under recipient selection, click the spreadsheet icon → Upload CSV
- Browse and select your CSV file
- Choose your link tracking setting: Enabled or Disabled
- Enter your SMS message content
Character Guidelines (Important)
SMS uses a limited character set called GSM-7. Using unsupported characters forces your message to Unicode encoding, which can prevent successful delivery.
✓ Safe characters (1 character each):
- Letters: A-Z, a-z
- Digits: 0-9
- Common symbols: @ £ $ ¥ ! " # % & ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? _
Space
⚠️ Extended characters (count as 2 characters each):
- ^ { } [ ] ~ \ | € ✗
Characters that break GSM-7:
These force Unicode encoding and may prevent sending. Use the safe alternatives instead:
| Avoid | Use Instead |
Bullet (•) |
- or *
|
En dash (–) |
- |
Em dash (—) |
- |
Smart quotes (“ ”) |
Straight quotes (") |
Smart apostrophes (‘ ’) |
Straight apostrophe (') |
Ellipsis (…) |
... |
Stick to plain text alternatives to ensure reliable delivery.