> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.novala.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manage contacts, companies, and sites in Novala

> Organize your customers as companies, physical sites, and individual contacts. Build targeted lists, catch duplicates, and import records in bulk.

Your contact database is the foundation of everything in Novala. Every customer interaction — quotes, invoices, work orders, inspections — connects back to the companies, sites, and contacts you manage here. This page explains how to structure your customer data and keep it clean.

## How contacts are organized

Novala uses a three-level hierarchy:

* **Company** — a business organization (e.g., Acme Corp)
* **Site** — a physical location that belongs to a company (e.g., Acme Corp – Chicago Warehouse)
* **Contact** — an individual person at a company (e.g., Jane Smith, Facilities Manager)

A company can have multiple sites, and each site can have multiple contacts. This structure lets you track where work happens, not just who's involved.

## Add a company

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Companies">
    Navigate to **Directory → Companies** in the left sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new company">
    Click **New Company** in the top-right corner. Fill in the company name, address, and any other details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the record">
    Click **Save**. The company record opens, where you can immediately add sites and contacts.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add a site

Sites represent physical locations. Add them from inside the company record.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the company">
    Go to **Directory → Companies** and open the company you want to add a location for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a site">
    Click the **Sites** tab, then **Add Site**. Enter the site name and address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The site now appears on the company and can be linked to work orders, inspections, and equipment.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add a contact

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the company or site">
    Navigate to the company or site where the person works.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a contact">
    Click the **Contacts** tab, then **Add Contact**. Enter the person's name, email, phone, and role.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The contact is now associated with that company and site.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can also add contacts from **Directory → Contacts** and link them to a company afterward.
</Tip>

## Import contacts from CSV

If you're migrating from another system or have a spreadsheet of customers, you can bulk-import companies and contacts.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Import">
    Navigate to **Settings → Import**, or ask the AI Copilot: *"Take me to the import page."*
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the template">
    Download the CSV template for companies or contacts to ensure your columns match the expected format.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your file">
    Select your prepared CSV file and click **Upload**. Novala will preview the first few rows for you to confirm the mapping.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the import">
    Click **Import**. You'll see a progress indicator and a summary of records created or skipped.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Imports do not automatically merge duplicates. Run the duplicate check after importing to clean up overlapping records.
</Note>

## Contact lists

Contact lists let you group contacts for campaigns, bulk messaging, or reporting. A contact can belong to multiple lists.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Contact Lists">
    Navigate to **Directory → Contacts**, then open the **Lists** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a list">
    Click **New List**, give it a name and optional description, then save.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add contacts">
    Open the list and click **Add Contacts**. Search and select the contacts you want to include.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Use lists to target specific groups when sending bulk emails or SMS messages — for example, all facility managers at warehouse sites in a particular region.
</Tip>

## Duplicate detection and merging

Novala automatically identifies contacts that may be duplicates based on name, email, and phone number.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Duplicates queue">
    Go to **Directory → Contacts → Duplicates**. Novala shows pairs of contacts it considers potential duplicates.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review candidates">
    Click a pair to compare their details side by side.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Merge or dismiss">
    Choose which record to keep as the **primary**, then click **Merge**. All linked records (work orders, invoices, etc.) are reassigned to the primary contact. If the pair isn't a duplicate, click **Dismiss**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Merging is permanent. The non-primary contact record is removed after merging. Review carefully before confirming.
</Note>

## Custom fields

If you need to track additional information on companies, sites, or contacts beyond the default fields, you can add custom fields. See [Custom fields](/configuration/custom-fields) for setup instructions.