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

# How Do I Add a Subscriber Manually with ChatSyncs?

> How to add a single subscriber to ChatSyncs by hand from Create Subscriber, including the exact phone number format required and when to use a bulk import instead.

## When to add a subscriber manually

Use **Create Subscriber** when you need one contact in ChatSyncs right now and importing a whole
file is overkill.

**Example:** Priya calls your shop asking about pricing before she's ever sent your WhatsApp
number a message. You want her in ChatSyncs immediately — labeled as a **Lead**, with a quote
template ready to send — instead of waiting for her to message the bot first.

Other common cases: a walk-in customer, a lead from a phone call or in-person event, or someone
you want to enroll in a Sequence in advance. For more than a handful of contacts,
[How Do I Import Subscribers Using a CSV File?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-using-a-csv-file-with-chatsyncs) or
[How Do I Import Subscribers from Google Sheets?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-from-google-sheets-with-chatsyncs) is faster and less
error-prone.

## Comparison: which import method fits?

|                            | Create Subscriber                      | CSV / Google Sheet                                          |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Best for**               | 1–2 contacts                           | Dozens, hundreds, or thousands at once                      |
| **Fields you can fill in** | Name, Phone Number only                | Name, Phone Number, plus any custom field via extra columns |
| **Setup time**             | A few seconds                          | A few minutes (preparing the file/sheet)                    |
| **Risk of typos**          | Low — one record, easy to double-check | Higher on large files — verify the column mapping carefully |

## Create a subscriber

<Frame caption="Options dropdown with Create Subscriber highlighted.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/chatsyncs/BiPpkpYpGl2GKenp/images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-12-create-subscriber-highlighted.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=BiPpkpYpGl2GKenp&q=85&s=47dc37dc4551f8dc6ed022f861661ebd" alt="Options dropdown with Create Subscriber highlighted" width="1270" height="541" data-path="images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-12-create-subscriber-highlighted.png" />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Options → Create Subscriber">From the Subscriber Manager list, open **Options**, then **Create Subscriber**.</Step>
  <Step title="Enter the subscriber's Name">Type their name into the **Name** field, e.g. `Priya Sharma`.</Step>
  <Step title="Enter the subscriber's Phone Number">Type the number in the exact format below — see the Warning.</Step>
  <Step title="Save">Click **Save** — the subscriber appears in the list immediately.</Step>
</Steps>

The **Create Subscriber** form only asks for two fields: **Name** and **Phone Number**.

<Warning>
  **Enter the phone number with the country code and no plus sign or spaces** — e.g. `91`
  followed directly by the number, like `919876543210`, not `+91 9876543210` or `91 98765 43210`.
  ChatSyncs matches subscribers by this exact number format, so an inconsistent format can create
  a duplicate subscriber instead of updating the existing one.
</Warning>

**Expected result:** The new subscriber appears in the Subscriber Manager list right away, with
the same status and filters as any imported or bot-acquired subscriber — ready to be labeled,
messaged, or enrolled in a Sequence.

## What to do right after creating one

A manually-created subscriber starts with just a name and phone number — nothing else. Common
next steps:

* **Add a label** — select them in the list and use **Options → Assign Label** (e.g. `Lead`,
  `Walk-in`) so they show up in filtered lists and broadcasts. See
  [Create a label](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/manage-custom-fields-and-labels-with-chatsyncs#create-a-label) if the
  label doesn't exist yet.
* **Fill in a custom field** — open their profile from the list and add data like city, email,
  or company under the **Custom Fields** tab, one field at a time.
* **Enroll them in a Sequence** — use **Options → Assign Sequence** to start one right away (see
  [How to Build Automatic Follow-Up Chatbots on WhatsApp](/learn/chatsyncs-automation/build-automatic-follow-up-chatbots-on-whatsapp-in-chatsyncs)) without waiting for them to trigger it
  themselves.
* **Send them a message** — since they haven't messaged you first, you're outside the
  [24-hour customer service window](/meta-api/messaging/24-hour-customer-service-window), so
  your first message to them must be an approved
  [Message Template](/learn/chatsyncs-message-templates/creating-a-whatsapp-message-template-in-chatsyncs).

<Note>
  The Create Subscriber modal only takes a **Name** and **Phone Number** — there's no custom field
  input at creation time. To fill in a custom field for a manually-created subscriber, either add
  it from their profile afterward, or bring them in through
  [How Do I Import Subscribers Using a CSV File?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-using-a-csv-file-with-chatsyncs) or [How Do I Import Subscribers from Google Sheets?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-from-google-sheets-with-chatsyncs)
  instead, where extra columns become custom fields automatically at the moment of import.
</Note>

## Frequently asked

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What phone number format does Create Subscriber expect?">
    Country code directly followed by the number, with no `+`, spaces, or other punctuation —
    e.g. `919876543210` for an Indian number. See the Warning above.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When should I use this instead of a CSV or Google Sheet import?">
    For one or two contacts at a time — a walk-in, a phone lead, someone you want in the system
    before they've messaged the bot. For more than a handful, bulk import is faster and less
    error-prone.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I add hundreds of contacts manually, one at a time?">
    You could, but you shouldn't — it's slow and easy to mistype a number. Use
    [How Do I Import Subscribers Using a CSV File?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-using-a-csv-file-with-chatsyncs) or
    [How Do I Import Subscribers from Google Sheets?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-from-google-sheets-with-chatsyncs) instead for
    anything beyond a handful of contacts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I edit a manually-created subscriber later?">
    Yes — labels, custom fields, and other details can be updated from their profile at any
    time, the same as any other subscriber.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I fill in a custom field while creating a subscriber manually?">
    No — the Create Subscriber modal only takes Name and Phone Number. Add custom field data
    afterward from the subscriber's profile, or import them via CSV/Google Sheet instead, where
    extra columns are picked up as custom fields automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I enter the phone number in the wrong format?">
    ChatSyncs matches subscribers by the exact number format it expects. An inconsistent format
    (missing country code, added `+`, extra spaces) risks creating a duplicate subscriber
    instead of finding the existing one.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I message a manually-created subscriber right away?">
    Only with an approved Message Template. Since they haven't messaged you first, there's no
    open 24-hour service window yet — a free-form text reply won't deliver until they reply to a
    template and open one. See
    [Creating a WhatsApp Message Template](/learn/chatsyncs-message-templates/creating-a-whatsapp-message-template-in-chatsyncs).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I created a subscriber with a number that already exists — what happens?">
    ChatSyncs matches by the exact phone number format. If it matches an existing subscriber,
    that record is what gets found and used going forward — but only if the format is identical
    (same country code, no `+`, no spaces). A mismatched format creates a separate duplicate
    instead.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Documentation

* [Subscriber Manager](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/introduction) — the subscriber list and full
  Options menu.
* [How Do I Import Subscribers Using a CSV File?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-using-a-csv-file-with-chatsyncs) — for bulk-importing more than a
  handful of contacts.
* [How Do I Import Subscribers from Google Sheets?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/import-subscribers-from-google-sheets-with-chatsyncs) — importing
  straight from a connected Google Sheet or Google Contacts.
* [How Do I Manage Custom Fields and Labels?](/learn/chatsyncs-subscriber-manager/manage-custom-fields-and-labels-with-chatsyncs) — adding
  structured data to a subscriber after creation.