Contacts may be placed in the Stopped folder when they opt out (often via channel-managed keywords like on Twilio) or when you set Status = Stopped in a flow, and this status removes them from groups and blocks outbound messaging while still allowing inbound messages that can reactivate them—so you should pair re-subscription with an explicit opt-in flow and group re-add logic when needed.
Managing Opted-Out Contacts (‘Stopped’ Status)
Contacts may be placed in the Stopped folder when they opt out (often via channel-managed keywords like on Twilio) or when you set Status = Stopped in a flow, and this status removes them from groups and blocks outbound messaging while still allowing inbound messages that can reactivate them—so you should pair re-subscription with an explicit opt-in flow and group re-add logic when needed.
Identifying Inactive Contacts with the ‘Last Seen On’ Field
The Last Seen On field is a system-managed default contact field that automatically records the most recent time a contact interacted with your RapidPro.app workspace, and you can use it to find dormant contacts with search queries, build smart groups for re-engagement or cleanup, and schedule inactivity-based follow-ups in campaigns without manually updating the field.
Adding a New Contact (E164 Number Format)
You can manually create a contact in RapidPro.app when you need to add someone before they message you (for outreach, testing, or preparing data), by opening Contacts, creating a new contact, and saving at least one reachable address (URN)—typically a phone number in E.164 format with the country code—to ensure message delivery works correctly.
Manually Blocking an Unwanted Contact
RapidPro.app lets you block contacts who abuse your service so they can no longer receive outbound messages and their inbound messages are automatically archived, and you can do this either manually from the Contacts list (and later unblock from the Blocked view) or automatically in a flow by setting Update Contact → Status to Blocked when you detect spam or offensive content.
Managing Contact Fields: Create, Modify, and Delete
Contact fields store structured information about each contact, and the Manage Contact Fields page lets you create, edit, and remove fields, control whether they are featured, set agent visibility/edit access, and understand where fields are used (including fields created from flows via Update Contact actions).
Editing the Value of a Field (Manually or via Flow)
Contact fields are empty by default until you set values through an import, a flow, or manual edits on the contact profile, so updating fields (like Name or project-specific custom fields) helps you identify contacts correctly and power automation—most commonly by using Update Contact inside a flow, or by editing the contact directly from the Contacts tab.
Bulk Import Contacts using an XLS File (Excel)
Bulk importing contacts lets you add or update many contacts at once in RapidPro.app using an XLS/XLSX spreadsheet, including names, addresses (URNs) like phone numbers in E.164 format, optional language and custom fields, and—when updating existing contacts—UUIDs to ensure records are updated correctly instead of creating duplicates.
Permanently Deleting a Contact (Pre-Archiving Required)
Deleting contacts in RapidPro.app is permanent, so you can only delete a contact after moving them to the Archived folder—either by archiving an individual contact manually and then deleting it from Archived, or by archiving a whole group via a flow (Status = Archived) and using Delete All in the Archived folder after you’ve reviewed the list.
Searching and Filtering Contacts with Advanced Queries
RapidPro.app lets you search contacts using query expressions based on names, URNs, and contact field values, which you can use in the Contacts search bar, the Start Flow dialog, and Smart Groups to segment audiences, find missing or inactive records, and power automation with logical operators and field-type-aware comparisons.