Enrollment and data
Behavior Reviewed · not yet fact-checked
In short
How do contacts enter a sequence in Reply?
Contacts enter a sequence by CSV import, adding from existing contacts, or moving between sequences — each path offers a keep-in-current-sequences choice, and a start date can defer processing. Contact handling settings can pause a replying contact in all sequences, or pause every contact from the same organization, on business domains only.
At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it governs | Every path a contact takes into a sequence, what happens when they are already enrolled elsewhere, and when processing starts |
| Trigger | A CSV import into a sequence, Add from existing, or Move to sequence |
| Inputs | The CSV file (format, mandatory fields), the contact's current sequence membership, the chosen start date, contact handling settings |
| Result | The contact joins the sequence — kept in or removed from other sequences per the chosen option — and starts on the schedule |
| Configurable | Keep-in-sequence options per path, start date, matched-records handling, contact handling (pause-on-reply) settings |
| Does not | Merge duplicate records (Contact deduplication) or start processing on a day the schedule is closed |
| Plans | The pause-on-reply contact handling settings require Team Edition or an Organization-type (white-label) account, and only the Team Owner can enable them |
Rule summary
A prospect can be part of several sequences for the same user at the same time. Each of the three enrollment paths — CSV import, Add from existing, and Move to sequence — has an explicit option that keeps the contact in their current sequences while adding them to the new one. Enrollment can be scheduled: when moving contacts to a sequence you can pick the exact date processing starts. Imported prospects are added both to the sequence and to Reply's contact list.
Trigger
One of the enrollment paths fires:
- Import from CSV in the sequence's People tab
- Add from existing in the People tab
- Move to sequence from the People page, with a target sequence and step
Decision logic
- Validate the import (CSV path): the file must be CSV UTF-8 with up to 10,000 rows, and First Name is mandatory. Numeric fields accept digits only — symbols or spaces produce import errors.
- Handle records without emails: Add Generated Emails assigns a placeholder genmail.com address — these contacts are skipped for email sequences but work for SMS, WhatsApp, calls, and LinkedIn steps — or Skip leaves them out.
- Resolve contacts already in another sequence, per path.
- Apply the start date, if one was picked: hover over the Current Step column to see the date the contact will be processed. The schedule must be open on that day — a Tuesday start date needs Tuesday enabled in the sequence settings.
The disposition options per path:
| Path | Option for contacts already in a sequence |
|---|---|
| Import from CSV | Choose Add to this one and keep in current |
| Add from existing | Enable Show contacts who are in a sequence, then choose Keep contacts in their current sequences and add to new one |
| Move to sequence | Pick the sequence and step, then enable the Keep in other sequences toggle |
Result
The contact is enrolled in the target sequence — and stays in their other sequences when the keep option was chosen. Processing begins at the next open schedule window, or on the selected start date.
State changes
| Field | Change |
|---|---|
| Sequence membership | The new sequence is added; other memberships persist or end per the chosen option |
| Contact list | Imported prospects are added to both the sequence and Reply's list |
| Start of processing | Immediate (next window) or the selected start date |
Exceptions
- Pause contact in all sequences on reply — when enabled, a contact who replies in any sequence is paused in all other sequences. It applies only to paid (business) domains; free or generic domains such as gmail.com and yahoo.com are excluded.
- Pause all contacts from the same organization on reply — when enabled, a reply from any one contact pauses all other contacts from the same organization. Reply matches organizations by the Company field, falling back to the Domain field when Company is blank. Turning this on also switches on the per-contact setting and locks it while this stays on.
- Notification mode — both settings offer Pause automatically (immediate, no notification) or Ask by Email (the Team Owner gets an email before the pause). On Organization-type (white-label) accounts the pause is always automatic — Ask by Email is not available there.
- Contacts that fail import validation are not enrolled — see Contact was not enrolled.
Configuration that changes this rule
The keep-in-sequence options are chosen per enrollment action. The pause-on-reply behavior lives in Settings > Contact handling; both options are disabled by default and only the Team Owner can enable them. Import options — matched-records handling, generated emails, and automatic timezone detection — are set in the import dialog. See Import contacts.
Limits
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Rows per CSV file | Up to 10,000 (one row per contact) |
| File format | CSV UTF-8 only — xlsx and other formats are not accepted |
| Mandatory field | First Name |
| Automatic timezone detection | May extend the import by up to 30 minutes |
| Pause-on-reply scope | Paid (business) domains only |
FAQ
Can a contact be in two sequences at once?
Yes — a prospect can be part of several sequences for the same user at the same time. Each path in has its own keep option: Add to this one and keep in current (CSV), Keep contacts in their current sequences and add to new one (Add from existing), or the Keep in other sequences toggle (Move to sequence). See Sequences.
What happens across sequences when a shared contact replies?
With Pause contact in all sequences on reply enabled, the contact is paused everywhere else — immediately, or after the Team Owner confirms by email in Ask by Email mode. With the organization-level setting, everyone from the same Company (or Domain, when Company is blank) is paused. See Reply detection.
Why did gmail.com contacts keep sending after a reply?
The pause-on-reply settings apply only to paid (business) domains — free or generic domains such as gmail.com and yahoo.com are excluded by design.
Can I make enrolled contacts start on a specific date?
Yes — when moving contacts to a sequence, pick the start date in the calendar. Make sure the sequence schedule is open on that day, and verify the date by hovering over the Current Step column. See Launch a sequence.
Related
- Contact deduplication
- Sequence execution — throttling into Step 1
- Import contacts
- Contact was not enrolled
Build with Reply
- REST API: docs.reply.io — push-to-sequence operations
- MCP: agents.reply.io/mcp — agents enroll contacts with the same options