> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.dapta.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.dapta.ai/ai-text-agents/campaigns/create-a-campaign.md).
# Create a campaign
Creating a campaign takes four steps. Each step saves automatically so you can pick up where you left off at any time.
## Navigate to Campaigns
In the left sidebar, click **Campaigns**. Then click **Create campaign** in the top-right corner.
***
## Step 1 — Basic Data
This step defines the identity of your campaign and links it to a WhatsApp channel and message template.
**1.** Enter a **Campaign Name**. This name is only visible to your team — contacts never see it.
**2.** Optionally fill in the **Campaign Objective** (up to 500 characters). Use this to describe the goal of the campaign for your team's reference.
**3.** Select a **Channel** — the WhatsApp number that will send the messages.
**4.** Select a **Template** — the approved WhatsApp message template to send. Only templates with **Approved** status appear in this list.
{% hint style="info" %}
Templates must be approved in your Meta Business Manager before they appear here. If the list is empty, check that your channel has approved templates linked to it.
{% endhint %}
**5.** Click **Save and continue**.
***
## Step 2 — Schedule Your Campaign
This step defines when your campaign is allowed to send messages.
**1.** Set a **Start date** (required). The campaign will not dispatch any messages before this date.
**2.** Set an **End date** (optional). If left empty, the campaign runs for one year from the start date.
**3.** Choose **Contact days** — when messages can be sent:
* **Every day** — dispatch runs seven days a week.
* **Weekdays** — dispatch runs Monday to Friday only.
* **Custom** — enable specific days of the week.
**4.** Select the **Time zone** for the campaign. All send windows are evaluated in this time zone.
**5.** For each active day, set one or more **time slots** (start time – end time). Messages will only be sent during these windows.
{% hint style="warning" %}
If the campaign is running and reaches a point outside all configured windows, it pauses automatically and resumes when the next window opens. No contacts are skipped.
{% endhint %}
**6.** Review the **Campaign summary** at the bottom of the form, then click **Save and continue**.
***
## Step 3 — Upload a File
Upload a CSV or XLSX file containing your contacts. Each row in the file represents one contact.
**1.** Click the upload area or drag and drop your file. Accepted formats: **CSV**, **XLSX**. Maximum size: **5 MB**.
**2.** Your file must include a `phone_number` column. A `name` column is recommended. Any additional columns can be mapped to template or conversation variables in the next step.
**3.** Click **Download template** to get a ready-to-fill CSV with the correct headers.
{% hint style="info" %}
You can click **Skip** to save the campaign as a draft and upload contacts later from the campaign's **Settings** tab.
{% endhint %}
**4.** After the file uploads, review the import summary (rows received, inserted, duplicates, invalid). Click **Save and continue**.
***
## Step 4 — Variables Mapping
Map the columns from your file to the variables in your WhatsApp template and to your agent's conversation context.
### Template Variables
These map file columns to the dynamic placeholders inside your WhatsApp template — for example, `contact_name` → the column `name` in your file.
**1.** For each template variable, select the matching column from your file using the **Columns in your file** dropdown.
**2.** Click **Auto-map** to let Dapta automatically match template variables to file columns by name.
### Conversation Variables
Conversation variables are optional. They pass additional context from your file to your text agent so it can reference that data during reply conversations.
**3.** For each conversation variable your agent uses, select the matching file column — or leave it as **Select column** to skip it.
**4.** Click **Finish**. Your campaign is created and contacts begin importing immediately.
{% hint style="success" %}
Once you click **Finish**, the campaign starts dispatching messages according to your schedule. You can monitor progress from the **Conversations** tab on the campaign detail page.
{% endhint %}
---
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