# Managing populations

A Population is the database of contacts (respondents) linked to your project. Before you can send any surveys via SMS or Email, you must have a population set up. This list acts as the source for all your distribution campaigns.

#### Overview

To view your current contact lists, click on Population in the left-hand menu.

The main dashboard provides a quick summary of your available lists, including:

* Name: The label given to the contact list (e.g., "Tests" or "Customer List Q1").
* Number of Contacts: The total number of valid recipients currently in the list.
* Number of Unsubscribed: A count of contacts who have opted out of receiving messages. The system automatically excludes these users from future distributions to ensure compliance.
* Creation Date: The date the list was originally created or linked to the project.

#### Inside a Population

When you click on a specific population, you enter its management screen. If the list is new, you will see options to start building your database:

* Import contacts: For uploading bulk lists via Excel or CSV.
* Add contact: For manually adding single individuals.
* Contact attributes: For defining custom fields (like Department, City, or Purchase Date) before you upload data.

Once your list is populated, clicking on its name (e.g., "Customer List Q1") opens the detailed management view. Here you will see a table listing your individual contacts.

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