---
title: "How to Import Contacts by Scanning Your Paper Calendar"
slug: "how-to-import-contacts-by-scanning-your-paper-calendar"
type: "help-article"
canonical: "https://www.remindlo.co.uk/help/how-to-import-contacts-by-scanning-your-paper-calendar"
category: "Contacts"
read_time: "4 min read"
published_at: "2026-02-02T09:19:00+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-04-15T19:22:48.429415+00:00"
keywords: ["paper calendar scan", "OCR import", "digitise appointment book", "photo to contacts", "AI calendar reader", "paper diary import", "handwritten calendar scan", "appointment book digitisation"]
---

# How to Import Contacts by Scanning Your Paper Calendar

> Learn how to quickly digitise your paper appointment book by taking a photo. Our AI-powered scanner extracts client names, phone numbers, and appointment dates automatically.

## Overview

If you've been using a paper diary or appointment book to track your clients, you don't need to manually type everything into Remindlo. Our **Scan Calendar** feature uses AI to read your handwritten or printed appointments and extract the details automatically.

## What You'll Need

-   Your smartphone or a device with a camera
    
-   Your paper calendar or appointment book
    
-   Good lighting (natural daylight works best)
    

## Step-by-Step Guide

### 1\. Open the Scan Calendar Feature

Go to **Contacts** in your dashboard and click the **Scan Calendar** button at the top of the page.

### 2\. Take a Photo or Upload an Image

You have two options:

-   **Take Photo** - Uses your device's camera to capture the calendar page directly
    
-   **Upload Image** - Select an existing photo from your device
    

_Tip: For best results, ensure the text is clearly visible and the image is well-lit. Avoid shadows across the page._

### 3\. Wait for AI Processing

Our AI will analyse the image and extract any appointments it can find. This typically takes 5-15 seconds depending on the complexity of the page.

### 4\. Review Extracted Contacts

You'll see a list of all appointments found on the page. Each entry shows:

-   **Client name** - As written in your calendar
    
-   **Date and time** - The appointment date and time
    
-   **Phone number** - If visible in the entry
    
-   **Notes** - Any additional text (e.g., "haircut", "full set")
    
-   **Confidence indicator** - Shows how clearly the AI could read each entry, reports if you need to re-take the photo
    

### 5\. Handle Duplicate Contacts

If the AI finds a name or phone number that matches an existing contact in your database, you'll see a yellow warning. You can choose to:

-   **Update existing** - Updates the existing contact with the new appointment date
    
-   **Create new** - Creates a separate contact entry
    
-   **Skip** - Don't import this entry
    

### 6\. Edit If Needed

Click the pencil icon next to any entry to correct details if the AI misread something. This is especially useful for unusual names or handwriting that's difficult to read.

### 7\. Select and Import

Use the checkboxes to select which contacts you want to import, then click **Import**. The contacts will be added to your database and can be assigned to campaigns immediately.

## Supported Image Formats

-   JPEG / JPG
    
-   PNG
    
-   WebP
    
-   HEIC (iPhone photos)
    

Maximum file size: 10MB (images are automatically compressed before processing)

## Tips for Best Results

-   **Good lighting** - Natural daylight or bright indoor lighting without shadows
    
-   **Flat surface** - Place the calendar flat to avoid distortion
    
-   **One page at a time** - Scan one page per photo for best accuracy
    
-   **Clear handwriting** - The AI works with most handwriting styles, but clearer writing gives better results
    
-   **Include phone numbers** - If you have client phone numbers written next to appointments, the AI will capture those too
    

## What If the Scan Doesn't Work?

If the AI can't read your calendar (poor image quality or unusual format), you'll be shown a manual entry form where you can type the contact details directly. This ensures you can always add contacts even if the automatic scanning isn't successful.

## Privacy & Security

Your calendar images are processed securely and are **not stored** on our servers. The image is analysed, the data is extracted, and then the image is discarded. Only the contact information you choose to import is saved to your account.

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Canonical URL: https://www.remindlo.co.uk/help/how-to-import-contacts-by-scanning-your-paper-calendar