When you receive a digital business card, it usually comes in the form of a .VCF file, also known as a vCard. This guide explains what this format is and how to save a contact correctly on your smartphone.

What is a VCF (vCard) file?

A VCF file is a standard format for sharing contact information.

A vCard can contain, for example :

• first and last name
• company
• telephone number
• email address
• postal address
• website
• profile photo

This format has been around since the 1990s and has been designed to work with the majority of systems:

• smartphones
• computers
• email software
• contact management applications

Thanks to this standard, a contact can be easily imported into an address book.

Why do I need to confirm the registration?

On modern smartphones, adding a contact requires manual validation.

In general, registration takes place in two steps:

1. opening the contact record
2. confirm that the contact has been added to the address book

This procedure is normal and voluntary.

Mobile systems require it for security and privacy protection reasons, to prevent websites or files from automatically adding contacts without the user's consent.

Save a contact on iPhone

On iPhone, saving a vCard generally works as follows:

1. Click on the link or open the file .VCF.
2. The contact record is displayed automatically
3. Click on Add contact or Create new contact.
4. Press Save.

The contact is then added to your Contacts application.

Save a contact on Android

On Android, the way it works may vary slightly depending on the brand of phone (Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, etc.), but the principle remains the same.

1. Press on the .VCF file
2. The contact file opens in the Contacts application.
3. Click on Import or Save.
4. Confirm that you wish to add the contact

Depending on your configuration, Android may also ask you where to save the contact :

• in the phone
• in your Google Account
• in another synchronised account

Opening times

In most cases :

• the VCF file is downloaded quasi instantaneously
• the contact form is displayed in a few seconds.

The time may vary slightly depending on :

• the internet connection
• the system version
• the brand of phone

Common problems

Here are some normal situations that may surprise users:

The contact does not register automatically

This is normal: you always need to confirm the addition of the contact.

An application asks how to open the file

Some phones ask you to choose an application to open the vCard. Simply select Contacts.

The phone asks where to save the contact

This is also normal: some phones offer to save the contact:

• on the phone
• in a Google account
• in iCloud (iPhone)

In a nutshell

To save a digital business card :

1. open the .VCF file
2. check the contact details
3. confirm registration.

Once these steps have been completed, the contact is added to the phone's address book.

If you can't find your answer here :

If you have any commercial or other questions, please send us an email to: contact@card.pm

Our after-sales service is available exclusively by email at: support@card.pm or with our tutorials by following this link: https://help.card.pm/

To find out more, here's a short video presentation: https://vimeo.com/559042925

As well as a demonstration map: https://card.pm/demo (You can also try it out on your smartphone by copying the url into your Safari or Chrome browser or by flashing the Qrcode below)

Our unit price is €30 excluding VAT (excluding partner rates) per year, with a sliding scale for volumes of 10 cards or more. For this price you get a licence for a digital business card, an email signature and a user/manager account to modify the elements of your card(s).

To order your card(s) or request a quote online, you can do so directly from our website https://app.card.pm/ in the "order" section or by clicking directly on this link https://app.card.pm/signup

**Even more...

CARD.PM offers professionals a dematerialised business card service in the form of a web application. You don't need to install an application on your smartphone, just create a web shortcut on it.

You'll find all the standard elements of a paper business card on this card: Logo - Photo - Contact details and much more!

You'll be able to integrate videos, banners, pdf files, links to websites, as well as your company's geolocation, social networks, customer reviews, legal notices, instant messaging and customisable text fields. All the elements of the map are interactive, with automatic pre-input of telephone numbers and email addresses for your contacts!

Once you've created a shortcut to your digital business card on your smartphone, you'll be able to share it via Qrcode, sms, email, whatsapp, signal, facebook messenger, air drop on iphone as well as on facebook, linkedin and other applications! This card will also form an integral part of your email signature.

When the card is opened on your contact's smartphone, they will be able to interact directly with you, view all the information available to them and save your contact details in their smartphone's address book so they can find you more easily.

From the web interface of your secure manager account, you have complete control over your graphic charts and all the elements of your cards. All changes are unlimited and included in the price of your subscription, even if the cardholder changes!

Your invoices are available directly in your account:

1. Open the general menu (top right-hand button)
2. Click on "My customer account".
3. In your customer file, you have several choices: invoices, but also addresses or quotes

Your CARD.PM service enables you to make unlimited free changes to all the elements of your cards (logos / photos / addresses / social networks / background images / contact details / various links / .pdf file / colours / fonts, etc.).

Has an employee with a CARD.PM business card left your company? Change his card for free with the card of his replacement!

Your changes are taken into account instantly, but BE CAREFUL to save them beforehand.

Sometimes there is a delay on images, signatures, sms thumbnails, previews in the interface while our service empties the cache and deploys the elements.

A WebApp is an application that you can run from an Internet browser, without installation.

The advantage is that you don't have to download anything to your phone, unlike mobile applications: CARD.PM won't use your device's memory. What's more, any changes to your card will be taken into account instantly, and your card will always be up to date.

The service is responsive and adapts to different OS, screens and web browsers on PC/Mac, tablets and mobiles.

NO, this card is 100% digital and does not include a printable version by default.

Our service is not renewable by tacit agreement, but did you know that you can keep your licence/card if you change network or activity?

We send you a subscription reminder email before the anniversary date of your subscription with 3 choices (cancel / renew / ask a question before renewal) and if you do not renew after a certain time we automatically destroy your card for RGPD reasons.

When you leave your network and if you are the owner of your licence, you simply lose the rate that is dedicated to it in favour of either the public rate of €30 excluding VAT per year or possibly a new rate if you are with another CARD.PM partner.

Our public unit price is €30 excluding VAT per licence per year, with a discount for 10 licences or more* (excluding partner/network prices)*.

You can also benefit from a sliding scale of prices depending on the length of your commitment:

• for 2 years: -15% on the entire order;
• for 3 years: 30% off the total order.

(payment on order)

Licences are not nominative, changes of holders are free and unlimited from your account .

To place an order or request a quote, you must first create an account by following this link: https://card.pm/signup