Contacts

Add contacts in bulk to a workflow

Add to Automation lets you enroll contacts into a workflow in bulk from the Contacts page: all at once, at a scheduled time, or in a drip pattern. The most common use case is filtering the contact list by a specific attribute such as a tag, selecting the filtered results, and adding them to a workflow.

Before you start

Publish the workflow before you use this feature. Only published workflows appear in the Workflow dropdown in the Add to Automation dialog.

Filter the contacts

Filter the contact list first so you enroll exactly the right contacts. A typical filter starts with a tag.

  1. Navigate to Contacts > Smart Lists.

  2. Click Advanced Filters to open the filter panel.

  3. To filter by tag, search for Tag in the filter search bar, select it, set the operator (for example Is), and choose the tag value (for example follow-up).

  4. Click Apply. The page now shows only the contacts that match.

You can also filter by any other contact field, including email, city, contact source, created date, opportunity stage, and custom fields. Combine multiple filters and nested filters to narrow the list further.

Select the contacts and trigger the automation

Select the contacts you want to enroll, then start the bulk action from the toolbar.

  1. Select individual contacts using the checkboxes, or click Select all at the top to select every contact in the filtered list.

  2. The bulk action toolbar appears when at least one contact is selected.

  3. From the bulk action toolbar, click Trigger automation.

  4. The Add to Automation dialog opens, showing the selected contacts at the top and the configuration fields below.

The same toolbar runs other bulk actions such as sending SMS or email and adding tags; see Run bulk actions on contacts. To enroll or remove a single contact instead, manage workflows from the contact record.

Configure the automation

Fill in the four fields in the Add to Automation dialog, then confirm the enrollment.

  1. Action Name — a name for the bulk action. It appears in the tracking report on the Bulk Actions page.

  2. Automation Type — select Workflow to enroll the contacts into a workflow.

  3. Workflow — choose a workflow from the dropdown, which lists all published workflows in the account.

  4. Mode — choose when and how the contacts are enrolled. See the scheduling modes below.

  5. Click Add to Automation.

A success confirmation appears showing the number of contacts being processed, for example "Add to Automation 10 Contacts is in progress" or "is scheduled". Click Check Progress to go to the Bulk Actions page, or Dismiss to return to the Contacts list.

Scheduling modes

The Mode field controls when and how the selected contacts are enrolled into the workflow. Choose one of the three modes.

Send All at Once

All selected contacts are added to the workflow immediately. This is the default mode.

Send at Scheduled Time

All selected contacts are added at a specific date and time you choose. This mode adds the field Pick a Start Date & Time, displayed in the account's timezone.

Send in Drip Mode

Contacts are enrolled in batches over a period of time. This mode adds three fields: Pick a Start Date & Time (when the first batch is enrolled), Number of Messages per Batch (how many contacts to enroll in each batch), and Repeat after (the interval between batches; set the number and unit: Days, Hours, or Minutes).

Track progress on the Bulk Actions page

View every bulk action request from Contacts > Bulk Actions. Each request shows:

  • Action Label — the name you provided in the Action Name field.

  • Operation — the automation type, for example Workflow.

  • Status — In Progress, Scheduled, or Complete.

  • User — who initiated the bulk action.

  • Created/Completed — timestamps in the account's timezone.

  • Statistics — click the statistics icon for a detailed breakdown of results.

You can filter the Bulk Actions page by date range, status, action type, and user. To review how individual contacts move through a workflow after enrollment, see Workflow History and Logs.

Reuse the filter as a Smart List

After you apply Advanced Filters, you can save the filtered view as a Smart List. The next time you need the same segment, open that Smart List, select the contacts, and trigger the automation.

FAQ

Can I filter by fields other than tags?

Yes. You can filter by email, city, contact source, created date, opportunity stage, and custom fields, and you can combine multiple filters and nested filters.

Does the workflow need to be published first?

Yes. Only published workflows appear in the Workflow dropdown in the Add to Automation dialog.

What's the difference between scheduled and drip mode?

Scheduled mode adds all selected contacts at one specific date and time. Drip mode enrolls contacts in batches: the first batch at the start date and time you pick, then further batches after the interval you set.

Where do I track the progress of a bulk enrollment?

Go to Contacts > Bulk Actions. The page shows the status of every bulk action, and you can filter it by date range, status, action type, and user.

Can I save the filter to reuse it later?

Yes. After applying Advanced Filters, save the filtered view as a Smart List. Next time, open that Smart List, select the contacts, and trigger the automation.

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