Create and manage Smart Lists

A Smart List is a dynamic contact list that updates automatically based on the filters you set, so it always reflects the current state of your database. Create and manage them from Contacts > Smart Lists.

What a Smart List is

Unlike a static list, which stays the same until you change it, a Smart List continuously adjusts as contacts meet or stop meeting its criteria. Contacts are added or removed automatically based on filters such as tags, custom fields, engagement activity, or opportunity stages.

Smart Lists can be used to find specific groups of contacts, send targeted email campaigns or text messages, review contacts with shared characteristics, build lists for reporting or follow-up, and save frequently used searches.

The modernized Contacts list view is applied automatically when you navigate to Contacts, and Smart Lists are where you save and reuse filtered views of that list. Smart Lists can also trigger automated workflows.

Each administrator can create their own Smart Lists, and lists can be shared with other administrators when needed.

Workflow-area Smart Lists are a separate feature; see Workflow filters and Smart Lists if you're looking for saved filters on the Workflows page.

Create a Smart List

Build a Smart List by filtering the Contacts list, or start one from Contacts > Smart Lists.

From the Contacts list:

1. Go to Contacts.

2. Click Advanced Filters.

3. Build the filter criteria for the contacts you want to find.

4. Click Apply.

5. Review the results.

6. Click Save as New Smart List.

7. Give your Smart List a descriptive name.

8. Save.

From Contacts > Smart Lists:

1. Go to Contacts > Smart Lists.

2. Click + Add smart list.

3. Pick one or multiple filters from the dropdown on the right side of the screen.

4. Input the necessary details for each filter.

5. Click Apply.

6. To add more filters, select the AND option and choose another filter.

7. Click Create at the bottom of the screen to save the list.

Your new Smart List appears alongside your other saved lists for easy access. You can apply multiple filters at the same time, for example contacts who opened an email in the last 30 days and have an open invoice. The filter builder applies AND/OR logic for complex queries. Common filters include tags, which are covered in Working with Contact Tags, and Community Group membership, covered in Filter contacts by Community Groups in Smart Lists.

Modify a Smart List

Open a saved list and edit its filters from the Customise List panel.

1. Select a Smart List name from the top of the page to open it. The Customise List panel for that list appears on the right-hand side.

2. Click Advanced Filters to make changes.

3. Use the pencil icon to modify a filter, or the dropdown arrow to remove a filter.

4. Use the Save icon to store your changes.

Manage Smart Lists

Copy, share, rename, or delete a list from the Manage Smart List screen.

1. Go to Contacts > Smart Lists.

2. Click the three-dot (⋮) menu next to Add Contact and select Manage Smart List.

3. In the Actions column, use the icons next to a Smart List to create a copy, share it with admins, edit the list name, or delete the list.

By default, Smart Lists are private to the administrator who created them. To share a list, use the share icon in the Actions column and select the administrators who should have access; the list then appears in their account as well.

Customize the list view

Smart Lists support drag-and-drop column management with search, so you can arrange columns and choose which fields are visible.

1. Open the column and field management option near the top of the table.

2. Drag and drop columns into your preferred order.

3. Close the column manager. The new column order is reflected immediately.

A Smart List keeps the most recently saved column order and visibility. If you reorder columns or show or hide fields, save the Smart List again to keep those changes; otherwise it continues using the last saved layout.

Use the contacts-per-page selector in the bottom-right corner of the list to choose how many contacts display per page. The options are 20, 50, and 100.

Filter options

Smart Lists are built using filters on nearly any information stored in JourneyCARE, including contact details, custom fields, membership information, tags, workflow participation, Do Not Disturb (DND) status, communication activity, and dates. Multiple filters can be combined to create highly targeted lists.

AND vs. OR

AND means a contact must meet every condition. For example, Active Member AND Committee = Education returns only contacts who meet both conditions.

OR means a contact can meet any of the listed conditions. For example, Membership Type = Professional OR Membership Type = Student includes contacts matching either condition.

Nested filters

For more complex searches, group filters together using combinations of AND and OR, for example Active Member AND (Committee = Education OR Committee = Legislative). This lets you build very specific audiences without creating multiple Smart Lists.

Date filters

Many fields support date-based filtering: before a specific date, after a specific date, during a date range, or relative dates. Date filters are useful for identifying upcoming renewals, recent registrations, expired certifications, and other time-based information.

Workflow filters

Create Smart Lists based on workflow participation, for example contacts currently in a workflow, contacts who completed a workflow, or contacts who have never entered a workflow. These filters are useful when troubleshooting automations or identifying groups of contacts who completed a specific process.

Tag filters

Tags are commonly used when building Smart Lists, for example Board Members, Conference Attendees, Volunteers, or Sponsors. Tags make it easy to quickly create groups for communications or reporting.

DND filters

Smart Lists can identify contacts whose communication channels have been disabled, for example active members with Email DND enabled. Use these lists to periodically review bounced email addresses and correct any issues.

Custom field filters

Every custom field in your JourneyCARE account can be used as a filter, for example Membership Type, Committee, State, Certification Status, or Renewal Date. The available filters depend on the custom fields configured for your organization.

Tag Is vs. Tag Is Any Of

Tag Is requires a contact to have every selected tag; Tag Is Any Of matches contacts who have any of the selected tags. Using Tag Is when you want Tag Is Any Of is one of the most common Smart List mistakes.

For example, a filter on the tags 2025 Conference and 2026 Conference: Tag Is only finds contacts who attended both conferences, while Tag Is Any Of finds contacts who attended either one.

Why aren't my contacts appearing?

Check the filter logic first, then confirm the data. In most cases the information is in the database and the challenge is choosing the correct combination of filters.

• Verify each filter is correct.

• Check whether your filters should use AND or OR.

• Review whether you're using Tag Is instead of Tag Is Any Of.

• Confirm the contact actually contains the data you're filtering on.

Tips

• Give Smart Lists descriptive names so they're easy to recognize later.

• Save frequently used searches instead of rebuilding filters each time.

• Start with simple filters, then add additional criteria as needed.

• If your results don't look right, review your AND/OR logic before assuming data is missing.

Smart List behavior and limits

• Contacts are never manually added to a Smart List. They are added automatically based on the filters and conditions set for that list; for example, if you add a tag to a contact that matches a filter condition, they are automatically added.

• Users cannot manage Smart Lists without settings access.

• Smart Lists are created at the user level, not the organization level. With global versus local Smart Lists, users can push their Smart Lists to the full account so they are visible to all users.

• JourneyCARE does not log information about who created or shared a Smart List.

• Smart Lists cannot be moved between accounts or imported into a snapshot.

• If you schedule an email campaign to a Smart List, the recipient list is generated at the time of sending, not when the campaign is scheduled. Contacts that meet the filter conditions before the scheduled send are included, and contacts that no longer meet the conditions are excluded.

SmartList 2.0 includes enhanced sharing and permissions settings that control who can view or edit Smart Lists.

To act on the contacts in a list, select them and run a bulk action from the Contacts list.

Frequently asked questions

Related articles

• Working with Contact Tags — tags are a common Smart List filter.

• Filter contacts by Community Groups in Smart Lists — filter by group membership.

• Run bulk actions on contacts — act on the contacts in a list.

• Understanding the Contact Record — where contact data, tags, and DND status live.

• Understanding Do Not Disturb (DND) Status — filter on disabled communication channels.

• Send a simple email — send from a Smart List.