How to Create a Dynamic Contact List

One of the simplest ways to identify a group of people is to create a list. You can then use this list directly, or as a filter in a mailing or a report. The list will be dynamic and will show updated information every time it is run.


  1. Navigate to the Contact Lists section of your account.

  1. Click on 'Add Contact List' in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

  1. Give the list a name. For example: if you are looking for all donors that gave in 2021, you may call it something like ‘2021 Donors’.
    1. Leave the List Type set to Dynamic and the toggle for Active turned on.

  1. Click on ‘Add Filter Rule’ to narrow the list down from all of the contacts in your database to solely the ones that you are looking for.

    1. Choose the type of information you would like to filter for:
      1. Contact: Choose from the fields on the Contact screen
      2. Gift: Choose from the fields on the Gift screen
      3. Membership: Choose from the fields in the Membership Module
      4. Event: Choose from the fields in the Event Module

b. Choose the Field Name you would like to use for your search. This will vary based on the ‘Type’ you selected. If you do not see the field that you are looking for, it is possible that it is under a different ‘Type’.


  1. The options will vary at this point depending on which field you chose. You may have a 'Condition' and a filter dropdown. If you are looking for a specific code, you would choose 'Equals', and then select the name of the code from the 'Filter' dropdown. On the other hand, a date field will prompt you to choose from one of the preset time frames or input your own custom date range between two dates (as seen below in 5a).
    1. Once you have completed your filter, press ‘Save’ in the 'Add Filter Rule' box.

  1. If you are done with the filter, you can click on 'Save' in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to ensure the filter becomes part of your contact list.

    1. You may always edit your contact list to add an additional filter, but please be sure to click on 'Save' again. We typically recommend sticking to 3-4 filters or less for the best results.

Note: The Save button you use when adding a filter rule is separate from the Save button in the upper right corner, which saves the entire Contact List. If you change the filter setting from "ALL conditions must apply" to "ANY condition can apply," make sure to click the Save button in the upper right corner again to save that change.


  1. When you're ready to view your list, you can click on 'Generate Preview' under the Contact List Preview area. This will allow you to see the list of names that match the search criteria on the screen. You can also export this information as an Excel, CSV, or PDF file. If needed, you can also manually exclude contacts from this list.

  1. There is the ability to make a duplicate of your list using the 'Copy' button at the top as well.


There are 4 ways you can utilize your Contact Lists:
  • View your contact list directly in your database for informational purposes.
  • Download your contact list in either Excel, CSV, or PDF format.
  • Utilize your contact list by filtering for it with the contact list drop-down in our Standard Reports or the Contact Search under the Advanced Search Criteria area.
  • Use your contact list when you filter in the Mailings Module.
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