Smart Lists — StudioM Platform Guide¶
Who this guide is for: Anyone who wants to quickly find, filter, and take action on specific groups of contacts. Time to read: Approximately 7 minutes
What Are Smart Lists?¶
A Smart List is a saved search — a set of filter conditions that automatically shows you only the contacts that match. Instead of scrolling through your entire contact database every time you need to find a specific group, you save the filter once and it's there whenever you need it.
Smart Lists update in real time. Every time you open one, the results are live — any new contacts that match the criteria are included automatically.
Example: Create a Smart List called "Hot Leads This Month" that shows every contact tagged "Hot Lead" who was created in the last 30 days. Open it any time to see an up-to-date list — no manual searching needed.
How to Get There¶
Navigate to: Contacts (left sidebar) → Smart Lists tab (along the top of the Contacts page)
Understanding the Default Views¶
When you first open Contacts, you'll see a set of built-in views at the top:
| View | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| All Contacts | Every contact in your account |
| My Contacts | Contacts assigned to you |
| Recent | Contacts added or updated recently |
| Favourites | Contacts you've starred |
Below these defaults, any Smart Lists you've created appear as additional tabs.
Creating a Smart List¶
- Go to Contacts
- Click + Add Filter (or use the filter icon) to start building your criteria
- Add one or more filter conditions (see filter options below)
- Once you're happy with the results, click Save as Smart List
- Give your Smart List a name
- Click Save
The Smart List now appears as a tab at the top of your Contacts page for instant access.
Filter Options¶
You can filter by almost any piece of information stored on a contact record:
Contact Information¶
- Name / Email / Phone — search for specific values
- Tags — has a specific tag / does not have a specific tag
- Source — where the contact came from (e.g., Facebook, Website, Import)
- Assigned User — which team member owns the contact
- Date Created — contacts added in the last X days, before/after a specific date
- Date of Last Activity — when was the last interaction
Engagement & Status¶
- DND (Do Not Disturb) — contacts with DND on/off for specific channels
- Email engagement — opened a campaign, clicked a link
- Last message — inbound or outbound, within a timeframe
Pipeline & Sales¶
- Has open opportunity — contacts currently in your sales pipeline
- Pipeline stage — contacts at a specific stage
- Opportunity status — Won, Lost, Open, Abandoned
- Opportunity value — above or below a threshold
Bookings & Campaigns¶
- Has upcoming appointment — booked for a future slot
- Appointment status — Confirmed, No-Show, Cancelled, etc.
- Enrolled in workflow — currently in a specific automation
Custom Fields¶
Any custom fields set up on your account appear here — filter by specific values, ranges, or whether the field is empty/filled.
AND / OR Logic¶
When you add multiple filters, you control how they combine:
- AND — the contact must match all conditions (narrows the list)
- OR — the contact must match at least one condition (widens the list)
Example with AND: Tag = "Hot Lead" AND Created Date = Last 30 Days → Only contacts tagged "Hot Lead" who were added in the last month
Example with OR: Source = "Facebook" OR Source = "Instagram" → All contacts from either Facebook or Instagram
You can mix AND and OR logic within a single Smart List for more complex filtering.
Practical Smart List Examples¶
| Smart List Name | Filters |
|---|---|
| New Leads This Week | Date Created = Last 7 days |
| Uncontacted Leads | Tag = "New Lead" AND Last Activity = Never |
| Hot Pipeline | Has open opportunity AND Tag = "Hot Lead" |
| No-Shows (Last 30 Days) | Appointment Status = No-Show AND Date = Last 30 days |
| Customers | Tag = "Customer" |
| Needs Follow-Up | Tag = "Follow Up" AND Assigned User = [Your Name] |
| Inactive Contacts | Last Activity = More than 90 days ago |
Taking Action from a Smart List¶
Once your filtered list is showing, you can act on contacts directly — individually or in bulk.
Individual Actions¶
Click any contact row to open their record.
Bulk Actions¶
- Check the boxes next to the contacts you want to act on (or select all)
- A bulk action bar appears — choose from:
- Add Tag — apply a tag to all selected contacts
- Remove Tag — remove a tag from all selected contacts
- Assign User — reassign all selected contacts to a team member
- Add to Workflow — enrol all selected contacts in an automation
- Send Email — send a one-off email to the selection
- Send SMS — send a one-off SMS to the selection
- Export — download selected contacts as a CSV file
Bulk actions are powerful for things like: mass-tagging a segment, moving a group into a nurture workflow, or exporting a list for reporting.
Managing Your Smart Lists¶
Renaming a Smart List¶
Click the Smart List tab → three-dot menu (⋮) → Rename
Editing Filters¶
Click the Smart List tab → click Edit Filters → adjust conditions → Save
Deleting a Smart List¶
Click the Smart List tab → three-dot menu (⋮) → Delete
Deleting a Smart List does not delete the contacts — it only removes the saved filter.
Reordering Smart List Tabs¶
Drag the tabs left or right to arrange them in the order you prefer.
Best Practices¶
- Name Smart Lists clearly — use names that describe the filter, not just the purpose (e.g., "Tagged Hot Lead — Last 30 Days" is clearer than "Hot Leads")
- Use them as daily dashboards — open your most important Smart Lists each morning to see who needs attention
- Combine with bulk actions — Smart Lists + bulk "Add to Workflow" is a fast way to launch targeted campaigns
- Review and clean up — delete Smart Lists you no longer use so your tabs stay manageable
- Create a "To Follow Up" list — filter for contacts with a specific tag and use it as your daily action list
Common Questions¶
Q: Does a Smart List automatically update as contacts change? Yes — the list always shows live results based on the current state of your contacts. If a contact no longer matches the filters, they disappear from the list. If a new contact matches, they appear automatically.
Q: Can I share a Smart List with a team member? Smart Lists you create are visible to other team members with access to Contacts. They'll see the same tabs you do.
Q: Is there a limit to how many Smart Lists I can create? There's no practical limit. Create as many as you find useful.
Q: Can I export a Smart List to a spreadsheet? Yes — open the Smart List, select all contacts (or a subset), then use the bulk Export action to download a CSV.
Q: What's the difference between a Smart List and a regular search? A regular search is a one-time query that disappears when you navigate away. A Smart List saves the filter permanently so you can return to the same view any time.
Need Help?¶
Contact StudioM Support any time.
- Email: support@makoa.us
- Live Chat: Available inside the platform
Related guides: Contacts and CRM · Custom Fields · Workflows (Automations)