CRM

EileenRomito
Participant

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Maybe I'm completely missing something here, but can someone explain to me the purpose of using a List versus just filtering contacts/companies based on set criteria on the contact/company views? 

The only benefit I can find is that in a List, you can filter contacts by a company property. But in that case, why not just allow filtering contacts by a company property right on the normal contact view?

When I say "contact/company view" I am referring to this screen:

EileenRomito_0-1651872773133.png


versus lists here: 

EileenRomito_1-1651872791451.png

 

 

0 Upvotes
2 Accepted solutions
Jnix284
Solution
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi @EileenRomito 

 

A list allows you to segment your contacts and reference in other actions - like sending marketing emails, setting up automation, building reports, etc.

 

Here is the knowledge base article for creating lists: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/lists/create-active-or-static-lists

 

A filtered view, while it can be shared with everyone or your team, is not a functional list of contacts, it is meant to improve your efficiency for completing specific tasks or actions, like identifying a subset of leads to follow up with.

 

Here is the knowledge base article for saved views: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/crm-setup/create-customize-and-manage-your-saved-views

 

Hope this helps clarify!

Jennifer


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Jennifer Nixon - Delivery Lead at Aptitude 8

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karstenkoehler
Solution
Hall of Famer | Partner
Hall of Famer | Partner

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi @EileenRomito,

 

Great question, when I first started using HubSpot this wasn't clear to me either.

 

As a rule of thumb, lists can be used and referenced by other tools in HubSpot. Lists can be used to include or exclude contacts in reports, marketing emails (for sending, exclusion and smart lists), workflows (for enrollment, suppression, adding/removing contacts from lists), custom feedback surveys, a few tools I'm currently not thinking of. Lists can also reference each other, lists will include a list growth report and a contact record will show how many lists a contact is a member of. Lastly, a list allows for the use or OR and AND.

 

Filtered views can't do any of these things, they can only be used for one purpose: seeing all records who match certain criteria. One key difference is that you can filter for additional object types, not just contacts and companies but also tickets, deals etc. That's something lists cannot do.

 

For some reasons that still elude me, to be honest, filtered views are also much faster than lists, especially in more complex HubSpot portals. When you need to understand how many records there are matching certain criteria, filtered views will be faster than lists.

 

If you need an overview of records (that you can share with your team), filtered views are the way to go. If you need something that can be referenced by other tools, you would use lists.

 

Hope this helps!

Karsten Köhler
HubSpot Freelancer | RevOps & CRM Consultant | Community Hall of Famer

Beratungstermin mit Karsten vereinbaren

 

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7 Replies 7
EileenRomito
Participant

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Thanks to both of you. Your responses really clarified it for me. I think the confusion lies in the word "lists". When I think of a "list", to me, the purpose of it is to look at a list visually. But what you're describing to me is really a way of defining a segment of contacts. So really, a "list" is a "segment" that can be used in other tools and workflows and the contact view effectively is the list you use to actually view a filtered set of contacts.

karstenkoehler
Solution
Hall of Famer | Partner
Hall of Famer | Partner

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi @EileenRomito,

 

Great question, when I first started using HubSpot this wasn't clear to me either.

 

As a rule of thumb, lists can be used and referenced by other tools in HubSpot. Lists can be used to include or exclude contacts in reports, marketing emails (for sending, exclusion and smart lists), workflows (for enrollment, suppression, adding/removing contacts from lists), custom feedback surveys, a few tools I'm currently not thinking of. Lists can also reference each other, lists will include a list growth report and a contact record will show how many lists a contact is a member of. Lastly, a list allows for the use or OR and AND.

 

Filtered views can't do any of these things, they can only be used for one purpose: seeing all records who match certain criteria. One key difference is that you can filter for additional object types, not just contacts and companies but also tickets, deals etc. That's something lists cannot do.

 

For some reasons that still elude me, to be honest, filtered views are also much faster than lists, especially in more complex HubSpot portals. When you need to understand how many records there are matching certain criteria, filtered views will be faster than lists.

 

If you need an overview of records (that you can share with your team), filtered views are the way to go. If you need something that can be referenced by other tools, you would use lists.

 

Hope this helps!

Karsten Köhler
HubSpot Freelancer | RevOps & CRM Consultant | Community Hall of Famer

Beratungstermin mit Karsten vereinbaren

 

Did my post help answer your query? Help the community by marking it as a solution.

ASchoijett
Member

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi,

IMO, these two features s/b unified under one.   One way to configure the filters for any object and its associated objects, one way to select which saved query (call it a list or a view) I want to show, and one source of objects for all downstream tools.   

I see little value in having two separate functions.  It only creates confusion. 

Again, in my opinion...

 

Alex

0 Upvotes
FeliciaGheorghe
Member

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi @karstenkoehler,

 

I am in the strange situation where a view shows more records than my list. I am using the exactly the same filters in both. Any idea why this might happen?

 

Appreciate your time.

Cheers,

Felicia

Jnix284
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

@FeliciaGheorghe and @DarcieD 

 

Have your lists fully processed? Once you save the list it can take time for all the contacts to populate.


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Jennifer Nixon - Delivery Lead at Aptitude 8

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DarcieD
Participant

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

I've encountered the same. Found your question and following to see what might be the answer. 😊

0 Upvotes
Jnix284
Solution
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner
Most Valuable Member | Diamond Partner

What is the difference between Lists and a filtered Contact View?

SOLVE

Hi @EileenRomito 

 

A list allows you to segment your contacts and reference in other actions - like sending marketing emails, setting up automation, building reports, etc.

 

Here is the knowledge base article for creating lists: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/lists/create-active-or-static-lists

 

A filtered view, while it can be shared with everyone or your team, is not a functional list of contacts, it is meant to improve your efficiency for completing specific tasks or actions, like identifying a subset of leads to follow up with.

 

Here is the knowledge base article for saved views: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/crm-setup/create-customize-and-manage-your-saved-views

 

Hope this helps clarify!

Jennifer


If my reply answered your question please mark it as a solution to make it easier for others to find.



Jennifer Nixon - Delivery Lead at Aptitude 8

connect with Jen on Linkedin