You can use the search feature to compile a list of Contacts, and then export a copy of the list or bulk-add the Contacts to a group. You can also save the search criteria to quickly run the same query in the future.

There are two levels of search:

• Simple - a limited search option that queries only your Contacts' last names and email addresses.
• Advanced - a more robust search that is based on one or more criteria in a multitude of categories (e.g., company name, clicked links, group membership, and your organization's custom fields).

To access these search options:

1. Access the Admin interface.
2. Navigate to Contacts > Tools > Advanced Search.

By default, you'll be on the simple search page; click Advanced Search at the top right to access the Advanced Search page, and Simple Search to switch back.

Simple search

Upon accessing the Advanced Search page, Simple Search is active by default. Use Simple Search to retrieve a list of Contacts based on last name, email address, or both.

TIP: You can click Limit Search next to the text fields (as shown below) to display additional fields to refine your search. Click Basic Search to hide these fields.

When searching, you can enter a query as broad or specific as you want, which determines the scope of results you'll receive.

EXAMPLE: If you type jonson, the search will return, for example, all Contacts named Jonson and Jonsonite. However, if you search on jon, the search will return, for example, all Contacts named Jonson, Jonsonite, AND Jones. The fewer the characters, the more broad the search.

NOTE: Check the box if you want to include deleted Contacts in the search.

The results will display on the Searched Results page. Refer to the Search results section, below, to learn more.

Advanced search

Click the Advanced Search link at the top right of the page to switch to the Advanced Search page.

Use Advanced Search to perform a more detailed search for Contacts based on criteria in any of the following categories (or combination thereof).

1. Click the plus icon next to a category to expand it and see its search criteria.

2. Check the fields that you want to search on.
3. Click the Search button at the bottom of the page. A new page displays where you can further refine your search.

NOTE: The options on the page that follows will be dependent on your selections above.

In the image above, two options were checked: Recipients in a Group and E-mails sent to these recipients, so the "selections" page that follows will have an Available Groups section and an Available Messages section.

NOTE: Depending on your selections, some of the sections will have check boxes, others will have text fields.

4. Specify your additional search conditions by checking boxes and/or typing values.

NOTE: Selecting items (messages, groups) in an "Available" table automatically moves the items to the associated "Selected" table directly below. You might have to scroll to see the "Selected" table. You can remove a "selected" item by checking it's box.

5. Scroll to the bottom of the selections page to click Search.

The results will display on the Searched Results page. Refer to the Search results section, below, to learn more.

Search results

The Searched Results page displays the results of your search in a list.

NOTE: You can further refine the results by typing a value and selecting a field in the "quick search" area in the upper portion of the page.

In the upper right, there are three list-management options (discussed from left to right):

• Click Export to generate a .csv file of the results; when prompted, save it with a memorable name. The report will be listed in Settings > Reports > Upload & Export Job Status, under Contacts/Tracking Exports. Refer to Export considerations below.
• Click Add to Group to add all the returned Contacts to a group on the Groups page. You can choose an existing group or create one for these Contacts and, optionally, select a folder for the group.
• Click Save Search to save the parameters of this search so that it doesn't have to be reconfigured. Give the search a name on the Saved Search page and click Go. The search will now be available to run (or delete) from Contacts > Tools > Saved Search.

You can also perform management actions on each Contact by using the icons to the right of their list entry (discussed from left to right).

• Click the Details icon to access the View/Edit Recipient Details page where you can make a variety of changes for the selected Contact.
• Click the Preview History icon to access the Contact's History page which has information about the Contact's engagement with messages, surveys, events, and more.
  

  See Manage Contact History.

• Click the Manage Compliance icon to open a modal with request-data and delete-data options for the Contact.
  

  See the Manage compliance options section in Create & Manage Contacts for more information.

Export considerations

The search returns data only from the date on which your account was activated. For example, if a Contact opened messages prior to the activation and after the activation, the search will return only the messages that were opened after account activation. All post-activation data will be available, even information about messages you sent through the normal interface, or Contacts who have not yet been enrolled in a marketing-automation campaign.

Related articles

• Marketing Automation Search covers how to use saved searches to automatically update groups.