Keeping track of workflows in ZipLeads is easier with Advanced Filters and Smart Lists. This article shows you how to use Advanced Filters to narrow down workflows by triggers, actions and tags. You'll also learn how to create and manage Smart Lists, so you can save filtered views for quick access.
What are Advanced Filters and Smart Lists?
Advanced Filters and Smart Lists help you manage your workflows. They let you filter, organise and save customised workflow views.
Advanced Filters let you refine workflows by triggers, actions, tags or other criteria. This makes it easier to find and manage them.
Smart Lists go a step further. They let you save filtered results, so you can come back to a specific set of workflows without applying the filters again. Together, these features keep your workflows organised and save you time.
Key benefits of Advanced Filters and Smart Lists in workflows
Managing workflows well keeps your automation running smoothly. Advanced Filters and Smart Lists help you organise, find and track your workflows with less effort.
Simpler workflow management: Find specific workflows quickly by applying several filters based on triggers, actions or tags. No more searching by hand.
Time-saving and better organisation: Save filtered views as Smart Lists for easy access. This cuts down on repeated filtering and keeps workflows well structured, especially as your business grows.
Better collaboration and visibility: Teams can group workflows for different purposes, making it easier to work together and keep track of your automation.
Avoid duplicate workflows: Use filters and saved lists to quickly find existing automation, so you don't build the same workflow twice.
Advanced Filters vs Smart Lists: what's the difference?
When organising workflows in ZipLeads, you have two options: use Advanced Filters or create a Smart List. Both help you refine and sort your workflows, but they suit different needs.
Using Advanced Filters (one-time use)
Advanced Filters let you apply conditions on the fly to find specific workflows, without saving them. For example, to see all paused workflows, apply a filter for Status = Paused and the matching results appear straight away. When you're done, you can leave without saving the filter.
This is ideal when you need to find something once or now and then, and don't need the filtered view often.
Creating a Smart List (for repeated use)
A Smart List is a saved view of filtered results. Instead of applying filters every time, you can create a Smart List by clicking + Smart List, adding filters and saving the view. The saved list is always available on your Workflows dashboard, so you can open it whenever you need it.
For example, if you often check workflows triggered by form submissions, you can create a Smart List for all workflows where the trigger is Form Submitted. That way you don't have to reapply the filter each time.
How to use Advanced Filters
Step 1: Open your workflows
Go to the Automations tab in ZipLeads and open the Workflows section. You'll see a list of all workflows in your account.
Step 2: Open Advanced Filters
In the top-right corner of the Workflows page, click the Advanced Filters button. A panel opens on the right where you can start filtering workflows by specific conditions.
Step 3: Set your filters
Once the Advanced Filters panel is open, you'll see a list of filter options. You can filter workflows by:
Triggers: See workflows based on specific trigger events (for example, "Form Submitted" or "Appointment Booked").
Actions: Find workflows that include specific actions (for example, "Send SMS" or "Add Tag").
Tags: Show only workflows that have specific tags assigned.
Other attributes: Filter by workflow status (Published, Draft), last updated date, or the person who last changed the workflow.
Applying filter conditions
Select a filter: Choose a filter type from the dropdown menu.
Choose the operator: Pick an operator (for example, "equals", "contains" or "does not contain").
Enter or select a value: Add the value for the filter you selected.
Step 4: Add more filters
To narrow your search further, you can add more filters based on different conditions.
+ And Condition: All selected filters must match for a workflow to show in the results. Use this to find workflows that meet several criteria at once. (Example: workflows that are Published AND use a Form Submission trigger.)
Or Condition: Shows workflows that match at least one of the selected filters. This widens your search so either condition can be true. (Example: workflows that are Published OR have a specific tag.)
+ Add Filter Condition: Lets workflows match any of the selected filters across different attributes, giving you more flexibility when searching.
Deleting a filter: Click the trash bin icon to delete a filter.
Step 5: Apply your filters
When your filters are set up, click Apply to show the workflows that match.
How to use Smart Lists
Step 1: Save your filtered view
Once you've applied filters, the Save button becomes active. Click Save to store the filtered view as a Smart List.
Step 2: Create the Smart List
After clicking Save, you'll see two options:
Save as New Smart List: Saves the current filters as a new list for later.
Discard Changes: Removes the applied filters and resets the workflow list.
Step 3: Open your Smart Lists
Once saved, your Smart List appears at the top of the Workflows page next to your existing workflow categories. Click a Smart List to apply its saved filters and show only the matching workflows.
Step 4: Create a Smart List from scratch
To create a Smart List without applying filters first:
Click + Smart List at the top of the Workflows page.
Set up your filters.
Click Save to create the new Smart List.
Step 5: Manage your Smart Lists
To edit or delete a Smart List:
Open the Smart List you want to change or delete.
Click Customise List in the top-right corner. Make sure you're in the right Smart List first.
Change the existing filters, or delete the Smart List if you no longer need it. If you change any filters, remember to click Save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between a filter and a Smart List?
A filter narrows down your workflows for now, based on the conditions you choose. A Smart List saves those conditions so you can use them again later.
Q. How many filters can I apply at once?
There's no strict limit. You can apply several filters and use both And and Or conditions to get the results you need.
Q. How do I edit or delete a Smart List?
Click Customise List. From there you can update the filter settings or remove the Smart List.
Q. Who can see and manage Smart Lists?
If a user creates a Smart List, only that user and admins can see it.
If an admin creates a Smart List, all admins can see it, but regular users can't.
If a user is upgraded to admin, they can see all Smart Lists created by other admins.
If an admin is downgraded to user, they can only see the Smart Lists they created themselves.
Q. Can Advanced Filters be used on all workflow types?
Yes! Advanced Filters work with all workflows, no matter how complex they are.