Creating an Auto-Populating Communication List

Note: This can take a few minutes to populate the list correctly, depending on how many contacts are in your database. The system has to search through them one by one to see if the list conditions are met.

1. Go to Communications / Communication Lists / Add List or Select an Existing List.
   

1. The set conditions will be evaluated/applied when...
   

1. the communication list is either created or edited. When editing, the Admin will be asked if they want to "Update List Addresses?" They can choose, "Yes, apply them now" or "No, just save."
   
2. an Admin edits a user's contact information.
   
3. users edit their own contact information.
   

Note: In some cases if you do a mass update to contacts or a contact upload, it may take few minutes for their inclusion in the list to be reflected. 

1. When a user changes their email address in the system, the old address is automatically removed from the communication list and updated with the new one.
   
2. Contacts with a Cancelled Status will NOT be included in an auto-populated communication list unless that is chosen as a list condition.
3. Automatically remove if conditions no longer match?  Admins can choose to have email addresses automatically removed from the communication list when the conditions are no longer met OR they can choose to only remove email addresses from the list manually.
   
4. If ALL of the conditions are removed on a subscription list, auto-removal of email addresses will not be done. Whatever auto-added addresses are on the list at the time will be retained.
   
5. Admins can still add or remove email addresses manually, and users can manage their own inclusion in the list via subscribe/unsubscribe.
   

Best Practice Tip:  Consider Contact Status when setting up your lists. Active and Outdated are automatically included, while Inactive and Cancelled are excluded. Depending on the purpose of your list, you may need to add Contact Status as a condition to include a different set of addresses.

Also, using the "not equal to" condition is complicated and you should always test to be sure you get the results you expect.

Updating Your Auto-Populating Communication Lists

1. Whenever changes are made to the settings of a communication list, the list is automatically re-evaluated when you Save.
2. To reload a list without changing the settings, go to Communications / Communication Lists and click on the "Subscribed" number for the correct list.
   
3. Select to re-load the list where it says, "This list is set up to automatically add addresses based on rules. To re-load this list from your contacts, click here."
   
4. Clear List First?  Select "Yes" to remove all addresses and re-apply the conditions to the list. Select "No" to only add new addresses to the list based on the conditions.

Example - If you have duplicate contacts and emails on your auto-populating communication lists, there is no need to delete and re-create the list. Instead, we recommend the following:

1. Update Duplicate Contact's Status
   
2. Clear and Reload your Communications List
   

Cancelled Contact Status on Auto-Populating Newsletter Lists

1. student grade = 3rd grade
   

A family with a 3rd grader has two contact cards - one is Active and one is Inactive. Previously, the family's emails were subscribed to the list (based on the Active contact card) and then immediately unsubscribed from the list (based on the Inactive contact card). Now, the Inactive record will not be reviewed by the system when deciding if the email addresses belong on that list.

*If you have duplicate contacts and emails on your auto-populating communication/subscription lists, there is no need to delete and re-create the list. We recommend Updating Your Auto-Populating Communication Lists.