This article builds on the article Folders Overview. If you are not familiar with with using folders, please read the Folders Overview article first. Smart Folders are a type of folder where you can build a search algorithm that will then continue to fill the folder with contacts who meet the search criteria you set.
Search on the contacts you want and then highlight their cards. From here, you can create a folder. In our example, I searched on contacts that begin with the keyword Manager within 10 miles of New York and who joined in the first 9 months of 2020. The results contain 153 candidates. I highlighted all of them to move them to a folder. These conditions will become the basis of my smart folder. Once created, the folder will continue to fill with contacts who fit this description.
I highlight all of them. Selecting the Actions button makes the options appear in the upper left. I select Add to Folder and the folder options appear. I create a new folder and designate it a Smart Folder
Select Add and the Smart Folder will be created. Behind the scenes, the initial search you did is now connected to the folder. It will continue to put in new contacts that meet the search criteria.
In the folder listings, a special icon is added to show that this folder is a smart folder rather than a customer folder
To see the search criteria for a smart folder, go into the folder by selecting it and then select the down arrow in the upper right.
This will open up the current smart folder criteria
If you wish to update the folder, such as changing the name or changing the search criteria, go to the 3 dots in the upper right and select Edit Folder from the choices.
This will open the Edit Smart Folder window where you can begin to make changes to the folder title if you wish
Selecting Next will then give you the ability to change the search criteria.
Selecting Save will update your folder. If you changed the search criteria, the logic will act to remove and add contacts based on the new criteria.
Note: Smart Folders do have characteristics that are different than Custom (regular) folders.
- There is no hierarchy in a Smart Folder; you cannot create a subfolder in a Smart Folder and a Smart Folder cannot be a sub folder
- Workflow: you cannot set up a workflow for a Smart Folder. You can only do this for a custom folder.