Efficient contact and list management keeps your data organised and ensures your marketing programs target the right audience. Dotdigital provides several ways to automate moving contacts between lists, copy contacts when needed, and update program enrolment sources. This guide covers common workflows to keep lists current, from automating daily transfers to removing contacts without opt‑in status.
Use case: Daily list management and program transitions
You might need to:
Move contacts from one list into another daily.
Move contacts who have finished one program into another program.
Remove contacts who no longer have opt‑in consent.
Copy contacts manually when automation isn't required.
Solution overview
These workflows use:
Programs with Start, Add contact, Remove contact, and Exit nodes.
Segments to filter and enroll contacts.
Lists (address books) used as program enrolment sources.
Contacts as tools for manual updates.
Step-by-step guides
1. Move contacts between lists daily using a program
Navigate to Automation > Programs and select NEW PROGRAM.
Select Blank template.
Enter a name for your program and choose the location, then select CONTINUE.
Select the Start node and set the program as follows:
Enrollment schedule - daily.
Enrollment rule - choose a segment containing contacts from the source list.
Enrollment limits - contact enrols only once per schedule cycle.
Create or edit the segment to match your source list criteria.
Drag an Add contact node onto the canvas and select Contacts will be Added to selected lists.
Choose the list and select select APPLY.
Drag an Remove contact node onto the canvas and select the list to remove contacts from.
Add an End node.
SAVE and ACTIVATE the program.
2. Add contacts from one program to another using a list
Navigate to Automation > Programs.
Open the completed program and find the node that contains finished or qualified contacts.
From the node menu, select More actions > Add contacts to list.
Create or select an existing list.
Use this list as the Enrollment source in a new program.
3. Remove contacts without opt‑in status using a program
Navigate to Automation > Programs and create or edit a program.
In the Start node > Enrollment rule, select multiple lists if needed.
Add filter conditions in the Segment:
Opt‑in status = Not opted in.
Use a Remove contact node to delete these contacts from your chosen list(s).
Add an End node or continue with other processing steps as required.
SAVE AND ACTIVATE.
4. Copy contacts between lists manually
Navigate to Audience > Contacts.
Select the contacts you want to copy by checking their boxes.
Select MORE ACTIONS > Copy to list.
Choose the destination list.
Select Continue and confirm the action.
You can copy up to 50 contacts. To copy more, see Upload multiple contacts.
5. Change enrollment sources for a program
Navigate to Automation > Programs and open your program.
Select the Start node and edit the Enrollment rule.
Change the Segment to reference a different list (address book).
Save changes to ensure future enrollments use the updated source.
Best practices
Test automation on a small segment before applying it to full lists.
Use clear list and segment names to avoid confusion when linking in programs.
Review opt‑in status regularly to maintain compliance.
Document any program schedules so your team knows when list updates occur.