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Task guide

Find, segment, merge, export, and archive contacts

Find anyone fast, save the segments you use every week, merge duplicates, export a list, and archive people you no longer work with.

10 to 20 minutesFor CRM users maintaining prospect and client recordsBeginnerLast verified October 5, 2026

Outcome

You can find any contact in seconds, reuse saved segments, clean up duplicates, and archive people without losing their history.

Navigation path

CRM > Contacts > People

Access

Free CRM with no time limit: 100 stored contacts and 10 active opportunities for your company, plus companies, pipelines, manual tasks and notes, CSV import, and Email Scripts. Paid plans add automations, reports, automated matching, calendar integration, domain connections, and email sending.

On this page

Before you start

Data, sources, and access to prepare

  • CRM access
  • Permission to read the contacts you expect to find

Read the People list

Useful list signals

Person and email Required

Identifies the person and prevents duplicate contacts

Format
Name plus normalized email address
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry in the People list. Edit the contact workspace and complete its save action.
Downstream effect
Normalized email is the primary identity key used for duplicate prevention.

Company Optional

Linked firm or retained loose company name

Format
Selected company or plain-text company name
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry in the People list. Save the company relationship from the contact workspace.
Downstream effect
Supports company filtering, organization, and company rollups.

Source Calculated

How the contact first or most relevantly entered CRM

Format
Not applicable
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry. The display updates automatically from the contact’s recorded creation, capture, or import source.
Downstream effect
Provides acquisition context but does not establish consent by itself.

Engagement Calculated

Automatic score from qualifying prospect activity, separate from manual temperature

Format
Not applicable
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry. The signal recalculates automatically when qualifying contact engagement and activity change.
Downstream effect
The default People list uses the current signal to emphasize hotter contacts.

Fit Calculated

Property match context from active requirements

Format
Not applicable
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry. Fit recalculates automatically from saved active requirements and eligible property data.
Downstream effect
Explains property relevance but does not grant email permission.

Last seen and activity Calculated

Recent engagement timing and volume

Format
Not applicable
Units
Not applicable
Save behavior
No direct entry. The values recalculate automatically when qualifying contact activity is recorded.
Downstream effect
Helps prioritize a human review using current engagement recency and volume.

Required means the field is needed to complete or support this workflow. Some screens allow a draft to save before every required item is complete. The steps and troubleshooting call out controls the product actively blocks.

Filter and save a working view

  1. 1

    Search for a person or firm

    CRM > Contacts > People

    Enter a name, email, or company in Search.

    Expected result: The list narrows to matching contacts.

    If this step does not work

    If no results appear, clear filters and search the exact email before creating a new person.

    CRM Contacts workspace with People and Companies views and list controls.
    Search, filter, sort, save views, merge, tag, export, and archive only the contact records within your access.
  2. 2

    Apply segmentation filters

    People > Filters

    Select the criteria that define the intended segment: interested property type, relationship type, temperature, tags, property requirements, or company.

    Expected result: Filter chips and the result count reflect the selected criteria.

    If this step does not work

    If the result is unexpectedly empty, remove filters one at a time. A true empty state differs from filtered no results.

  3. 3

    Name the saved view

    People > Save this view > Name this view

    Enter a distinct name for the current filters.

    Expected result: The name is ready to save.

    If this step does not work

    Use a name that says what the segment is for.

  4. 4

    Choose saved-view availability

    People > Save this view > Share with team

    Select Share with team for a team view, or leave it clear to keep the view private.

    Expected result: After you select Save, the view keeps these filters with the sharing you chose.

    If this step does not work

    Teammates who open a shared view still see only the contacts their role allows.

  5. 5

    Reopen a saved view

    People > saved view chips

    Select the saved name.

    Expected result: The filters run against today’s data, so new matching contacts appear automatically.

    If this step does not work

    A saved view is a set of filters, not a frozen list. If results changed, the underlying contacts changed.

  6. 6

    Verify restored filters

    People > active filter chips

    Compare the restored filters with the saved-view definition.

    Expected result: The filters match what you saved.

    If this step does not work

    Reapply the intended view if a filter is missing.

Shared views respect each person’s access

A saved view stores filters, not records. A teammate who opens a shared view sees only the contacts their role allows.

Use high-impact contact actions safely

Merge duplicates

What happens
The selected keeper receives supported activities, deals, tasks, signatures, and tags. The duplicate is archived.
Verification
Open the keeper and confirm the combined timeline and relationships.

Export CSV

What happens
Exports the contacts you can see, with formula-like values neutralized so the file opens safely in Excel.
Verification
Open the downloaded file and confirm scope and row count before sharing.

Archive

What happens
Removes the contact from active views while retaining CRM history.
Verification
Search active contacts to confirm removal, then retain the record link in any audit note.
  1. 1

    Inspect possible duplicates

    People > Merge duplicates

    Compare exact emails, names, companies, and timelines before choosing a keeper.

    Expected result: Only genuinely duplicate identities are selected.

    If this step does not work

    If identities are uncertain, cancel and add a note instead of merging.

  2. 2

    Select the record to keep

    Merge duplicates dialog

    Select the record that should remain.

    Expected result: The dialog identifies the keeper and duplicate.

    If this step does not work

    Cancel if either identity is uncertain.

  3. 3

    Confirm the merge

    Merge duplicates dialog > Merge N into 1

    Select Merge N into 1, where N is the displayed duplicate count.

    Expected result: Related supported records move to the keeper and the duplicate leaves active lists.

    If this step does not work

    If an expected relationship is absent, stop further cleanup and report the specific record IDs to support.

  4. 4

    Apply the export scope

    People > scope and Filters

    Set the required scope and filters.

    Expected result: The visible result count represents the intended permitted export.

    If this step does not work

    Narrow the query if the count is broader than intended.

  5. 5

    Download the contact CSV

    People > Export

    Select Export.

    Expected result: The browser downloads the current permitted export.

    If this step does not work

    If the export is broader than intended, delete the local copy securely before trying again.

  6. 6

    Review archive impact

    Contact workspace > Archive confirmation

    Read the complete confirmation.

    Expected result: The historical retention and active-list removal are understood.

    If this step does not work

    Cancel if the person should remain in active work.

  7. 7

    Archive the contact

    Contact workspace > Archive confirmation

    Select Archive.

    Expected result: The contact is retained historically but removed from active People results.

    If this step does not work

    A later CSV import will not reactivate an archived contact. Adding the person again with Add contact will.

Resolve list and record problems

No contacts appear

Likely cause: The CRM may be empty, filters may exclude all rows, or the request may have failed.

  1. Read the empty-state message.
  2. Clear every filter and saved view.
  3. Select Retry if an error is present.
  4. Confirm role scope before importing.
A duplicate merge is unavailable

Likely cause: You may not be able to edit one of the records, or no matching duplicate pair exists.

  1. Check ownership for both contacts.
  2. Ask an authorized owner to perform the merge.
  3. Never alter emails just to force a merge.
An archived person reappeared after manual Add Contact or Add Lead

Likely cause: Adding a contact manually with an archived person’s email reactivates that existing record.

  1. Open the existing record.
  2. Review why it was archived.
  3. Archive it again only if renewed activity should not return it to active work.

Final verification

  • The People scope, search, and filters show the permitted contacts you intend to manage.
  • The intended contact retains the correct identity, owner, company links, tags, and saved changes.
  • If you exported contacts, the downloaded file contains only the permitted rows represented by the reviewed result count.
  • If you intentionally archived a contact, that person leaves active People results while historical context remains. Contacts you still need stay active.

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