How to Use GoHighLevel Contact Types

If you are moving from tools like ClickUp to a full CRM, understanding how GoHighLevel handles contact types is essential. In this guide, you will learn exactly how GoHighLevel labels contacts, how those labels are created, and how to use them to organize your database.

Contact types in GoHighLevel are automatically applied based on how a record was added to your account. You cannot manually edit these contact types, but you can use them to filter, audit, and better understand your contact lists.

What Are Contact Types in GoHighLevel?

Contact types in GoHighLevel are system-generated labels that describe how each contact entered your CRM. These labels help you identify whether a contact was imported, created manually, or added in bulk from a specific tool or source.

You will mainly see contact types when you are:

• Reviewing imported lists
• Auditing manual entries by your team
• Checking bulk actions and automations
• Troubleshooting duplicate or unexpected contacts

GoHighLevel Contact Type Categories

GoHighLevel currently uses three primary contact types to describe how a record was created. Each one is tied to a specific method of adding contacts to your CRM.

1. Contact Type: IMPORTED (GoHighLevel)

The IMPORTED contact type appears when a contact is brought into GoHighLevel through an import action. This usually happens when you upload a CSV file or migrate contacts from another system.

A contact will be labeled as IMPORTED when:

• You use the Import function inside the Contacts area
• You upload a spreadsheet or CSV of contacts
• You migrate lists from another CRM into GoHighLevel

This contact type is useful when you want to:

• Verify which records came from an older database
• Filter and clean imported lists
• Track the impact of large list uploads

How to Identify IMPORTED Contacts in GoHighLevel

1. Open the Contacts section in your GoHighLevel account.
2. Look for the column or filter that shows the contact type or creation method.
3. Filter or sort to show contacts labeled IMPORTED.

This helps you quickly isolate contacts that came from previous systems or bulk uploads.

2. Contact Type: MANUAL (GoHighLevel)

The MANUAL contact type in GoHighLevel indicates that the contact was added one at a time directly by a user, without using an import or bulk tool.

A contact will be labeled as MANUAL when:

• You click + Add Contact inside the Contacts section
• You type in the details for a single person or company
• Your team members or sales reps create individual records

This contact type is especially useful for:

• Tracking leads that were hand-entered from calls or meetings
• Auditing which team members are adding contacts
• Separating manual entries from automated or imported data

How to Identify MANUAL Contacts in GoHighLevel

1. Go to the Contacts area in GoHighLevel.
2. Use filters to show contacts based on creation method or contact type.
3. Select or filter for the MANUAL contact type.

Once filtered, you can review all manually created contacts for data accuracy and completeness.

3. Contact Type: BULK ACTION (for GoHighLevel Bulk Imports)

The BULK ACTION contact type appears when contacts are created through a bulk operation instead of a standard upload or single entry. In GoHighLevel, this is commonly associated with bulk imports from specific external tools.

A contact will be labeled as BULK ACTION when:

• You use a dedicated import tool that connects with GoHighLevel
• A third-party system creates many contacts at once
• A bulk operation from a connected service sends a large list of new contacts

This label helps you understand which contacts were generated via integrated bulk actions so you can analyze or segment them separately.

How to Identify BULK ACTION Contacts in GoHighLevel

1. Open the Contacts tab inside GoHighLevel.
2. Locate the field or filter that represents the contact type or creation source.
3. Filter your list down to contacts marked BULK ACTION.

From there, you can perform additional actions such as tagging, segmenting, or cleaning these bulk-generated contacts.

How GoHighLevel Assigns Contact Types Automatically

In GoHighLevel, you do not choose the contact type yourself. Instead, the platform assigns the type based on the method used to create the record.

• Uploading a file → The contact type becomes IMPORTED.
• Manually creating a single record → The contact type becomes MANUAL.
• Creating contacts via a bulk integration tool → The contact type becomes BULK ACTION.

This automatic behavior ensures consistent labeling, which is helpful for reporting, segmentation, and data hygiene.

Limitations of Contact Types in GoHighLevel

When working with contact types in GoHighLevel, there are a few important limitations to understand so you can plan your workflows correctly.

You Cannot Manually Change Contact Types

GoHighLevel does not allow you to manually update or override the contact type for a record. Each contact type is locked to the method that initially created the contact.

This means you cannot:

• Convert a MANUAL contact to IMPORTED
• Change a BULK ACTION contact to MANUAL
• Assign a completely new custom contact type

Instead, you should rely on other tools inside GoHighLevel, such as tags, custom fields, or smart lists, to apply additional segmentation.

Contact Types Are Not the Same as Tags or Pipelines

While tags, pipelines, and other fields in GoHighLevel are designed for flexible organization and tracking, contact types are strictly about how the contact was created. They should not be confused with:

• Lead stages in pipelines
• Tags used for marketing segmentation
• Custom fields used for advanced data

Use contact types alongside these other tools for a more complete contact management strategy.

Practical Ways to Use Contact Types in GoHighLevel

Even though you cannot modify contact types, they are still very helpful when you want to better understand and manage your CRM data in GoHighLevel.

Filter Contacts by Source Method

Use filters in the Contacts area to separate contacts created by different methods. For example:

• Review all IMPORTED contacts to check for formatting or duplicates.
• Look at MANUAL contacts to see which leads were added by your team.
• Inspect BULK ACTION contacts to verify successful integrations or campaigns.

Combine Contact Types With Other GoHighLevel Features

For more powerful segmentation, combine contact type filters with:

• Tags to mark contact interests or campaigns
• Pipelines to track deal stages
• Smart lists to save filtered views based on type, tags, and fields

This allows you to build dynamic groups such as “IMPORTED contacts without tags” or “MANUAL contacts added this month.”

Where to Learn More About GoHighLevel Contact Types

For the original reference documentation on contact types inside GoHighLevel, you can review the official help article here: GoHighLevel Contact Types Documentation.

If you are building more advanced systems around GoHighLevel, automation, and CRM structure, you may also find specialized consulting and implementation guidance at Consultevo.

Summary: Managing Contact Types in GoHighLevel

To recap, GoHighLevel automatically assigns contact types to every record based on how it was created. The main types you will see are:

• IMPORTED — contacts added via file uploads or migrations
• MANUAL — contacts added one-by-one by users
• BULK ACTION — contacts created through bulk integrations or tools

You cannot manually change these labels, but you can use them to filter and understand your database more clearly. When used alongside tags, pipelines, and smart lists, GoHighLevel contact types become a valuable part of your overall CRM organization strategy.

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