Create Contacts in GoHighLevel

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Create Contacts in GoHighLevel Workflows

Automating contact creation in GoHighLevel can feel as transformative as organizing tasks in ClickUp, especially when your workflows are correctly configured. This guide explains, step by step, how to set up and use the Create Contact workflow action so your CRM captures the right people with the exact details you need.

The instructions below are based on the official GoHighLevel documentation and will help you avoid duplicates, map fields correctly, and control when a new contact is created versus when an existing one is updated.

What the GoHighLevel Create Contact Action Does

The Create Contact workflow action in GoHighLevel automatically adds a new contact to your sub-account based on the data sent into a workflow. When configured properly, it can also update an existing contact instead of creating a duplicate.

This action is especially useful when your triggers come from:

  • Forms
  • Surveys
  • Calendars
  • Third-party integrations
  • Webhooks sending contact data

By controlling field mapping and conditions, you decide exactly which incoming records become contacts and how they are stored in GoHighLevel.

How to Add the Create Contact Action in GoHighLevel

  1. Open your GoHighLevel sub-account and go to Automations.

  2. Select an existing workflow or create a new workflow.

  3. Inside the workflow builder, click the plus (+) icon to add an action below the desired step.

  4. From the action list, choose Create Contact.

Once selected, the configuration panel for the Create Contact action will appear on the right side of the workflow builder.

Configuring the GoHighLevel Create Contact Action

The configuration area determines what information is used to create or update a contact in GoHighLevel. You can control the action with the following options.

1. Basic Configuration

At the top of the action settings, you may see:

  • Action Name – An internal label that helps you recognize the specific Create Contact step.
  • Description – Optional notes to clarify what this action does within the workflow.

Use clear names and descriptions so other team members can quickly understand how this GoHighLevel workflow step behaves.

2. Source of Data for Contact Creation

The Create Contact action generally relies on the information available from the workflow trigger and previous steps. Depending on the trigger used in GoHighLevel, you may have fields such as:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Company
  • Custom fields

These can be mapped into the new contact record using the field mapping section of the action.

Field Mapping in the GoHighLevel Create Contact Action

Field mapping determines which incoming data populates specific contact fields in GoHighLevel. This is crucial for clean data and accurate segmentation.

How to Map Standard Fields

  1. Locate the Field Mapping section in the Create Contact action settings.

  2. For each standard contact field (such as Name, Email, Phone), choose the corresponding value from the available workflow data.

  3. Use dropdowns or dynamic field selectors to pull values from the trigger or earlier workflow actions.

Standard fields typically include:

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Company Name

Mapping Custom Fields in GoHighLevel

If your sub-account uses custom fields in GoHighLevel, you can map them as well:

  1. Scroll to the Custom Fields area inside the Create Contact configuration.

  2. Select a custom field from the list.

  3. Assign an incoming value (from the trigger or another workflow action) to that custom field.

Proper custom field mapping allows highly personalized automation and advanced filtering within GoHighLevel segments and smart lists.

Controlling When a Contact Is Created or Updated

The Create Contact workflow action can behave differently depending on whether the contact already exists in GoHighLevel. The logic is typically controlled by checking email, phone, or other identifiers.

Preventing Duplicate Contacts

To reduce duplicates in GoHighLevel, make sure any unique identifier fields are correctly mapped. The system commonly uses email or phone to detect existing contacts. When properly configured, the Create Contact action will:

  • Update an existing contact if the identifier already exists in the CRM.
  • Create a brand new contact if no match is found.

Verify that you always map the correct email or phone field from your workflow trigger to the appropriate contact field.

Updating Existing Contacts with New Data

If a matching contact is found in GoHighLevel, the Create Contact action can overwrite or append information based on how fields are mapped. Common use cases include:

  • Adding a new tag when the contact fills out a form.
  • Updating a custom field after a survey submission.
  • Changing the contact’s pipeline or status from another system.

Review each field carefully to confirm whether updating it is desirable in your automation scenario.

Best Practices for GoHighLevel Contact Workflows

To keep your database clean and your automations accurate, follow these best practices when using the Create Contact action in GoHighLevel:

  • Define a primary identifier such as email or phone and always keep it mapped.
  • Test with sample data before enabling workflows for real prospects or clients.
  • Use descriptive action names so it is easy to audit complex automations.
  • Document custom field usage so your team knows how each field is populated via workflows.

Testing Your GoHighLevel Create Contact Setup

  1. Turn on Test mode or use a staging workflow if available.

  2. Submit a form, survey, or trigger event that should enter the workflow.

  3. Open the associated contact record in GoHighLevel and confirm:

    • The contact was created or updated as expected.
    • Mapped fields show the correct values.
    • No duplicate record was created for the same person.

  4. Repeat tests with variations (different emails, phones, or missing fields) to see how the workflow behaves.

Where to Learn More About GoHighLevel Workflow Actions

For deeper technical reference, always compare your setup with the official documentation. You can review the source instructions for this action at the official GoHighLevel Create Contact article.

If you need strategic help beyond basic configuration, including CRM structure, funnel design, or optimization of GoHighLevel automations, you can also explore expert resources at Consultevo.

Summary: Using GoHighLevel to Automate Contact Creation

By correctly setting up the Create Contact workflow action, you ensure every form, survey, or integration feeds clean, reliable data into GoHighLevel. Map key identifiers, configure standard and custom fields, and test with sample records so your workflows can automatically create or update contacts with confidence.

Once this action is mastered, you can extend your automation strategy to tagging, pipeline movement, and follow-up sequences, all powered by accurate contact records inside GoHighLevel.

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