How to Use Advanced Filters and Smart Lists in GoHighLevel Workflows

ClickUp users and other automation enthusiasts often look for more sophisticated segmentation inside their CRM. In this guide, you will learn step by step how to use advanced filters and Smart Lists inside GoHighLevel workflows so you can create precise triggers, conditions, and targeted messaging based on detailed contact data.

By the end of this article, you will know exactly how to build filter groups, combine conditions with AND/OR logic, and leverage existing Smart Lists to streamline automations in your GoHighLevel account.

What Are Advanced Filters in GoHighLevel Workflows?

In GoHighLevel workflows, advanced filters allow you to include or exclude contacts based on specific criteria before an action runs. Instead of sending every contact through the same automation, you can define detailed rules that select only the exact people you want.

Advanced filters can be applied in multiple places within a workflow, for example when you:

• Set up an enrollment or trigger condition
• Add a conditional “If/Else” step
• Apply filters on actions such as sending emails or SMS

These filters rely on contact fields, activity data, tags, and membership in Smart Lists inside GoHighLevel.

Key Concepts: Conditions, Groups, and Logic in GoHighLevel

To use filters correctly, you need to understand three core concepts in GoHighLevel workflow filters:

1. Conditions – The individual rules you set (for example, “Has Tag = Lead” or “Custom Field: Interest contains ‘Webinar’”).
2. Groups – A collection of conditions that are evaluated together.
3. Logical Operators (AND/OR) – Rules that define how multiple conditions and groups interact.

Every filter section allows you to build one or more groups of conditions using AND/OR logic, which defines whether all conditions must be true or just one condition must be true for a contact to qualify.

How to Open Advanced Filters in a GoHighLevel Workflow

You can access the filtering options directly inside your GoHighLevel workflow editor.

1. Open your Workflows area in GoHighLevel.
2. Select the workflow you want to edit, or create a new one.
3. Click on a trigger, condition, or action that supports filters.
4. Look for the option labeled something like Filter, Advanced Filters, or a similar setting in the side panel.

Once opened, you will see the interface where you can add conditions, create groups, and choose whether logic is AND or OR.

Building Your First Filter Group in GoHighLevel

Follow these steps to build a simple filter group inside your GoHighLevel workflow:

1. In the filter panel, click Add Condition.
2. Choose a data source, such as contact fields, tags, or custom fields.
3. Select the specific field you want to filter by (for example, Tag or Custom Field: Industry).
4. Pick a condition type, such as is, is not, contains, or does not contain.
5. Enter or select the value you want to match (for example, “Lead”, “Customer”, or a specific text value).

All conditions inside the same group can be joined with either AND or OR.

• AND logic: Every condition must be true for the contact to match.
• OR logic: At least one condition must be true for the contact to match.

Example: Simple AND Filter in GoHighLevel

Suppose you only want contacts who are leads and are interested in a webinar.

• Condition 1: Tag contains “Lead”
• Condition 2: Custom Field “Interest” contains “Webinar”

Set the group’s logic to AND. Only contacts with both the Lead tag and the Webinar interest field will pass the filter in your GoHighLevel workflow.

Using Multiple Groups for Complex Logic in GoHighLevel

There will be cases where one group is not enough. GoHighLevel lets you create multiple groups to handle more complex use cases.

1. Inside the filter panel, after you build the first group, click Add Group.
2. Configure new conditions in the second group.
3. Choose whether groups relate to each other using AND or OR logic.

This is useful when you want to target different segments with similar but not identical rules.

Example: Multiple Groups with OR Logic

You might want to target:

• Group 1: Existing customers interested in webinars.
• Group 2: New leads interested in demos.

Set the groups to OR. A contact will qualify if they meet the conditions of Group 1 or Group 2. This configuration allows your GoHighLevel automation to catch both audiences without building two separate workflows.

How Smart Lists Interact with GoHighLevel Workflow Filters

Smart Lists are saved, filter-based segments that automatically update as contact data changes. You can use these Smart Lists directly inside your GoHighLevel workflows.

When you reference a Smart List in a workflow filter or trigger, GoHighLevel checks whether the contact currently belongs to that Smart List at the moment the filter runs. Because Smart Lists are dynamic, your automation always targets the most up-to-date audience.

Benefits of Using Smart Lists in GoHighLevel Workflows

• Centralized management of segmentation logic.
• Less duplication of conditions across multiple workflows.
• Automatic updates as contact data changes over time.
• Cleaner workflow diagrams and easier troubleshooting.

Instead of rebuilding the same filter in every workflow, you can maintain your logic in a single Smart List and simply reference it where needed.

Step-by-Step: Using a Smart List as a Filter in GoHighLevel

To integrate a Smart List into your workflow filters:

1. Create or open a Smart List inside your contact management area, and set all the desired conditions.
2. Save the Smart List with a descriptive name, such as “Engaged Webinar Leads”.
3. Open your target workflow in GoHighLevel.
4. On the trigger, condition, or action where you want the filter, open the Advanced Filters section.
5. Choose a condition source such as Smart List or a similar option.
6. Select your Smart List from the dropdown.

Now, only contacts who are part of that Smart List will match the filter inside your GoHighLevel workflow.

Best Practices for Advanced Filters and Smart Lists in GoHighLevel

To keep your automation stable and easy to maintain, follow these recommendations when building filter logic in GoHighLevel.

Naming and Organization Tips

• Use clear, descriptive names for Smart Lists, for example, “Active Customers – 90 Days” rather than a generic label.
• Document your main Smart Lists and what they are used for across workflows.
• Group related Smart Lists and custom fields logically inside your account.

Testing Filters Before Going Live

• Use test contacts that clearly match or fail your conditions so you can verify behavior.
• Check each condition individually, then test groups with AND/OR logic.
• Run new workflows on a small sample segment before applying them to your full database in GoHighLevel.

Keeping Logic Maintainable Over Time

• Prefer using Smart Lists for logic that appears in multiple workflows.
• Avoid long chains of overlapping conditions when a single shared Smart List will do.
• Review your main Smart Lists and filters periodically to remove outdated rules.

Where to Learn More About GoHighLevel Filters

For the full official reference on workflow advanced filters and Smart Lists, you can visit the original help document at this GoHighLevel support page.

If you want hands-on implementation help, strategy, or done-for-you CRM setups, you can also explore consulting services at Consultevo, which specializes in marketing automation and CRM optimization.

Next Steps for Optimizing GoHighLevel Workflows

Now that you understand how advanced filters, logic groups, and Smart Lists work together, start by reviewing your existing GoHighLevel workflows. Identify where broad triggers or actions could be improved with more precise segmentation. Then convert repeated condition sets into Smart Lists and reference them inside your workflows for cleaner, more scalable automation.

As your data grows and your strategies evolve, regularly refine your filters so your GoHighLevel automations stay accurate, efficient, and aligned with your business goals.

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