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Lists Management - FAQs

Getting Started & Navigation

Q1: How do I access the Contact List Management feature in Smart360? A: To access the contact list management feature:

  • Navigate to the Communication Hub section in Smart360
  • Click on "Lists" from the left sidebar menu
  • You'll see the main Lists page with options to create new lists and manage existing ones
  • The page displays tabs for "My Lists" and "All Lists" views

Q2: What is the purpose of the Contact List Management system? A: The Contact List Management system provides a centralized way to:

  • Create and organize different types of contact lists for various operational needs
  • Segment contacts based on specific criteria (location, usage patterns, service requirements)
  • Maintain both static lists (manually managed) and dynamic lists (automatically updated)
  • Tag and categorize contacts for easy discovery and reuse across departments

Q3: Which user roles can manage contact lists? A: Contact list management is available to several user roles:

  • Utility Administrator: Full access to create, organize, and maintain lists for all departments
  • CSO Manager: Create customer service-focused lists for targeted communications
  • Billing Manager: Manage usage-based customer segments for billing communications
  • Meter Manager: Organize contacts by service zone and technical requirements

Understanding List Types & Contact Categories

Q4: What's the difference between Static and Dynamic lists? A:

  • Static Lists: Manually selected contacts that require manual updates when you want to add or remove contacts
  • Dynamic Lists: Rule-based lists that automatically update when contact attributes change based on your filter criteria
  • Use Static for: Fixed groups like "Emergency Response Team" or "Key Account Contacts"
  • Use Dynamic for: Changing groups like "High Usage Consumers" or "North Zone Active Customers"

Q5: What are the three contact types available in Smart360? A: Smart360 supports three main contact types:

  • Consumers: Residential utility customers with account information, usage patterns, and billing status
  • Technicians: Field service staff and contractors with skills, service areas, and availability data
  • Business Users: Commercial and industrial customers with business account information and service levels

Q6: How do Dynamic lists automatically update? A: Dynamic lists automatically update when:

  • Contact attributes change in the system (e.g., a customer's usage increases above your filter threshold)
  • New contacts are added that match your filter criteria
  • Existing contacts no longer meet the filter criteria and are automatically removed
  • The system processes these updates in real-time to keep your lists current

Creating New Contact Lists

Q7: How do I create a new contact list? A: To create a new contact list:

  • Navigate to the "Lists" section and click "New List" button
  • Step 1 - List Details: Select contact type, enter list name and description, add tags
  • Step 2 - Filters & Preview: Choose list type (Static/Dynamic), add filters, preview contacts
  • Step 3 - Summary: Review all settings and click "Create List" to finalize
  • The system will validate all required fields before allowing list creation

Q8: What information is required when creating a new list? A: Required information for list creation includes:

  • Contact Type: Must select Consumers, Technicians, or Business Users
  • List Name: Must be unique within the system
  • Description: Detailed explanation of the list's purpose
  • List Type: Static or Dynamic selection
  • Filters (for Dynamic lists): At least one filter criteria must be set
  • Tags: Recommended for organization (comma-separated, lowercase, hyphenated format)

Q9: How do I add filters when creating a Dynamic list? A: To add filters for Dynamic lists:

  • In Step 2 of list creation, select "Dynamic List" option
  • Click "Add Filter" button to open filter options
  • Choose from available filters: Zone, Area, Premise, Status, Usage, Skills, or Business Type
  • Select specific values using "is in" or "is not in" logic
  • Add multiple filters to create precise contact segments
  • Preview the results to verify your filter criteria before proceeding

Q10: What are the best practices for naming and tagging lists? A: Best practices for list organization:

  • Naming: Use descriptive names like "High Usage Consumers" or "North Zone Emergency Contacts"
  • Tags: Use comma-separated, lowercase, hyphenated format (e.g., "monthly-billing, high-usage")
  • Purpose-based tags: "emergency", "billing", "outreach", "field-team"
  • Location tags: "north-zone", "downtown", "residential"
  • Keep names unique: System requires unique list names to avoid confusion

Managing Existing Lists

Q11: How do I find and search for existing contact lists? A: To find existing lists:

  • Use the search field at the top of the Lists page to search by list name
  • Toggle between "My Lists" (lists you created) and "All Lists" (organization-wide lists)
  • Use the filter button to narrow down lists by contact type
  • Sort lists by clicking column headers (Name, Created Date, etc.)
  • Search by tags to find lists with specific purposes or categories

Q12: What actions can I perform on existing lists? A: Available actions for existing lists include:

  • Download: Export list data using the download icon
  • Edit: Modify list details, description, tags, or filter criteria using the edit icon
  • Delete: Remove lists using the trash icon (with validation for lists in active workflows)
  • View Details: Click on list name to see full details and contact preview
  • Duplicate: Create a copy of an existing list as a starting point for new lists

Q13: How do I edit an existing contact list? A: To edit an existing list:

  • Locate the list using search or browsing
  • Click the edit icon in the Actions column
  • Modify any details: name, description, tags, or filter criteria
  • For Dynamic lists: Add, remove, or modify filter conditions
  • For Static lists: Manually add or remove specific contacts
  • Review changes in the preview section
  • Save changes to update the list

Q14: Can I delete a contact list that's being used in workflows? A: Deletion rules for active lists:

  • The system will display a warning if you try to delete a list used in active workflows
  • Warning message: "This list is used in active workflows. Deleting it may affect those workflows."
  • You must first remove the list from active workflows before deletion
  • Consider editing the list instead of deleting if it's actively used
  • Check with other departments before deleting shared lists

Filters & Contact Segmentation

Q15: What filter options are available for different contact types? A: Filter options by contact type:

  • All Contact Types: Zone (North, South, East, West, Downtown, Central), Area (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), Status (Active, Inactive, Pending)
  • Consumers: Usage levels (Low <500 kWh, Medium 500-1000 kWh, High >1000 kWh), Premise types (Single Family, Apartment, Condo)
  • Technicians: Skills (Electric, Water, Gas, General Maintenance, Emergency Response)
  • Business Users: Business Types (Retail, Office, Industrial, Government, Non-profit), Premise types (Office, Retail, Factory)

Q16: How do I create complex filter combinations for Dynamic lists? A: To create complex filter combinations:

  • Add multiple filters by clicking "Add Filter" for each criteria
  • Use "is in" logic to include contacts that match specific values
  • Use "is not in" logic to exclude contacts with certain attributes
  • Combine location filters (Zone + Area) with attribute filters (Usage + Status)
  • Example: Zone is in "North" AND Usage is in "High" AND Status is in "Active"
  • Preview results after each filter addition to verify targeting accuracy

Q17: How do I preview contacts before finalizing a list? A: Contact preview functionality:

  • During list creation, Step 2 shows a preview of contacts matching your criteria
  • The preview displays contact names, types, and key attributes
  • Total contact count is shown at the bottom of the preview
  • For Dynamic lists, preview updates automatically as you add or modify filters
  • Use preview to verify you're targeting the right audience before list creation
  • If no contacts match, adjust filter criteria before proceeding

List Organization & Best Practices

Q18: How should I organize lists for different departments? A: Department-specific organization strategies:

  • Billing Department: Use tags like "billing", "payment-reminders", "high-usage" for usage-based lists
  • Field Operations: Use tags like "field-team", "emergency", "zone-based" for location-based lists
  • Customer Service: Use tags like "outreach", "service-updates", "key-accounts" for communication lists
  • Maintenance: Use tags like "technicians", "skills-based", "emergency-response" for staff coordination
  • Create consistent naming conventions within each department

Q19: What are the advantages of using Dynamic lists over Static lists? A: Dynamic list advantages:

  • Automatic Updates: Lists stay current without manual intervention
  • Time Savings: Eliminates need for regular manual list maintenance
  • Accuracy: Reduces errors from outdated contact information
  • Consistency: Ensures same criteria are applied consistently over time
  • Scalability: Handles growing contact databases without additional effort
  • Best for: Usage-based segments, location-based targeting, status-dependent communications

Q20: How do I ensure my contact lists comply with data management best practices? A: Data management compliance:

  • Use descriptive names and detailed descriptions for all lists
  • Add appropriate tags for easy discovery and purpose identification
  • Regularly review and clean up unused or outdated lists
  • Document filter criteria clearly for Dynamic lists
  • Maintain audit trail by reviewing "Modified By" and "Updated By" information
  • Coordinate with other departments before making changes to shared lists

Import/Export & Data Management

Q21: How do I import contacts from external sources? A: To import contacts:

  • Click the "Import" button on the Lists page
  • Prepare your file in compatible format (typically CSV or Excel)
  • Ensure your file includes required fields: name, contact information, and relevant attributes
  • Map your file columns to Smart360 contact fields during import
  • Verify import success by checking the contact count after completion
  • Review imported contacts for data accuracy and completeness

Q22: How do I export contact list data for external use? A: To export list data:

  • Locate the desired list in your Lists view
  • Click the download icon in the Actions column for that list
  • Select your preferred export format when prompted
  • The exported file will include all contact information and attributes for that list
  • Use exported data for external analysis, backup, or integration with other systems
  • Ensure data privacy compliance when sharing exported contact information

Q23: What happens when I modify filter criteria for an existing Dynamic list? A: When modifying Dynamic list filters:

  • The system automatically recalculates which contacts match the new criteria
  • Contacts that no longer match are automatically removed from the list
  • New contacts that match the updated criteria are automatically added
  • The contact count updates to reflect the new total
  • Changes are recorded with your user ID and timestamp for audit purposes
  • Any active workflows using this list will use the updated contact set

Troubleshooting & Error Handling

Q24: Why am I getting a "List name already exists" error? A: To resolve naming conflicts:

  • Choose a unique name that doesn't conflict with existing lists
  • Add descriptive qualifiers like department, date, or purpose (e.g., "High Usage Consumers - Billing Q1 2025")
  • Check both "My Lists" and "All Lists" to see existing names
  • Consider using department prefixes for organization-wide lists
  • Contact administrators if you believe you should have access to modify an existing list with the same name

Q25: What should I do if my filter criteria return no contacts? A: When filters return zero contacts:

  • Review your filter criteria for accuracy - check spelling and available options
  • Broaden your criteria by removing restrictive filters one at a time
  • Verify that contacts exist in the system with the attributes you're filtering for
  • Check if the contact type selection matches your intended audience
  • Consider using "is not in" logic if you're trying to exclude rather than include
  • Contact your administrator if expected contacts seem to be missing from the system

Q26: How do I troubleshoot Dynamic lists that aren't updating properly? A: Dynamic list troubleshooting steps:

  • Verify that contact attributes in the system have actually changed
  • Check that your filter criteria are set correctly and use proper logic
  • Confirm that the contact type matches the attributes being filtered
  • Review system logs or contact administrator for any processing errors
  • Test with a simple single-filter Dynamic list to verify functionality
  • Check if there are any system maintenance periods affecting automatic updates

Advanced Features & Integration

Q27: How do contact lists integrate with messaging and workflows? A: Integration with other Smart360 features:

  • Bulk Messaging: Select contact lists directly from the recipient dropdown
  • Workflows: Use lists to target specific audiences for automated communications
  • Campaign Management: Leverage lists for targeted marketing and service campaigns
  • Reporting: Analyze communication effectiveness by list segments
  • Lists appear automatically in other modules once created, enabling seamless workflow integration

Q28: Can I see who created or modified a contact list? A: List accountability tracking:

  • Each list displays "Created By" information showing the original creator
  • "Modified By" shows who made the most recent changes
  • "Updated By" tracks the last user to modify the list
  • Creation and modification dates are recorded for audit purposes
  • This information helps with coordination and accountability across departments
  • Contact administrators for detailed audit logs if needed for compliance purposes

Q29: How do I handle large contact lists efficiently? A: Managing large contact lists:

  • Use Dynamic lists for large, frequently changing contact groups
  • Implement precise filter criteria to keep lists focused and manageable
  • Use appropriate tags for easy discovery without browsing large lists
  • Consider breaking very large lists into smaller, purpose-specific segments
  • Regularly review and clean up unused lists to maintain system performance
  • Export large lists for external analysis rather than viewing all contacts in the interface

Q30: What are the best practices for collaborating on contact lists across departments? A: Cross-departmental collaboration:

  • Use clear, descriptive naming conventions that indicate purpose and ownership
  • Add comprehensive descriptions explaining list criteria and intended use
  • Use standardized tagging system across departments for consistency
  • Communicate with other departments before modifying shared lists
  • Create department-specific lists rather than modifying organization-wide lists
  • Use "All Lists" view to discover existing lists before creating duplicates
  • Document any special filter criteria or business rules used in list descriptions
  • Coordinate timing of list changes with active campaigns or workflows
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