After migrating data from another CRM, it is common to see a large number of contact categories. Many of these categories were used to track information that Swivel already supports with native fields or that could be stored in a custom field. Consolidating categories helps simplify reporting, filtering, automation, and long-term data consistency.

When to consolidate contact categories

Contact categories may be used to track information that could be captured more effectively elsewhere. Common examples include:

Lead Source – Swivel has a native field for tracking how a contact originated.
Contact Status – Status indicators such as Active, Inactive, or Pending are already tracked in a native field.
Event or Campaign Attendance – Participation in events or campaigns can be tracked using Swivel events.
Referral Type or other unique attributes – If no native field exists, you can create a custom field to capture this information.

Decision pattern

Use the following approach to decide what to do with each category:

Does Swivel already have a native field for this data?
- Yes → Move the data to the native field and standardize the category.
- No → Consider creating a custom field to store this information.
Is the category still relevant?
- If the data is no longer used for reporting or automation, it may be retired.
- If the data is important, ensure it is stored in a native or custom field rather than remaining only in a category.
Perform updates carefully
- Use Advanced Filters to locate all contacts with the category.
- Perform Bulk Updates to move data into native or custom fields.

Example

Before

Contact Category: Referral

After

Contact Category: Lead
Lead Source: Referral (native field)
Referral Type: [custom field]

This approach keeps categories standardized while preserving all relevant information.

How to update contacts in bulk

Note: These instructions assume that any custom fields you need (e.g., Referral Type) have already been created in Swivel.

To move data from a contact category into native or custom fields:

Go to Contacts.
Click Advanced Filters.
Filter by the category you want to update (e.g., Contact Category = Referral).
At the top of the page, click the three-dot action menu and select Bulk Update.

Step 1: Update native fields

Select the appropriate native field to update (e.g., Lead Source).
Choose the correct value (e.g., Referral) and click Submit.

Step 2: Update custom fields (if applicable)

If you want to track additional details not in a native field (e.g. Referral Type), run another bulk update:

Select the custom field you created.
Enter the correct value for each contact.
Click Submit.

Step 3: Standardize contact category and status

Run another Bulk Update to update Contact Category (e.g., change from Referral → Lead).
Update Contact Status if needed (e.g., Active, Pending).
Click Submit.

Important: Always filter carefully before performing bulk updates.