Swivel offers two list types - Dynamic and Static - to support different business and campaign needs. Choosing the right type depends on whether you want your audience to update automatically or remain fixed.
Dynamic Lists
A Dynamic List is driven by filter criteria such as state, tags, contact category, agent, or birthday month. Each time you open the list or send a campaign, Swivel re-evaluates the criteria against your current database and returns all matching contacts in real time.
When to use Dynamic Lists
Use a dynamic list when your audience should continuously stay up to date without manual intervention.
Example
“All active clients in Texas with birthdays this month.”
If a new qualifying contact is added tomorrow, they will automatically appear in the list.
Pros of Dynamic Lists
Automatically refreshes
Always reflects current data
Considerations
Membership can change between preview and send
Not ideal when you need a fixed, auditable audience snapshot
Static Lists
A Static List is a fixed snapshot of contacts at a specific point in time. You can create it by selecting contacts manually, importing from a report, or seeding it from filters once. After creation, contacts only change when you explicitly add or remove them.
When to use Static Lists
Use a static list when you need a consistent, unchanging audience.
Example
Attendees from a past seminar or a curated re-engagement campaign list.
Pros of Static Lists
Predictable, auditable membership
Campaigns target exactly the contacts you selected
Considerations
Does not update automatically
Requires manual maintenance for changes
Key Differences between Dynamic and Static Lists
Feature | Dynamic List | Static List |
Contacts included in the list | Recomputed on each view | Fixed snapshot |
Source of truth (how contacts are added to the list) | Filter criteria used to create the List | Saved contacts from when the List was created |
How Contacts are added and/or removed from lists | Criteria updates | Explicit add/remove |
Best for | Ongoing, rule-based audiences | One-time campaigns, curated groups |
Shows "Excluded Contacts" | Yes | No |
Shows Building status | No | Yes (during initial build) |
How to Identify List Type
Lists are labeled with a badge next to the name:
Dynamic (green badge)
Static (purple badge)
🔍 Tip: The Contact Lists page also includes a Type column you can sort by.
Tips for Choosing the Right List
Need a fixed group you can audit later → Static List
Want new qualifying contacts to be included automatically → Dynamic List
Starting from a report and want to lock that exact dataset → Static List
Starting from a report and want it to keep updating → Dynamic List
Creating Lists
You can create lists from either the Contact page or directly from a report.
Create List from Contacts
Click Contacts from the left-side navigation menu
Click the drop-down arrow by +Create List
Select New Dynamic List or New Static List
Complete the List slide-out form using Contact and/or Product Filters OR if it is a Static List, you can leave filters blank and add contacts manually
Click Save
📌 Note: If you do not click the arrow and select New Static List from the drop down, it will automatically create a Dynamic List.
Create Static List from Opportunities
Click Opportunities from the left-side navigation menu.
Click the ⋮ three-dot action menu (next to the Filter button)
Select Convert to Static List
Create List from Reports
You can convert an existing filtered dataset into a list using the ⋮ three-dot action menu option:
Sales Report: Convert to Static List
Appointment Report: Convert to Static List
Compensation: Convert to Static List
Product Report: Convert to Dynamic List or Static List
Birthday Report: Convert to Dynamic List or Static List
Referrer Report: Convert to Dynamic List or Static List
🔍 Tip: Swivel automatically carries over your the active filters into the new list.
Update a Static List
Static lists contain a fixed set of contacts that you manage manually. There are three ways to update the contacts in a static list.
Add Specific Contacts Using +Add Contacts button
Open the desired Static List
Click +Add Contacts
Select the Contact(s) to add by checking the checkbox
Click Add Selected
The count badge on the list updates immediately. You can repeat as many times as you like.
🔍 Tip: Use the Search Bar to quickly locate and add contacts.
Bulk Add Contacts With a Filter
If you want to add every contact matching a filter (not individually), click Bulk Add Contacts.
Click Contacts from the left-side navigation menu
Click Advanced Filters and select the desired Contact and/or Product filters and click Filter
Click the ⋮ three-dot action menu (next to the +Create Contact button) and select Add to Contact List
Select the desired Static Contact List
Click Add Contacts
You’ll see a progress bar while the contacts are being added and the count updates when it’s done.
Remove a Contact
You can remove a contact from both Dynamic and Static Lists.
Open the Desired List
Find the Contact you wish to remove and click the Red User Icon
The contact's row disappears immediately, and the count at the top of the list updates.
Excluded Users can be viewed from the Excluded Contacts in the top engagement bar.
