Leads created w/ empty person source

[James_Zolinski]

Built a smart list to find out how many leads have been created since the beginning of the year. I use smart list filter of "person was created", date of activity is after 1-1-2018 with constraint "person source" is empty. When I look at my list, there are still people who have data in their person source field. What am I doing wrong?

[Grace_Brebner3]

If you're using the person source is empty as a constraint on the person was created filter, rather than as a new and separate filter, based on the way constraints work, this is likely equivalent to asking for people for whom that field was empty at the time that they were created, and not people for whom that field is empty now.

Try adding the person source is empty criteria as a separate filter, see if that works.

[Kristy_Murphy]

I agree with Grace Brebner​. If you find that this doesn't solve it - please share a screenshot so we can see how you have it set up. That would be helpful.

[James_Zolinski]

Yes, that did it, thanks Grace and Kristy.

Now that I know I needed to create a separate filter for person source rather than using a constraint, would either one or both of you explain what a constraint is and how it works within in a filter in a smart list and when I would use a constraint over another filter and vice versa?

[Grace_Brebner3]

A constraint is a way of refining a specific, individual filter. When you add a constraint, you're applying a sub-rule, effectively, that is relevant to that filter only. Example:

Filter 1: Filled out Form

      Filter 1, Constraint 1: Form is any

     Filter 1, Constraint 2: Referrer was ....

And Filter 2: Filled out Form

      Filter 1, Constraint 2: Form is ...

     Filter 2 Constraint 2: Referrer was ....

In this example, the referrer constraints apply only to the filter they sit on, allowing us to create more constrained (i.e., more tightly controlled and refined) rules.

[Grace_Brebner3]

Thinking of an example that may be clearer!

Say you're looking for people who registered at a specific event, and have visited a specific web page after that event. You could do this most effectively with constraints like this:

Filter 1: Filled out Form

Filter 1, Constraint 1: ​Form is ​Master Event Form

Filter 1, Constraint 2: ​Web Page is ​Specific Event Page​

Filter 2: Visited Page

Filter 1, Constraint 1: Page contains ​Specific Product Page

Filter 1, Constraint 2: ​Date of activity is after ​Date of Event

[James_Zolinski]

Thank you Grace, your insight is much appreciated

[Grace_Brebner3 · Accepted solution]

No sweat

Feel free to mark one of the responses as correct so this thread shows as resolved if you feel like your question's been answered! (You can always ask follow ups if you need).