Export Contacts From Other Lists, Marketing Lists, & Segments

  • Updated

Exporting contacts allows you to download contact data from Act-On for use outside the platform. You can export data from Marketing Lists, other list types, or segments when you need visibility, backup, or data sharing without changing the list itself.

Quick Reference (Advanced Users) - Click to Expand
  • Contacts can be exported from Marketing Lists, other lists, or segments.
  • Exports do not change or remove contacts from the list.
  • Use segments to narrow what you export instead of creating new lists.
  • Exports are typically used for reporting, audits, or sharing data externally.
Try it like this: If you only need a subset of contacts for export, create a segment first, then export from that segment instead of creating a new list.

When would you export contacts?

Exporting contacts is commonly used when:

  • You need to review or analyze data outside Act-On
  • You are sharing data with another team or system
  • You want a snapshot of list data for auditing or backup purposes

Exporting data does not update, move, or remove contacts from Act-On. It simply creates a downloadable copy of the selected data.

What can be exported?

You can export contacts from:

  • Marketing Lists
  • Other list types available in your account
  • Segments created from those lists

Exporting from a segment allows you to limit the exported data without maintaining additional lists.

Export contacts from a list or segment

To export contacts:

  1. Go to Lists.
  2. Navigate to the list or segment you want to export and select the dropdown arrow on the right
  3. Select Import/Export.
  4. Choose to Download to Excel or Download to CSV

Once the export is complete, you can download the file for use outside Act-On.

Things to keep in mind when exporting

  • Exports reflect the data as it exists at the time the export is run.
  • Large lists may take longer to export.
  • Exported files should be handled securely, especially if they contain personal data.

Avoid unnecessary list duplication

It can be tempting to create a new list just to export a specific group of contacts. Over time, this can lead to confusion about where contacts are stored and which list should be updated.

Instead, keep contacts centralised in primary lists and use segments to define what you want to export.

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