How to Create List Segments using CRM Data

Create list segments using CRM data for your Leads and Contacts. CRM Segmentation lets you filter by Campaign membership, Opportunities, Owners, Accounts, and other related CRM objects, so you can build dynamic, targeted segments instead of static lists.

Use these segments to power more relevant campaigns, monitor sales pipelines, or trigger Automated Programs based on CRM-defined criteria.

Quick Reference (Advanced Users) - Click to Expand

Confirm that All Contacts or the Account-Based Marketing (ABM) add-on is enabled and that CRM sync is running.
Make sure CRM lists are imported into Act-On and visible under Lists > Marketing Lists.
From the relevant list, open Create a Segment to access Manage Segment.
Set Segmentation Method to Query.
In the first drop-down, select CRM, then choose:
- a CRM object (eg, Account, Owner, Opportunity, Campaign)
- a field from that object
- an operator (equals, contains, starts with, is between or equals, etc.)
- the value to match
Add more criteria as needed, name the segment, and click Save.
Review CRM Object Relationships and Troubleshooting if results are not as expected.

Try it like this: Build a segment of Contacts where the CRM Opportunity Stage is “Proposal/Quote” and the Owner is one of your sales reps. Use this segment for targeted follow-up or an Automated Program focused on late-stage opportunities.

Prerequisites

All Contacts or ABM access

All Contacts should be enabled for your account, with a native sync active. If you do not yet use All Contacts, complete the form here to request activation. You may also continue to use Marketing Lists.
If you do not have All Contacts enabled and only use Marketing Lists, you need the Account Based Marketing (ABM) add-on. Contact your Account Manager for more information.

Other prerequisites

An active connection with a supported CRM, such as:
Make sure the connected CRM user has Read access to the CRM objects you want to use for segmentation, such as Accounts, Owners, Opportunities, or Campaigns.
A recurring sync scheduled in Data Management.
CRM list(s) imported to Act-On so that Leads and Contacts are available in your lists.

Instructions

Navigate to where you want your segment to live:
- Lists > Marketing Lists, then choose the relevant Marketing List
From the list menu, select Create a Segment. This opens the Manage Segment page.
In Manage Segment:
- Enter a clear Name for your segment (e.g., “SFDC Opps – Proposal Stage”).
- Make sure the Segmentation Method is set to Query.
Build your CRM query:
- Select CRM from the first drop-down menu.
- Select the CRM object you want to search against (Account, Owner, Opportunity, Campaign).
- Select the field you want to filter on (for example, Opportunity Stage, Account Type, Campaign Name).
- Select an operator such as equals, contains, starts with, or is between or equals.
- Specify the value you want to match. See CRM fields with specific values.
Click the plus sign to add additional criteria if needed, for example:
- Object: Opportunity, Field: Stage, Operator: equals, Value: Proposal
- AND Object: Owner, Field: Region, Operator: equals, Value: EMEA
Name your segment (if you have not already) and click Save.

CRM object relationships

When you build a CRM-based query, Act-On looks up Contacts or Leads based on related CRM objects. These objects behave differently depending on whether they have a one-to-one or one-to-many relationship with the Contact.

Objects with 1:1 relationships

These objects relate directly and exclusively to a single Contact or Lead. They usually segment cleanly.

Account
Owner

Objects with 1:Many relationships

These objects may have multiple records tied to a single Contact or Lead. Segmentation will return the Contact, not the individual record, so the result may differ from expectations.

Common examples include:

Opportunities
Campaigns

To refine these, consider using:

Dynamic Marketing Lists (Microsoft Dynamics)
Saved Reports or Campaigns (Salesforce)

CRM fields with specific values

Boolean values: CRMs store these either as 0/1 or TRUE/FALSE. Confirm with your CRM admin or view the values via Data Management.
Picklist search: By default, picklists render as a menu. If you prefer a searchable text box, contact Support to enable this option.

Troubleshooting CRM-based segments

Why is my segment missing data?

Your data is not up to date in Act-On (sync timing)

CRM segments use data from the CRM sync managed within Data Management. If syncs run infrequently or in the wrong order, your results may appear out of date.

Best practice: Schedule CRM syncs to run before the list sync for freshest segment data.

Your search criteria may be incorrect

Typos or mismatched values
Incorrect Boolean values (0/1 vs TRUE/FALSE)
Logic issues (AND vs OR). See Defining Logic for Query Segments.
Wrong CRM object selected
Segment built on the wrong base list (Lead vs Contact)

Your criteria use a 1:many object

Segments referencing Opportunities or Campaigns may not show all expected records due to how CRM object relationships work. Consider pre-filtering in CRM using:

Dynamic Marketing Lists (Microsoft Dynamics)
Saved Reports or Campaigns (Salesforce)

Still need help?

If none of the above resolves your issue, please contact our Support team.