leads-lists
Lead filter
A SQL-based rule on a campaign that decides which leads the dialer is allowed to call, narrowing a list to only the records you want.
A lead filter is a rule, written as a small piece of SQL, that you attach to a campaign. Before VICIdial pulls records into the hopper to dial, it checks each lead against the filter. Only the records that pass get called. Everything else stays in the lead list but never rings, which means you can keep one large upload and still be precise about who you reach today.
Filters are how you slice one big file into focused targets without copying data around. Say you loaded ten thousand records but only want to call people in two states who have not been contacted yet. A filter on the state field plus the called status field handles that cleanly. Change the rule tomorrow and the same list calls a different slice, no re-upload needed.
Common things to filter on
- State, area code, or postal code, to match your calling rules and time zones
- Call count or last-call date, so you stop hammering the same number over and over
- A custom field you uploaded, like product interest or a lead score
A lead filter is not the same as a dnc list. The Do Not Call check happens separately and always runs no matter what your filter says; a filter is your own targeting layer on top of that safety net. Filters also differ from list mix and list order, which decide the blend and sequence of calling across several lists rather than excluding individual records. Keep those jobs straight in your head and your campaign behaves predictably.
One warning from real life: a small typo in filter SQL can quietly match zero rows. When a campaign suddenly dials nothing, an over-tight or broken filter is the usual culprit, so test it against a known record and loosen it before you blame the hopper or the lead list itself. Build filters in small steps, confirm the count each time, and you will rarely get surprised.
Related terms
Called status
A flag on each lead that marks whether it has already been dialed in the current pass, used to decide whether the lead is eligible to be called again.
Campaign
A campaign is the container that ties together your lead lists, dialing rules, agents, and disposition options for one outbound calling effort.
Hopper
A staging table where VICIdial pre-loads the next batch of leads to dial, so the dialer always has fresh numbers ready to go.
Lead
A single contact record in VICIdial holding a phone number plus fields like name and address, the basic unit your campaigns dial.
Lead list
A named collection of leads that campaigns dial from, identified by a list ID and assigned to one or more campaigns.
List mix
A campaign feature that blends several lead lists together and lets you set what percentage of dials each list gets, so the dialer pulls from them in the ratio you choose.