Table of Contents
Support Guide
Filter Operators Explained in Shape Software
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Shape Software
Learn how each filter operator works in Shape Software, including Equal To, Contains, Before, Within, In List, Empty Value, and more. Includes examples and best practices for building accurate filters.
Filter Operators Explained
Filter operators determine how Shape Software compares your filter criteria to the data in your records.
The available operators vary depending on the type of field you're filtering. For example, date fields support operators like Before and Within, while text fields support operators like Contains.
This guide explains what each operator does and when you might use it.
Text Field Operators
Text field operators are available for fields that contain free-form text, such as names, cities, company names, or custom text fields.
Equal To
Returns records where the field exactly matches the value you entered.
Example
Searching for:
None
Equal To = Robert
Returns:
- Robert
Does not return:
- Bob
- Bobby
- Robertson
Contains
Returns records where the field contains the entered text anywhere within the value.
Example
Searching for:
None
Contains = Rob
Returns:
- Robert
- Rob
- Robinson
Does Not Contain
Returns records where the specified text does not appear anywhere in the field.
Example
Searching for:
None
Does Not Contain = Test
Returns records that do not include the word "Test."
Exist In
Returns records where the value exists within a comma-separated list of values.
Example
None
Orange, Apple, Banana
Searching for Apple would return a match.
Empty Value
Returns records where no value has been entered.
Use this operator to identify missing information.
Is Not Empty
Returns records where any value exists.
This is useful when you only want records that have information entered.
Numeric Field Operators
Numeric operators are available for fields that contain numeric values, such as loan amounts, scores, counts, percentages, or other number-based fields.
Equal To
Returns records where the field exactly matches the number you entered.
Example
None
Equal To = 100
Returns only records with a value of 100.
Less Than
Returns records where the field contains a value less than the number you entered.
Example
None
Less Than = 100
Returns values such as:
- 99
- 50
- 10
Does not return:
- 100
- 101
Greater Than
Returns records where the field contains a value greater than the number you entered.
Example
None
Greater Than = 100
Returns values such as:
- 101
- 250
- 1000
Does not return:
- 100
- 99
Empty Value
Returns records where the field does not contain a numeric value.
Use this to identify records with missing information.
Is Not Empty
Returns records where the field contains any numeric value.
This is useful when you want to exclude records with blank values.
Dropdown & Picklist Operators
These operators are available for fields with predefined values, such as Statuses, Users, Sources, or other dropdown fields.
Equal To
Returns records matching one selected value.
Does Not Equal To
Returns records that do not match the selected value.
In List
Returns records matching one or more selected values.
Example
None
Status IN:
New
Attempting Contact
Follow Up
Records matching any of those statuses will be returned.
Not In List
Returns records that do not match any of the selected values.
Empty Value
Returns records where no value has been selected.
Is Not Empty
Returns records where any option has been selected.
Date Field Operators
Date operators allow you to locate records based on specific dates or relative time periods.
Equal To
Returns records matching one exact date.
Before
Returns records with dates earlier than the selected date.
Example
None
Created Before
January 1, 2026
After
Returns records with dates later than the selected date.
Within
Returns records whose date falls within the specified range.
Within (Next)
Returns records with dates occurring within the next number of days, weeks, months, or years.
Example
None
Birthday Within Next 30 Days
Within (Last)
Returns records with dates occurring within the previous number of days, weeks, months, or years.
Example
None
Created Within Last 7 Days
Not Within
Returns records with dates outside the specified range.
Not In Future
Returns records with dates that occur today or in the past.
This is commonly used to locate overdue or historical records.
Month To Date
Returns records dated between the first day of the current month and today.
This operator updates automatically as the current month progresses.
Empty Value
Returns records without a date.
Is Not Empty
Returns records that contain any date.
Which Operator Should I Use?
If you want to...
Use...
Match an exact value
Equal To
Match part of a word
Contains
Exclude part of a word
Does Not Contain
Match multiple dropdown values
In List
Exclude multiple dropdown values
Opt-Out Records, Email Validation
Find records before a date
Before
Find records after a date
After
Find upcoming dates
Within (Next)
Find recent dates
Within (Last)
Find missing information
Empty Value
Find completed information
Is Not Empty
Best Practices
- Choose the operator that most closely matches what you're trying to find.
- Use Contains when you aren't sure of the exact spelling.
- Use In List instead of creating multiple separate filters for the same field.
- Use Empty Value to identify incomplete records before running reports or campaigns.
- Combine multiple filters to create highly targeted record lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't I see every operator?
The available operators depend on the type of field you're filtering. For example, date fields include date-specific operators, while text fields include text-based operators.
Can I combine different operators?
Yes. You can combine multiple filters using different operators to create highly specific searches. Records must satisfy all applied filters to appear in the results.
What's the difference between "Equal To" and "Contains"?
What's the difference between "Equal To" and "Contains"?
- Equal To: Robert only returns "Robert."
- Contains: Rob returns "Robert," "Rob," and "Robinson."
Should I use filters or search?
Use Filters to determine which records appear in the list. Use the List Page Search to quickly locate specific records within the filtered results.
Keywords:
