In Spotler CRM, you build reports, lists and tags with the criteria builder. The criteria builder replaces the legacy editor and adds exclude groups, sub groups and an unlimited number of criteria, and makes dynamic dates such as last month or the last 30 days easy to select from a list. Reports are created in five clear steps with a preview of the result. The legacy editor is still available for now, and existing reports, lists and tags keep working.
The criteria builder is the standard way to build reports, lists and tags in Spotler CRM. Use the legacy editor only when you need to keep working on something in the way you are used to. Existing reports can be converted to the criteria builder in one click.
On this page, the following topics are covered:
- What is the criteria builder?
- What are the differences with the legacy editor?
- What can you do with the criteria builder?
- How do you switch between the criteria builder and the legacy editor?
- What stays in the legacy editor?
- Articles about the criteria builder
What is the criteria builder?
The criteria builder is the part of Spotler CRM where you decide which records appear in a report, list or tag. You build criteria from groups that contain rules, such as "the country is the United Kingdom" or "the contact was created this month". The criteria builder works the same way in reports, lists and tags, so once you know it in one module, you know it in all three.
What are the differences with the legacy editor?
The criteria builder offers more ways to select records and has no limits on the number of criteria. The table shows the main differences.
| Criteria builder | Legacy editor | |
| Exclude records | Yes, with an exclude group or sub group | No |
| Combine AND and OR | With groups and sub groups, without limit to the number of levels | With brackets |
| Dynamic dates, such as Last Month or the last 30 days | Yes, chosen from a list of presets and custom periods | Yes, typed in with a special notation that you need to know |
| Number of criteria | Unlimited | Limited, depending on your plan |
| Runtime criteria in reports | Available for everyone | Depending on your plan |
| Objects in reports | Choose your own objects, or use a preset | Presets only |
| Creating a report | Five steps, with a preview before you save | One page |
| Forecasts | Not available | Existing forecasts can be run, new forecasts cannot be created |
What can you do with the criteria builder?
The criteria builder makes selections possible that took several reports or lists before, or were not possible at all. Some examples:
- Select all customers, except the ones who visited your website last month, with an exclude group. Explained in How do I build criteria with groups, rules and exclusions?
- Select contacts created in the last 30 days, or opportunities from last quarter, without changing the dates every time. Explained in How do I use relative date filters?
- Create one report for several teams, where each team chooses its own country when running the report. Explained in How do I use runtime criteria?
- Group a report by source and see a subtotal per source. Explained in How do I use grouping and subtotals?
- Show each contact only once in a report with Remove duplicate rows. Explained in How do I remove duplicate rows?
How do you switch between the criteria builder and the legacy editor?
When you create a report, list or tag, Spotler CRM opens the criteria builder. You can switch to the legacy editor with a link at the top right of the page:
- In reports, click Use the old report system on the Create Report page.
- In lists, click Use the old criteria system on the New List page.
- In tags, click Use the old criteria system when you create a tag.
To move an existing report from the legacy editor to the criteria builder, open the report and click Convert Report in the banner at the top. If the converted report does not work as expected, click Revert Report to go back to the legacy editor. A report that you built in the criteria builder from the start cannot be moved to the legacy editor. Converting and reverting is explained in How do I convert a legacy report to the criteria builder?
What stays in the legacy editor?
Existing reports, lists and tags built in the legacy editor keep working, and you can still create new ones with the legacy editor. Existing forecasts can still be run, but new forecasts cannot be created and forecasts cannot be converted to the criteria builder. How the legacy editor works is explained in these articles:
Articles about the criteria builder
- Reports
- Lists
- How do I build criteria with groups, rules and exclusions?
- How do I use relative date filters?
- How do I use runtime criteria?
- Should I use presets or choose my own objects?
- How do I remove duplicate rows?
- How do I use grouping and subtotals?
- How do I convert a legacy report to the criteria builder?
- How do I add or remove contacts in a static list using criteria?