Searching for contacts

[WPRA]

The new contacts interface is horrible! A tremendous step back. The old interface automatically searched on all columns, so I could enter a portion of a name or an email and get all the hits. The new interface searches just the selected columns, so if I'm trying to see if someone is listed I have to search, never being sure if the information I have is complete or current, on first name, then last name, then email before determining that it is not there. Terrible!

[WPRA]

Absolutely the most useful function in the old interface was the ability to search all columns at one time, so entry of just four characters resulted in all records in which any column matched those four characters were retrieved (it was also nice that the search began automatically with just four characters). Why was this useful? In contact management names can change, emails can change, there can be typos or missing information. Finding a record when some search information may be uncertain is tedious, and now it's more tedious because I have to individually search multiple columns when before a single search did that for me. This extremely valuable function is gone with the new interface. Now I have to search each column individually! Usually "enhancing" an interface does not remove essential functions. Please bring back a full record search.

[Caitlin_M]

Hi @WPRA. Thank you for your feedback and for providing examples of this type of search would work better for you. Our Beta Contact tool is still under development and we'll take this into consideration as we continue to make updates to it. I'll also open this up for voting so other Beta users can comment and vote. 

[AndrewM3]

I completely agree. I hate the new interface. Three things specifically -

1. the loss of the auto-fill option so that the contact search is not dependent upon an exact email address, as those change all the time. 

2. Unsubscribe and resubscribe. It was very efficient to resubscribe someone and then notify them that they'd been resubscribed. Now all I seem to be able to do is add them back to a list with no way of alerting the person. 

3. List exports - I've been told that for now, the ability to export a list of unsubscribed is not possible. I have to export the entire list and then sort it myself. I'm sorry, but why do I have to take on that burden? 

Boo. 

[Kyle_R]

Hi @AndrewM3 - Thank you, great feedback on all 3 points. I wanted to give an update on one thing you mentioned:

3. List exports - I've been told that for now, the ability to export a list of unsubscribed is not possible. I have to export the entire list and then sort it myself. I'm sorry, but why do I have to take on that burden? 

---

A relatively new development, but this part should be fixed. If you navigate to Contacts, filter for Unsubscribed, and Select All you should see Export available under Actions. I don't believe this was available at the time of your comment, so just wanted to make sure we circled back with you. We will try to keep this thread updated with other relevant developments.

[branfordyc]

Why did you remove the contact search? I need to look up someone who inadvertently unsubscribed and cannot find him because I can't find a name search. Thanks for making it more difficult than it has to be. As a list administrator I need to be able to reinstate people who haven't got a clue and unsubscribe frequently. Many are elderly and don't know much about anything with a computer. The resubscribe process is poor.

[Frankie_P]

Hi @branfordyc although you've been switched back to our older Contact design, we do want your feedback to be recorded. So I am merging your post into a similar thread.

[branfordyc]

I was reverted back to the older contact management version.  MUCH BETTER!  Thanks.

[HeatherT383]

Really hard to find contacts by first and/or last name

[RachelM784]

I very much dislike how you have changed the "Contacts" section of my account. I used to be able to search by typing in a few characters and it would pull up all relevant contacts, and now it does not do that. Now I have to type the exact email address or an entire name before it pulls up the contact. This is a step backward in efficiency. I would highly suggest that you switch this capability back.