List data for contacts on multiple lists

[NancyP235]

This is an unusual question, and I realize there may not be a solution, but I'd appreciate any feedback: We have a large number of contacts who appear on multiple lists. I am trying to understand if there is a way to differentiate/export more information about their list membership from the CONTACT side (i.e., I'm not looking for campaign activity or anything like that, I want this data across all contacts regardless of activity). For example: when I export contacts, list memberships appear in one column, comma separated. For those contacts on multiple lists, the order their list memberships appear in the export does not follow any apparent logic (alphabetical, etc). Is there any meaning we can construe from the order in which the lists export, e.g. do they correspond to the order in which the contact joined the lists? (Relatedly: is there a way for each list to receive its own column in the contact export, rather than all lists appearing together in a single cell?) Or, is there another way to export a large number of contacts with richer data about list membership (e.g., date they joined a list)? I am aware of the Contact Added/Contact Updated fields and wonder if similar data is stored for list membership. Appreciate any feedback!

[William_A · Accepted solution]

Hello @NancyP235 ,

No, list membership is included with a contact based on the order they would've been added to the lists they're in at time of export. Lists are included in a single column, comma separation, they cannot be exported as individual columns.

If you need to export contacts based on list membership, I'd advise exporting the lists individually so you can name them as such. We don't keep extensive data of when a contact is added to a list, so there's nothing that would be available for export in that regard.

[NancyP235]

Thank you