Live lists vs fixed lists (and converting)

SwiftFox lists come in two types. Choosing the right one — and knowing how to convert between them — is key to getting predictable results.

Live lists

A live list updates automatically as contact data changes. Whenever a contact starts meeting the list's criteria they are added, and whenever they stop meeting the criteria they are removed.

• Best for always-current segments — for example "all current members" or "everyone in a postcode range".
• The Total count on the Lists landing page and the membership can change between visits as your data changes.
• Use a live list for ongoing reporting and for audiences you want to stay up to date.

Fixed lists

A fixed list is a point-in-time snapshot. The members are captured at the moment the snapshot is taken and do not change automatically, even if the underlying contact data later changes. People can still be added or removed by hand — one at a time from a contact's profile (see Viewing a contact's list memberships (Document ID: 377)), or in bulk with Add to existing list and Exclude from existing list on the Actions stage (see List actions in List Builder (Document ID: 221)).

• Best for stable audiences — for example the exact recipients of a specific email campaign, or a record of who matched a segment on a given date.
• Membership will not drift over time, so results are repeatable and auditable.
• Campaign features such as Emails accept either type of list. A fixed list is the safer choice when you need to know exactly who will receive a campaign; a live list re-evaluates its criteria, so the recipient count can change before the send. See The campaign builder — Campaign, Recipients, Design & Schedule (Document ID: 84).

Converting a live list to a fixed list

You can turn a live list into a fixed snapshot at any time — the List Details stage of a live list notes that you can "freeze a Live List into a Fixed List at any time":

1. Open Lists from the left-hand menu.
2. Locate the live list you want to convert.
3. Click the three-dot menu on that list.
4. Choose Convert.
5. SwiftFox asks "Are you sure you want to convert the list name to a fixed list? This action cannot be undone." Click Confirm to go ahead, or Cancel to leave the list as it is.

The list itself becomes a fixed list. It keeps its current members, no longer updates automatically, and its conditions are removed — you cannot turn it back into a live list or recover the criteria it was built from.

If you want to keep the live list, don't use Convert. Instead, open the list and use Save as fixed list on the Actions stage — this saves a separate fixed copy and leaves the original live list and its conditions intact. Alternatively, Clone the live list first and convert the copy.

Choosing between them

• Choose a live list when you want the segment to stay current as data changes.
• Choose a fixed list when you need a stable, repeatable audience or an auditable snapshot.
• Converting cannot be undone and removes the list's conditions. If you might need the live behaviour again, use Save as fixed list instead, or Clone the live list before converting.