Filters give you precise control over which records get associated through your rules. Instead of associating everything, filters let you narrow down to exactly the records that matter.
Refine association rules to target specific records based on criteria like creation date, association labels, or pipeline values.
When you need selective association behavior - like only linking to recent deals, primary contacts, or records in specific pipelines.
Prevents over-association, keeps data clean, reduces noise, and ensures associations add value rather than clutter.
Auto Associations Pro supports two types of filters:
- Control which target records receive associations
- Control when rules trigger based on source record properties
Target filters determine which records from the target object will receive the association. Think of these as the final selection criteria.
Associates to every matching target record with no restrictions.
When you want comprehensive association coverage and all related records should be connected.
"Associate Emails from Contacts to associated Companies"
Every company associated with the contact gets the email association.
Ensuring complete communication history across all related companies.
Associates only to the newest N records based on creation date.
You choose the number (e.g., "1 most recent", "3 most recent", "5 most recent")
When you want to focus on active or current records and avoid cluttering old, closed, or archived items.
"Associate Emails from Contacts to the associated Deals"
Only the 3 most recently created deals get the email association, older deals remain clean.
- Keep active deals updated without affecting closed deals
- Associate activities with current projects only
- Focus team attention on recent, relevant records
- 1 most recent (only the newest)
- 3 most recent
- 5 most recent
- 10 most recent
- Custom number
Associates only to records with a specific association label.
When you need to distinguish between different types of relationships (e.g., "Primary Contact" vs "Secondary Contact").
"Associate Deals from Companies to associated Contacts"
Only contacts with the "Primary" association label get the deal association.
- Associate deals with decision makers only (primary contacts)
- Link activities to main company locations (primary company associations)
- Target specific relationship types defined by your team
- Primary Contact / Primary Company
- Decision Maker
- Billing Contact
- Technical Contact
- Executive Sponsor
Source filters control whether a rule should trigger at all, based on properties of the source object. These act as gatekeepers for your rules.
Processes all source records with no restrictions.
When you want the rule to apply universally regardless of source record properties.
Process all contacts, companies, or deals regardless of their properties.
Only triggers the rule when the source record is in specific pipelines.
Select which pipelines should activate the rule.
When association behavior should differ based on deal stage, ticket pipeline, or other pipeline-based workflows.
"Associate Contacts from Deals (in pipeline) to all associated Companies"
Only deals in the "Sales Qualified" pipeline trigger contact associations. Deals in other pipelines are ignored.
- Only associate activities with qualified deals, not all opportunities
- Separate association logic for different ticket types (Support vs Sales)
- Apply different rules based on deal maturity
- Pipeline = "Sales Qualified"
- Associate Emails from Deals to associated Contacts
- Only qualified deals trigger email associations, early-stage opportunities don't
- Pipeline = "Technical Support"
- Associate Notes from Tickets to associated Companies
- Technical support notes flow to companies, general inquiry notes don't
You can combine source filters and target filters for maximum precision.
- Emails
- Deals
- Pipeline = "Sales Qualified"
- Contacts
- Association Label = "Primary"
An email gets associated to a deal
Is the deal in "Sales Qualified" pipeline? If yes, continue. If no, stop.
Find all contacts associated with the deal
Filter to only "Primary" labeled contacts
Associate email to those primary contacts
Only emails on qualified deals reach primary contacts, preventing notification overload.
Create a rule with no filters first
Test and observe the results
Add filters if you're getting too many or irrelevant associations
Refine filters based on actual usage patterns
If a rule is creating clutter (e.g., too many old deals getting updated):
- Add a "newest N" target filter
- Or use association labels to target only active records
If association behavior should change based on record maturity:
- Use pipeline match filters to trigger different rules at different stages
- Create separate rules for each pipeline with different target logic
- Review association patterns monthly
- Adjust filter thresholds based on team feedback
- Remove filters that aren't adding value
Keep current deals updated, avoid cluttering closed deals
- 5 newest associated Deals
- Ensures only recent, likely-active deals get updates
Only notify key stakeholders about critical activities
- Association Label = "Decision Maker"
- Limits associations to primary contacts only
Different association behavior for different deal stages
- Pipeline = "Negotiation"
- All associated Contacts
- Only deals in negotiation trigger contact associations
Recent deals, but only primary company associations
- Association Label = "Primary Company"
- 3 newest
- Combines label matching with recency filtering
- Filter configuration is saved correctly
- Source records actually have the property values you're filtering on
- Association labels are spelled exactly as configured
Fewer associations than expected
- Review filter criteria - might be too narrow
- Check if "newest N" count is too low
- Verify association labels are applied consistently
Still getting too many associations
- Lower the "newest N" count
- Add additional filter criteria
- Consider using association label matching