Exclude records from segments

To prevent specific records from being added to a segment, you can add exclusions. Records that are selected as exclusions will not be included in the segment even if they meet the filter requirements. You can also set up filters or exclusion rules to exclude records based on certain criteria.

For example:

• You have a segment of disqualified contacts. You can exclude the segment of disqualified contacts from being added to your segment of good leads, even if the contacts otherwise meet the other criteria.

• You have a segment of contacts from an event but want to exclude existing customers that attended. Set up the following criteria to exclude them: Lifecycle stage is none of Customer.
• You have a segment of contacts to send a marketing email. Turn on the Exclude non-marketing contacts rule so that contacts are included only if they can receive marketing communications.

If a record is already included in a segment, you can also manually exclude it moving forward.

Exclude records when setting up segment filters

Ways to exclude records with filters

You can select individual records and entire segments to exclude, or set up filters to exclude records based on certain criteria.

• Exclude specific records: select individual records to exclude. For example, an employee is added as a contact for testing in your account. Exclude that employee from a marketing segment.
• Exclude records from another segment: create a separate segment with records to exclude (manually or via import), then exclude that segment. For example, create a segment of all your customers based on their lifecycle stage (i.e. Lifecycle stage is any of Customer). Exclude that segment to stop customers from being added to a new business marketing segment. 
• Exclude records based on criteria:
  • Custom filter criteria: set criteria using negative operators (e.g., is none of, doesn't contain exactly). For example: Import membership is not in import or Segment membership is not a member of segment.
    
  • Exclusion rules (contact segments only): turn on exclusion rules to add preconfigured exclusion criteria. For example, exclude non-marketing contacts, specific email domains, or unsubscribed contacts.

Add exclusions to a segment

To exclude records from a segment while setting up or editing a segment's filters:

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to CRM > Segments. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to CRM > Segments directly.
2. Create a new segment or click Edit to edit an existing segment's filters.
3. To exclude records based on custom filter criteria, add filters with negative operators (e.g., is none of, doesn't contain exactly).
4. To select specific records and segments to exclude:
   • Toggle the Exclude [records] switch on.
   • Select segments or individual records to exclude from the segment.
   • Continue creating or editing your segment, then save your changes. Selected records and segments will not be added to the segment moving forward, even if they meet the segment filter criteria.
5. To exclude contacts with exclusion rules (contact segments only), expand the Additional exclusion rules section. Toggle a switch on to add the exclusion rule:
   • Exclude non-marketing contacts: exclude any contacts set as non-marketing (i.e only include contacts to which you can send marketing communications).
   • Exclude email domains: exclude contacts with email addresses containing specific domains (e.g., your company domain to exclude employees). Enter the domains to exclude.
   • Exclude unsubscribers: exclude contacts that are unsubscribed from your messaging subscriptions.

Learn more about creating and editing segments.

Exclude records already in a segment

If records are already included in a segment, to exclude them moving forward:

1. In your HubSpot account, click More, then navigate to CRM > Segments. If More doesn't appear in your account, navigate to CRM > Segments directly.
2. Click the name of a segment.
3. In the segment, select the checkboxes of records to exclude.
4. At the top of the table, click Exclude from segment.
5. In the dialog box, click Exclude and reprocess to confirm.

The segment will be reprocessed and the selected records will be removed. The records will not be added to the segment moving forward, even if they meet the segment filter criteria.