Queries are a set of rules that allow you to find contacts stored in your Force24 platform. They are used across contact search, journey start audiences, journey make decision components, and automated lists (in the add to list and remove from list sections).
Below are some useful tips and best practices to help you get the most from your queries:
1. Save queries for future use
You can save any query you create. Just press 'Save Query' above the rules you are working on, give it a name, and it will be available from the dropdown next time. Use 'Clear and Set' to load it into a new query, or 'Append' to add it on to what you're already working with.
2. Understand how AND and OR work
When you use a group of rules set to OR, you are saying: return contacts who meet any of these rules. A group set to AND says: return contacts who meet every one of the rules in the group. OR makes the result broader, and AND makes it narrower.
3. Check the group structure carefully
Groups can contain other groups. Always look at the lines on the left of the query builder to understand which groups are inside which others. This affects how the platform evaluates your criteria.
4. Understand the top-level group
Every query starts with an overarching group that contains everything else. If that top-level group is set to AND, all subgroups must be met. If it is set to OR, contacts can match any one of the subgroups.
5. Group similar rules together
Where possible, group similar types of rules together. For example, if your query contains multiple rules about marketing list membership, place these inside the same group. This keeps your query visually tidy and easier to troubleshoot or adjust later. Grouping related rules in this way also makes it easier to apply a single AND or OR condition across the whole set, rather than mixing logic unnecessarily.
6. Build from a blank query where needed
If a query becomes confusing, remove all rules and start again. Begin with one top-level group set to AND, then build your subgroups inside it. This gives you full control over which rules are grouped together, and how.
7. Use positive rules inside NOT groups
It is usually easier to follow the logic if you set positive rules inside a group and tick the 'NOT' box, rather than trying to write rules like 'is not'. In most cases, a positive rule inside a NOT group will behave more predictably.
For more help with query options, see: