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The Statement Builder answers which contacts match? You use the same builder for contact filters, audiences, and workflow conditions. The product reference calls it the Unified Query Engine. Before you start, choose a contact whose values you know. This example uses Jack and Ava from a demo workspace. Substitute names from your own test records.

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Open a filter

Open Contacts from the sidebar and click Filter. You can also open Filter from an email’s Preview, which is useful for finding contacts to test your personalization against. Here, the rule filters the contacts you can see. In a workflow, Add criteria opens the same builder to control who enters. See the query reference for other places you can use statements.

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Build one condition by hand

  1. In Edit filter, choose Contact from the condition types on the right. You can also use Add condition.
  2. Under Field, choose First Name.
  3. Keep Operator set to equals.
  4. Under Value, enter Jack, or the first name on your test record.
  5. Check the condition on the left and the matching-contact count above it.
Statement Builder with First Name equals Jack and one matching contact

A condition has a field, an operator, and a value. The left side summarizes the rule and shows how many contacts match.

Close the builder to inspect the resulting contacts. Check at least one record you expected to match. If you opened it from Contacts, you can save the filtered setup as a view.
A first name is useful for learning the controls, but it is not a unique identifier. Before testing a workflow, use Email equals your test address or another rule that selects only the intended test records.

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Combine conditions deliberately

Use Add condition for another check, and the and/or control to choose how the checks combine.
  • AND requires every condition to match. “First Name is Jack AND Email is known” finds contacts named Jack who have an email value.
  • OR requires at least one condition to match. “First Name is Jack OR First Name is Ava” finds either name.
Use Add group when part of a rule needs its own logic. For example:
Both names must pass the email check. Read the controls within each group and between groups before trusting the result. A misplaced OR can make a filter much broader than intended. Click an existing condition to edit its details. The available operators depend on the selected field’s type; use is known or is not known when you care whether a value exists.

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Ask AI to generate a statement

In an empty builder, use Describe the contacts to filter for…. Describe the records you want, then click the arrow button, Generate filter. For example:
Find contacts whose first name is Jack or Ava.
When a filter already exists, the input reads Ask for a change…. You can extend the hand-built example with:
Also include contacts whose first name is Ava. Keep Jack and use OR between the two names.
The result is applied to the builder, with a summary of what changed and an Undo button. You can inspect and edit the generated conditions using the same controls as a filter you built yourself.
AI-generated filter matching Jack or Ava, with two matching contacts, a change summary, and Undo

The AI has added Ava with OR, so either name matches. Review the conditions and count before using the rule.

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Review the meaning, not just the count

Before saving an audience or activating a workflow, check:
  • Object: Is the rule about the contact, their company, or a related record?
  • Logic: Do AND, OR, and the groups express what you intended?
  • Scope: For an activity condition, is the correct email, form, or workflow selected?
  • Time: Does the activity use the intended time window?
  • Examples: Do expected contacts match, and do contacts you meant to exclude stay out?
If AI picks the wrong condition, use Undo, edit it yourself, or refine the request. Name the field, asset, and time window explicitly. A successfully generated statement still needs your review. If the builder shows Invalid conditions, finish any incomplete field, operator, or value. If it shows zero matches, inspect your test record, check spelling and field choice, and remove one condition at a time to find what excludes it. Next, use a narrow test-contact filter in your first workflow. For the complete operator and activity catalog, see the query reference.