> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cura.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Lists

> A List is a group of contacts you build by hand — your VIP invitees, your December promo recipients, the clients due for a check-up.

A List is a group of contacts you build by hand — your VIP invitees, your December promo recipients, the clients due for a check-up. Use Lists to gather exactly the people you want, then act on them as one.

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to create a List, add contacts to it, and use it to organize follow-up and outreach.

## Before you begin

* You'll need access to the **CRM**.
* Decide the purpose of the List — a clear name now saves confusion later.

<Note>
  A **List** is hand-picked — you choose who's in it, and they stay until you remove them. A **Segment** is automatic — it updates itself based on contact behavior. Use a List when *you* decide the membership.
</Note>

***

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a List">
    * **Click New list** and give it a clear **name** (e.g. "VIP launch event").
    * **Add a description** and a **color** if you'd like to tell it apart at a glance.

    <Check>Your List now exists, ready for contacts.</Check>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add contacts">
    * **From the List:** use **Add contacts** and pick the people you want to include.
    * A contact can belong to **several Lists** at once, so the same person can be in "VIP event" and "Loyalty program."

    <Check>Your List now holds the people you chose.</Check>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use and maintain the List">
    * **Open the List** to see everyone in it and how many contacts it holds.
    * **Remove a contact** when they no longer belong — this only takes them off the List, never deletes the contact.
    * **Update the List** over time as your groups change.

    <Check>You have a reusable group you can return to whenever you need it.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## When to reach for a List

* An invite list of customers for an event or promotion.
* A hand-curated group for a one-off follow-up campaign.
* Any set of customers that doesn't follow a simple rule — where *you* decide who's in.

<Tip>
  If the group you want can be described by a rule — "everyone who's a VIP" or "everyone active this week" — check **Segments** first. Segments keep themselves up to date, so you don't have to add and remove people by hand.
</Tip>

***

### Related articles

* [Segments](/crm/segments)
* [Contacts overview](/crm/contacts-overview)
* [Custom attributes, tags, and tiers (VIP / Standard / New)](/crm/custom-attributes-tags-tiers)
* [The contact detail page](/crm/contact-detail-page)