Use the List filter in lemlist’s Companies section to narrow your view to a specific group of companies you’ve organized into lists.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to filter companies by list, understand why a list filter may return no results, and bulk-add companies to an existing or new company list directly from the Companies table so they appear in your filtered view.
Why this matters
Filtering companies by list helps you focus on the exact segment you want to review, enrich, or work on next. It’s especially useful when you manage multiple target groups and want a cleaner, more actionable company view.
You can also now bulk-add companies to an existing or new company list directly from the Companies table, which makes it faster to organize records before applying the filter.
Prerequisites
You should already have access to the Companies section in lemlist.
You should already know that company lists and contact lists are separate.
You should already have at least one company list created if you want the filter to return results, unless you plan to create a new one while bulk-adding companies.
Core lesson — step-by-step workflow
Phase 1: Open the Companies view
Go to Companies from the left sidebar, then click Filters in the top-right corner.
This opens the filtering panel for the company database, which is where you can narrow results based on list membership and other company attributes.
Phase 2: Add the company list filter
In the filters panel, click Add a filter, then choose Company list.
This tells lemlist you want to filter companies based on the list they belong to, rather than by fields like industry, size, or location.
Select the list or lists you want to include or exclude.
Use include when you only want to see companies from specific lists. Use exclude when you want to remove companies from certain lists while keeping the rest of your view visible.
Review the updated company view.
Once the filter is applied, lemlist refreshes the results and shows only companies that match your selection.
Why the list filter may show no results
If the Company list filter returns 0 results or looks empty, one of these common situations is usually the cause:
No companies are assigned to that list
The list may exist, but no companies have been added to it yet. Add companies to the list first, or pick a different list that already contains records.
The list was deleted
If the list no longer exists, it won’t appear in the filter dropdown. In that case, you’ll need to use another list or create a new one.
You’re in the wrong section
Lists in Contacts are separate from lists in Companies. Make sure you’re filtering inside the Companies section and selecting a company list, not a contact list.
Phase 3: Assign companies to a list
If your filter is empty because no companies have been added to a list yet, assign companies first and then reapply the filter.
Select one or more companies using the checkboxes in the Companies table, then click Add to list in the bulk action bar.
This activates the bulk action flow so you can organize multiple company records at once directly from the table.
Choose an existing company list from the dropdown, or click New company list to create one without leaving the table.
Once the companies are assigned, they become available under that list when you use the Company list filter.
Practical application
Here’s a simple real-life example:
You import a batch of target accounts for a new market.
You bulk-add them to a company list called France expansion directly from the Companies table.
You apply the Company list filter to view only those accounts.
You can now review, enrich, or work through that segment without distraction from the rest of your database.
Troubleshooting & pitfalls
Issue: The list filter shows 0 results
Root cause: The list exists, but no companies were added to it.
Fix:
Select companies in the Companies view
Click Add to list
Assign them to the list, then apply the filter again
Issue: The list doesn’t appear in the filter dropdown
Root cause: The list may have been deleted.
Fix:
Check whether the list still exists
Create a new list if needed
Reassign companies and retry the filter
Issue: You can’t find the expected list
Root cause: You may be looking for a Contacts list instead of a Companies list.
Fix:
Make sure you are in the Companies section
Use the Company list filter, not a contacts workflow
Verify the list was created for companies