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

# Candidate Segments

> Save reusable sets of filters to quickly find the right candidates for a study.

Segments help you quickly identify the right candidates by saving a reusable set of filters. Instead of filtering for the same attributes every time, you save a segment that reflects a specific persona or set of criteria, then apply it in a click. Segments are **dynamic**: they re-run their filter live every time you view or use them, so a segment always reflects who currently matches, not a fixed snapshot from when you created it.

Segments are useful because they give you:

* **Speed** — apply saved criteria instantly instead of filtering from scratch.
* **Consistency** — standardize how your team defines participant groups.
* **Flexibility** — segments stay up to date automatically as candidate data changes.
* **Focus** — pre-filter unqualified candidates before recruitment begins.

## Creating a segment

There are two ways to create a segment, and they produce the same kind of account-wide, reusable segment.

**From the Candidate segments page:**

1. Go to **Settings → [Candidate segments](https://greatquestion.co/candidate_segments)**.
2. Click **Create a new segment**.
3. Add your filter criteria, and choose whether candidates must match **All** or **Any** of them.
4. Name the segment and save.

**From the Candidates list:**

1. Apply the filters you want on the **Candidates** page.
2. Click **Save segment**.
3. Name it and save.

## What you can filter by

Beyond custom attributes, segments can filter on participation history (studies participated in, completions, invites, no-shows, response rate), eligibility status, join date, last-invited date, core fields (name, email, phone, timezone, opt-in status), and even another saved segment as a criterion, though a segment can only reference one level of nested segments.

<Note>
  Segments can't filter on tags (candidates don't support tags) or on a specific email domain, only general text matching. Consent status also isn't a filterable field.
</Note>

## Editing and deleting a segment

From the **Candidate segments** page, use the pencil icon to edit a segment's filters, name, or All/Any setting, and the trash icon to delete it. Both are fully supported, changes take effect the next time the segment is applied.

## Using a segment

Segments show up in a few places:

**On the Candidates list** — apply a segment the same way you'd apply any filter, to quickly view just that audience.

**In a study's Plan step** — under **Participant Segments**, you can build per-study segments scoped to just that study, separate from your account-wide segments. These support only "match all" logic and aren't reusable elsewhere. Segments aren't available for Focus Group or continuous (always-on) studies.

1. Open your study and click **Plan**.
2. Find **Participant Segments** and click **+ Add segment**.
3. Add criteria the same way you filter candidates elsewhere.
4. Click **+ Add segment** again for additional segments.

Changes save automatically — even on a published study, with no need to republish.

**When recruiting into a study** — click **Add**, then **Add from \[segment name]** to add matching candidates, or turn on **Segment matches only** in the candidates modal to see just your account-wide segment's matches.

<Tip>
  If no candidates match your criteria, review your segment's filters or broaden them.
</Tip>

## Troubleshooting

| Issue                                                       | What's happening                                                                 | How to fix                                                                        |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No candidates appear when applying a segment                | Filters are too narrow or conflicting                                            | Review criteria, remove restrictive filters, or broaden the segment               |
| Segment criteria not saving                                 | Auto-save may not have triggered, or the page was closed too quickly             | Reapply the criteria and wait for the "saved" indicator before navigating away    |
| A per-study segment isn't showing in the recruitment modal  | The study may not be published yet                                               | Publish the study, then confirm the segment appears under Plan                    |
| "Segment matches only" shows fewer candidates than expected | Candidate attributes may be incomplete or outdated                               | Review candidate profiles, update missing fields, or adjust the segment's filters |
| A nested segment isn't behaving as expected                 | Segments can only reference one level of another segment, not chains of segments | Flatten the criteria into a single segment instead of nesting multiple layers     |

***

**Still need help?** Contact us at [support@greatquestion.co](mailto:support@greatquestion.co) — median response time is 19 minutes during [support hours](https://greatquestion.co/features/about-our-support-team).