> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.bizmachine.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.bizmachine.com/en/lists-and-export/labels-as-a-workflow.md).

# Labels as a workflow system: managing your pipeline

How to use labels in Prospector as a pipeline system: filling a label, naming conventions, exclusion filters and keeping your labels tidy over time.

*Updated: 7 October 2026*

Labels in Prospector are the tool for managing your whole pipeline: from building a segment, through working on the companies in it, to handing them over to your CRM. This article shows how to fill a label, how to name labels, and how to use them as exclusion filters so that your results only contain companies you do not have yet.

*How labels work technically (adding, removing, sharing) is in the in-app help in Prospector. How to exclude existing customers from a segment is in* [*How to exclude existing customers and avoid duplicate work*](/en/lists-and-export/excluding-existing-customers.md)*.*

***

### How to fill a label

Before you can use a label in a workflow, you need to fill it with companies. There are three ways, depending on where your data is.

![The Labels panel in Prospector with examples of pipeline labels](https://247275268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYkl7SJ14Nk0vzhVx7upl%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e0da0fc0e770ab8dfc57bd94cfcc10d0a42f4941%2Fstitky-workflow-seznam-stitku.png?alt=media)

#### From segment results

The most common way. Open the **Companies** section or click **+ Create segment**, set your filters, select the companies (or select all results) and use the **Labels** button in the selection bar to add them to a label. The dialog lets you search for an existing label or create a new one.

![Selecting companies in segment results, with the Labels button in the selection bar](https://247275268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYkl7SJ14Nk0vzhVx7upl%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-fdecb91ae9d94daf3caaab7a1a025c60ce2ea9ed%2Fstitky-workflow-pridani-stitku.png?alt=media)

A label is always a static selection as of the moment you add the companies. You capture the companies that meet your criteria right now. Unlike a segment, it does not update automatically. This is useful for a specific campaign or wave of work: you know exactly which companies you added, and when.

Good for: adding companies over time, and freezing a set of results for one campaign.

#### Import from a file

If you already have a list of companies (an export from your CRM, a spreadsheet from a colleague, a list from a campaign), upload it straight into Prospector. In the left menu, open **Import / Export** and click **New import**. Upload a .csv file (with the Company ID, IČO, in the first column of the first sheet), or use the **Paste data** tab and paste the list of Company IDs into the text field. When the import is finished, click **+ Copy to a Label** and add the companies to a new or an existing label.

Good for: a one-time import of an existing customer list, a blacklist or a target group.

{% hint style="info" %}
The import matches companies by their Company ID (IČO). When you export from your CRM, check that the file contains the Company ID and that it is in the first column of the first sheet.
{% endhint %}

#### From a company profile

On any company profile, add a label with the **+** icon next to the Labels section. Use this when you come across an interesting company while browsing and want to put it in your pipeline.

Good for: adding companies one at a time, outside a segment.

***

### How to name labels: a suggested taxonomy

Consistent naming is the foundation, especially in a team where several people work with shared lists. Here is a suggested taxonomy:

#### Labels for pipeline stages

| Label            | When to add it                                                            |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `To review`      | The company matched your segment criteria and is waiting for a first look |
| `Contacted`      | You have been in touch with the company                                   |
| `Interested`     | The company responded positively and the conversation continues           |
| `Not interested` | The company declined, or there was no response                            |
| `In CRM`         | The company is in your CRM; Prospector is now used only for monitoring    |

#### Labels for managing lists

| Label             | What it is for                                            |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Customers`       | Existing customers, mainly as an exclusion filter         |
| `Exported [date]` | Marks one wave of exports, for example `Exported 2026-03` |

#### Coordination in a team

Some team members use a label with their own name, for example `Jane K.` or `Peter N.` They share the label with colleagues, who then see at once that someone is already working on a company and do not overlap.

It is a simple convention with no extra setup. The team only needs to agree that everyone has a name label and adds to it the companies they are actively working on.

{% hint style="info" %}
Agree on the taxonomy as a team and share the labels. Everyone can have their own private labels, but the pipeline stages should be shared. Otherwise the coordination falls apart. Sharing is set in the **⋮** menu next to the label name.
{% endhint %}

***

### The whole cycle: from segment to CRM

This is what one wave of work looks like from start to finish:

**1. Build a segment** Use **+ Create segment** or the **Companies** section to define your target group. Save it as a segment so you can reuse it.

**2. Mark the companies to work on** Select companies from the segment results (or a whole page) and add the `To review` label. The label is now your working list.

**3. Work from the label** Open the `To review` label. As each company progresses, move it: remove `To review` and add `Contacted`, `Interested` or `Not interested`.

**4. Export to your CRM** Export or move the interested companies to your CRM. Give them the `In CRM` label in case you want to keep following them in Prospector (signals, management changes). If you have a direct integration set up, the transfer is automatic. See [CRM integration](/en/api-and-integrations/crm-integration.md).

**5. The next wave** Run the segment again. Add the new companies that have appeared since then to the `To review` label. Companies from previous waves are labeled, and the exclusion filter leaves them out automatically.

***

### How to use labels as exclusion filters

This is one of the most useful ways to use labels: removing companies you no longer want in your results.

When you create a segment, add the **My labels (excluded)** filter and select the label. The results then automatically leave out every company in that label.

Typical uses:

* **Excluding existing customers:** fill a `Customers` label by importing from your CRM, then exclude it in every new segment
* **Excluding companies from previous waves:** the `Contacted` label as an exclusion filter for the next campaign
* **Coordination in a team:** if everyone adds their companies to a shared `In pipeline` label, the others skip them automatically

The detailed steps for importing a customer list and setting up the exclusion filter are in [How to exclude existing customers and avoid duplicate work](/en/lists-and-export/excluding-existing-customers.md).

***

### How to keep labels tidy

Labels pile up over time. A few rules to keep things clear:

* **You do not have to delete old waves.** The `Exported 2026-03` label is a useful historical layer. You only need to rename it so it is clear it is no longer active, for example with a `_` prefix or a date.
* **Clean up `To review` regularly.** After 30 to 60 days, remove the label from companies you have not decided on. An overfull label loses its purpose.
* **Review shared labels.** Once a quarter, go through the shared labels with your team. Unify the naming and remove duplicates.
* **Do not use labels as a historical record.** For following companies long term (customers, key accounts), labels work well. For a detailed history of your work with each company over the last two years, they are not the right tool. That belongs in your CRM.

***

### Frequently asked questions

#### How is a label different from a segment?

A label is a static selection of companies at the moment you add them. A segment updates automatically when new companies meet your criteria.

#### Can my colleagues see my labels?

Only if you share them. Sharing is set in the ⋮ menu next to the label name.

#### Can a company be in several labels at once?

Yes, a company can have any number of labels.

#### How many labels can I have in total?

Each user can have up to 100 labels (as of April 2026).

#### What happens when I delete a label?

The companies only lose the label. No data is lost. If you used the label as a filter in a segment, you will need to update the segment.

#### The number of companies in a label changed. Why?

Prospector shows only active companies. If the number went down, some companies in the label have probably closed down or been dissolved.