Tags: create, assign, merge and analyse

Tags are the loosest way to label a record, which is what makes them useful and what makes them decay. This is how to use them so they stay useful.

Who this is for

Everyone assigns tags. Admins own keeping the list sane.

Before you start

• Permission to assign tags.
• Permission to create or merge them, if you are tidying up.

If it has fixed options, it is a field
Tags are for cross-cutting labels that do not belong to a structured attribute. Anything with a known set of values — tier, industry, status — is better as a dropdown field, where it validates and reports properly. Using tags for that is the main cause of tag sprawl.

Use tags well

1. Assign from the existing list
   Pick an existing tag rather than typing a new one. Most duplicates start as somebody typing a slight variant.
2. Filter and act in bulk
   The value of a tag is that you can filter to it and then act on everything it returns at once.
3. Merge duplicates as you spot them
   Three spellings of one idea become one, and every record keeps its label.
4. Check the analytics
   Usage tells you which tags are load-bearing and which are clutter — better evidence than opinion.
5. Retire what nobody uses
   A tag used twice years ago is noise in every picker.

What you get

• Fast, flexible segmentation without changing your data model.
• Filters that return everything they should.
• A tag list short enough to pick from correctly.
• Evidence about which tags earn their place.

Frequently asked questions

Tag or custom field?

Field when there is a defined set of values you want to validate and report on. Tag for looser labels that cut across categories.

What happens when I merge tags?

Records move onto the surviving tag, so nothing loses its label. That is why merging beats deleting.

Should everyone be able to create tags?

It is a trade-off between usefulness and sprawl. Creation is permission-gated, so you can tighten it if the list gets away from you.

How do I find records by tag?

Filter by it, then save the filter as a view if it is one you will use again.