Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.affinity.co/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Immediate Value
After this tutorial, you’ll have a working list with real entries, understand the column color system, and know how to filter and visualize your data in multiple views.Prerequisites
None — this is your starting point.Quick-Start Roadmap
- Create your first list (from template or scratch)
- Add your first entry
- Understand the column color system
- Filter your list to surface what matters
- Switch to Board view for pipeline visualization
- Add a custom column/field
- Plan which lists you actually need
Why Lists Matter
Lists organize your deals, contacts, and opportunities. Every record in Affinity belongs to one or more lists, and every workflow — pipeline reviews, portfolio monitoring, fundraising tracking — starts by deciding which list a record belongs to.See Getting started with lists for an overview of how lists fit into the rest of Affinity.
Task 1: Create Your First List
Context
Lists organize your deals, contacts, and opportunities. Templates are fastest if your workflow matches a common pattern; build from scratch if you have specific fields in mind.🎬 Watch
Action
- In the left sidebar, click the “Add New” button at the top.
- Select “New List” from the menu (it appears in the menu’s list-creation section).
- The new-list dialog opens with built-in templates shown by default. Either:
- Pick a template that fits your workflow → name your list → Create.
- Or click “Build from scratch” → choose type (Organization / People / Opportunity) → name → Create.
Expected Outcome
Your new list appears in the left sidebar under Lists. It’s empty and ready for entries.📚 Help Center
Task 2: Add Your First Entry
Context
Most contacts already exist in Affinity from email sync. Adding them to a list is a search-and-add, not a re-entry.Action
- Open your list.
- Click the ”+” button in the row-header to start a new entry.
- Type a person’s or company’s name.
- If a match appears: click to add it to the list.
- If no match: click “Create” → enter the required fields (Name; Email for a person) → Create.
Expected Outcome
Your list shows one entry. Email, meeting history, and enriched data populate automatically from email sync and integrations.📚 Help Center
Task 3: Understand Column Colors
Context
Affinity color-codes columns to signal scope and source. The color tells you whether an edit is local to this list, visible across all lists, or stops auto-updates from an enrichment source.Action
Look at the column headers in your list:| Color | Meaning | Edit impact |
|---|---|---|
| 🔵 BLUE | Global field — your team’s shared data | Edits appear in every list that contains this entity |
| ⚫ BLACK | List-specific field — exists only in this list | Edits are scoped to this list only |
| 🟢 GREEN | Auto-filled from Crunchbase/Dealroom enrichment | Editing stops auto-updates for that field on that entity |
| Find one of each color in your list. |
Expected Outcome
You can identify blue, black, and green columns in your list and know which are safe to edit.📚 Help Center
Task 4: Filter Your List
Context
Filters narrow a list down to the rows you want to act on — active deals, a specific industry, entries missing data.Action
Method 1 (from a column header)
- Click the dropdown arrow in any column header.
- Select the column-specific filter option.
- Check the values you want → Apply.
Method 2 (full filter bar)
- Click “Filters” above the column headers, or press Cmd+Shift+F (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows).
- Select a column → choose values → Apply.
Expected Outcome
Your list shows a filtered subset and a filter indicator above the columns shows the active filters.📚 Help Center
Task 5: Try Board View
Context
Board view shows list entries as cards organized by a Status column. Useful for pipeline reviews where you want to drag entries between stages.Action
- In your list, find the Views header row (just above the column headers).
- Click the ”+” icon at the right end of the views row.
- Select “New Board View” and give it a name.
- Your entries appear as cards in columns grouped by Status. Drag a card to a different column to update its Status.
Expected Outcome
You see your list entries as cards in columns. Dragging a card updates its Status automatically.📚 Help Center
Task 6: Add a Custom Column/Field
Context
Custom fields let you track data points specific to your firm’s workflow — deal size, sector focus, investment thesis, anything you need that isn’t in the default fields.Action
- Scroll to the far right of your list to find the ”+ New Column” header (or click ”+” at the end of the column headers).
- Choose “Create a new field” to build from scratch, or “Add an existing field” to reuse a global field.
- Select the field type (Dropdown, Number, Date, Text, etc.).
- Name the field and configure options.
- Click “Create”.
Expected Outcome
A new column appears in your list, ready to populate.📚 Help Center
Task 7: Plan Which Lists You Actually Need
Context
Before creating more lists, sketch out what you need. Each list type maps to a workflow your team runs.Action
Consider which lists your team needs based on the workflows you run:| List type | Common use cases | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Organization — Deal Pipeline | Track companies through sourcing → diligence → close | Deal team |
| Organization — Portfolio | Monitor portfolio company activity and engagement | Portfolio team |
| People — Network | Track key contacts, co-investors, advisors | Everyone |
| Opportunity — Fundraising | Manage LP commitments and fundraising pipeline | IR / Partners |
Expected Outcome
You have a plan for which lists to create and who on your team will use each one.Common Questions
Can I change a list's type after creation?
Can I change a list's type after creation?
No. Organization, People, and Opportunity list types are permanent. Create a new list if you need a different type.
What's the difference between a list entry and a profile?
What's the difference between a list entry and a profile?
A profile is the global record for a person or company (visible across all lists). A list entry is that profile’s presence in a specific list, with list-specific fields (⚫ black columns). One profile can appear in many lists.
How do I import data from a spreadsheet?
How do I import data from a spreadsheet?
Click “Import” in your list toolbar, then upload a CSV. Affinity maps columns to fields. See the import guide for field mapping details.
Will editing a 🔵 blue field affect other lists?
Will editing a 🔵 blue field affect other lists?
Yes. Blue (global) fields are shared across all lists. Changing “Industry” on a company in your deal pipeline will also change it in your portfolio list and everywhere else that company appears.
See It In Action
Where to Go Next
- Next tutorial: Tutorial 2: Navigating Profiles and Understanding Your Data
- Learning Paths: This tutorial is Step 1 in all five learning paths