Filter List
Keep only the list items that match your conditions, such as a field that contains a word or a date since the last run. Combine rules with AND or OR.
The Filter List node keeps only the items of a list that match your conditions. Each condition tests one field of every item, for example likes greater than 1000, or caption contains sale. Combine several conditions with AND or OR. Use Filter List to narrow a scraped or generated list before every remaining item runs through the next node. The node is free.
When to use it
- Keep only the scraped posts with enough likes before you rewrite them.
- Keep only the feed items published since the last scheduled run.
- Drop the items that miss a field, such as posts without a video.
- Make a batch smaller, and cheaper, before it runs through a paid node.
Quick start
Add the node
Press Tab on the canvas and choose Automate › Lists & Batching › Filter List.
Connect a list
Wire a list into the List input, for example from Web Scrape, List or Split Text. Once the upstream node has a result, the settings panel shows the first item under Upstream sample (first item).
Add conditions
Click Add condition. Choose a field, an operator and a value. Add more conditions and choose AND or OR to combine them.
Run it
The Filtered output carries only the items that pass. To run the next node once per remaining item, set that connection to Each.
Inputs and outputs
| Input or output | Accepts or sends | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| List | A list of text or JSON items | The list to filter. When a condition names a field, each item is read as JSON. |
| Filtered | A list | The items that pass the conditions, in their original order. |
Settings
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Conditions | One row per test: a field, an operator and a value. With no conditions, every item passes. |
| AND or OR | AND keeps an item that passes every condition. OR keeps an item that passes at least one. The default is AND. |
| Case-sensitive text matching | On by default, so Sale and sale differ. Clear it to ignore upper and lower case. |
| Upstream sample (first item) | A preview of the first incoming item, so you can see its fields. The fields your conditions use are marked. |
Each condition
- Field — choose a field detected from the upstream data, (whole item) to test the whole item, or Custom path… to type a dot path such as
author.name. ← Back to field list returns to the detected fields. - Operator — equals, not equals, greater than, less than, greater or equal, less or equal, contains, does not contain, starts with, ends with, matches regex, exists or does not exist. exists and does not exist need no value.
- Value — the value to compare with. A toggle next to it switches between a typed value and a variable.
Filter by date
Some fields hold a date or a time, such as created_at, published_at, timestamp, date, or any field that ends in _at or Date. When a condition uses such a field with greater than, less than, greater or equal or less or equal, the value becomes a date picker:
| Choice | Compares with |
|---|---|
| Since last run | The time the workflow's trigger last fired. It works only in runs started by a trigger or a schedule. A manual run treats it as empty. |
| Last N hours | A time N hours before now. |
| Last N days | A time N days before now. |
| Last N weeks | A time N weeks before now. |
| Custom… | Any date you type. |
For example, published_at greater than Last N days with N set to 1 keeps the items published during the last day.
Other fields accept a typed value or one of these variables:
{{now}}— the current time.{{trigger.last_triggered_at}}— the last time the workflow's trigger fired.{{last_N_hours:3}},{{last_N_days:1}}and{{last_N_weeks:2}}— a time window back from now. Change the number to change the window.
Credits
Filter List is free.
Tips
- Filter before a batch. Every item you drop is one run of the next node that you do not pay for.
- Process only new items. Pair a Schedule Trigger with a Since last run condition, and each run handles only what arrived since the previous one.
- Look at the sample first. The field names in Upstream sample (first item) are the names your conditions must use.
- Pick instead of filter. To take one item or a slice by position, use Selector. To put the list in order, use Sort List.
Frequently asked questions
Related
Selector
Sort List
Extract Field
Web Scrape
Lists and batching
Last updated on
Selector
Pick one item or a subset from a list by position, range, random sample, rule or name. Selector sends the pick and the rest to two outputs, for free.
Sort List
Put a list in order by the whole item or by a field such as score or created_at, comparing as text, numbers or dates, ascending or descending.