Tags are labels you add to records in Crelate so you can group and search for them. Any user can add existing tags to records. Administrators create and manage tag categories in Settings > Customization > Tags, where they can also rename, merge, move, delete, and export tags.
What are tags used for?
Tags let you define a contact by a skill set or characteristic that you may not find on a resume. The text of a resume is already searchable, so tags give you another way to query your database alongside keyword searches.
Tags can also act as your stamp of approval. For example, many candidates describe themselves as a “sales manager,” but some use the term loosely, so a keyword search can return candidates who are not qualified. If you review a candidate and confirm that they are a sales manager, you can add a “sales manager” tag. A search on the tag then returns only the candidates you have verified.
What are tag categories?
A tag category is a group of tags. Categories keep related tags together. For example, if you use tags to record the industries a contact has experience in, such as tech or healthcare, you can create a category called “Industry.” Those tags then appear in a separate group from your general tags, in the color you choose for the category.
When you create a category, you also choose which types of records it is available on: contacts, companies, or opportunities. All tags are managed in the same area of Settings, but they appear on different records depending on the category. For example, Portal Tags appear on jobs, and Email Template Tags appear on email templates. Tags that have no category are in Tags (No Category).
Who can create and manage tags?
Action | Who can do it |
Add an existing tag to a record | Any user |
Create a new tag in Tags (No Category) | Any user, directly on a record |
Create a new tag in any other category | Administrators only |
Create a tag category | Administrators only |
Rename, merge, move, or delete tags | Administrators only |
Export tags from Settings | Administrators only |
Only administrators have access to the Tags settings. Users who are not administrators can still create tags in Tags (No Category) when they tag a record, and can export tags another way, described below.
How do changes to tags take effect?
Merge and move take effect when you select Merge or Move Tag. Creating, renaming, and deleting tags, and creating categories, take effect only after you select Save at the top of the page.
How to create a tag category
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags.
Select the green plus icon next to Configure tag categories.
Enter a name for the category. The name fills in as New Tag Category by default, so replace it with your own.
Choose a Color for the category. The tags in the category display in this color.
Under Available On, select the record types the category should be available on: Contacts, Companies, or Opportunities.
Select Save at the top of the page. You cannot add tags to a category until you save it.
💡 Pro Tip: Choose a different color for each category. When a record has tags from several categories, you can tell them apart at a glance.
How to create a tag
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags.
In the list of tag categories, select the category the tag belongs in.
Select New Tag.
Enter the name of the tag.
Select Save at the top of the page. The tag is not created until you save.
On a record
In a tags field, type a tag name that does not exist yet. The new tag is added in that field’s category. Users who are not administrators can do this only for Tags (No Category).
How to rename a tag
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags and select the tag’s category.
Select the tag’s name in the list.
Type the new name.
Select Save at the top of the page. The new name is not applied until you save.
How to merge tags
An administrator can merge two tags into one. You can merge only tags that are in the same category. The tag on the left, Merge Tag, is the one you keep. The tag on the right, With Tag, is deleted and merged into it.
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags and select the category that contains the tags.
Select the tag you want to keep. The Merge tag... button appears only after you select a tag.
Select Merge tag.... The Merge Tags window opens, with your tag in Merge Tag.
Next to With Tag, select the magnifying glass. The list shows the other tags in the category, without the tag you selected. Choose the tag you want to merge in, then select OK.
Check the two tags. To reverse which one is kept, select Swap.
Select Merge to confirm.
Refresh your browser.
After the merge, every record that had either tag has the tag you kept. The tag in With Tag no longer exists.
💡 Pro Tip: To skip candidates you have already rated low, choose NONE of the selected tags and select your lowest rating. The results include the records with other ratings and records with no rating yet.
How to move a tag to a different category
An administrator can move a tag to a different tag category if it fits better there.
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags and select the category that contains the tag.
Select the tag you want to move. The Move tag... button appears only after you select a tag.
Select Move tag.... The Move Tag to Category window opens.
Select the magnifying glass, choose the category you want from the list, and select OK.
Select Move Tag to confirm.
Refresh your browser.
You can move a tag to any category. To move it into the general tags area, clear the category box, and the tag moves to Tags (No Category).
If the category you choose is not available on the same records as the tag’s current category, the tag is hidden on those records until the availability is changed.
How to delete a tag
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags and select the category that contains the tag.
Select Delete next to the tag.
Select Save at the top of the page. The tag is not deleted until you save.
After you save, the tag is removed from every record that uses it. You do not need to remove the tag from your records first.
How to export your tags from Settings
An administrator can export tag lists from Settings, which helps when you plan a tag cleanup. Each export includes only the tags in the category you have selected, and you can export one category at a time.
Go to Settings > Customization > Tags.
In the list of tag categories, select the category you want to export.
Select the export icon in the top right corner.
Under What file type would you like to export to?, choose a format: Comma-Separated, Microsoft Excel 2016, or Microsoft Excel 2019+.
Select Start Export.
To export another category, repeat these steps with that category selected.
💡 Pro Tip: Before a tag cleanup, export each category and review the tags in a spreadsheet. An export covers one category at a time, so repeat it for each category you want to review.
How can users who are not administrators export tags?
Users who are not administrators cannot export from Settings, but they can export the tags that are on their records. Search for the records, add the Tags column to the list, and export the list. For steps, see How to Use Tags.
How do Job Portal tags differ from other tags?
Job Portal tags are a separate category. They appear under each job on your Job Portal, and you can add a tag filter so candidates can narrow the jobs they see. Merging, moving, renaming, and deleting work the same way, but each action also affects what candidates see on your Portal. For details, see Portal Tabs for Published Jobs.
Key takeaway
Tags and tag categories help you organize and search for records. Any user can add existing tags and can create tags in Tags (No Category) directly on a record. Administrators create tag categories and tags in other categories, and rename, merge, move, delete, and export tags in Settings > Customization > Tags. Each export covers one category at a time.
What's Next?
Learn how to add tags to records, add them in bulk, and use Job Portal tags.