Atlas B7oxwnqthoOutboundSync Help CenterEmail SupporticonLog Inicon
Help Center›Category-based filters›How category-based filters work
Table of contents
  • Video walkthrough
  • Step-by-step explanation

    • How category-based filters work

    Last updated July 9, 2025

    OutboundSync has a feature called category-based filters. This allows you total control over what data syncs from your Sales Engagement Platform (SEP) via OutboundSync.

    The way it works is that OutboundSync will capture all data related to a lead—emails sent, replies, opens, etc.

    OutboundSync will "hold" on to those webhook payloads until a Lead Category Update payload is received that matches the allowlist or included categories. Once received, we release all the related webhook payloads.

    Below you will find a video walkthrough and a step-by-step explanation. 

    Video walkthrough

    Step-by-step explanation

    First, review this visual flowchart that shows how it works:

    How category-based filters work
    💡

    For all webhook payloads, your SEP has the identifying data campaign_id and lead_id. The same lead_id can have different lead_categories for different campaigns. 

    Here's an example case:

    1. Your SEP sends us a payload, for example SENT_EMAIL.
    2. We save the campaign_id, lead_id and the webhook_id from your SEP .
    3. Your SEP sends us a follow-up payload for that same campaign_id and lead_id, for example OPEN_EMAIL.
    4. We save the campaign_id, lead_id and the webhook_id from your SEP. (OutboundSync saves all payloads from the SEP in the Category-based filter queue.)
    5. If we get LEAD_CATEGORY_UPDATED payload from your SEP, then we save the campaign_id, lead_id and lead_category_id.
    6. Only LEAD_CATEGORY_UPDATED payloads can change the lead_category_id
    7. OutboundSync checks if the lead_category_id matches what you set for your approved lead categories in OutboundSync's Category-based filters in your webhook settings. If there is a match, then we find all payloads for this lead_id and campaign_id and send all payloads to your endpoint.
    💡

    If your SEP sends over one lead category, but you change the status, this updated status will be stored in OutboundSync and will apply to future webhook payloads.

    Was this article helpful?