How is a Make filter set up?
Every filter has a label, a condition (the value you map), an operator and, for most operators, a value to compare with.
You open one by clicking the wrench on a link and choosing Set up a filter. In the lesson the label is Urgent, the condition is the form answer How urgent is this?, the operator is Equal to and the value is Urgent. The route after it only runs for urgent requests.
Text operators
Text operators compare words. They are the default and the most common.
| Operator | Passes when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Equal to | The text is exactly the same | Urgency Equal to Urgent |
| Equal to (case insensitive) | Same letters, any capitals | Status Equal to paid matches "Paid" |
| Not equal to | Anything else | Status Not equal to Closed |
| Contains | The text appears anywhere | Reason Contains refund |
| Does not contain | It never appears | Subject Does not contain newsletter |
| Starts with / Ends with | The beginning or end matches | Email Ends with @ourfirm.com |
| Matches pattern | A regular expression matches | Invoice # Matches pattern ^INV-\d+$ |
Numeric operators
Numeric operators compare numbers, so 1000 is bigger than 999 even though "999" sorts after "1000" as text.
| Operator | Example |
|---|---|
| Equal to | Quantity Equal to 0 |
| Greater than | Total Greater than 1000 (approval needed) |
| Less than | Score Less than 5 (cold lead) |
| Greater than or equal to / Less than or equal to | Days overdue Greater than or equal to 30 |
Map a plain number. "$1,240.00" is text, so convert it first with parseNumber() or keep the $ sign and comma out of the source column.
Date operators
Date operators compare dates and times: Equal to, Later than, Earlier than and their "or equal" versions. Example: Due date Earlier than {{now}} finds overdue invoices.
For a whole-day match, it is often easier to compare text. The daily summary lesson uses a Search Rows filter of Date (E) Text operators: Equal to {{formatDate(now; "YYYY-MM-DD")}}, so only today's requests are picked up. More date patterns are in Make formatDate Examples.
Basic operators
Exists passes when the field has a value; Does not exist passes when it is empty or missing. Use Exists on Email before a Gmail module so a blank row never causes an error.
Array operators
Array operators check a list, such as the selected options of a checkbox question: Contains passes when the list has the item, and length operators compare how many items it holds.
Try it free, step by step
Filters and Routers in Make.com: Send Urgent Requests One Way, Routine Ones Another. Add a router to your Make scenario, email the front desk about urgent requests with a filter, and send everything else to Google Sheets with a fallback route. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of Make, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts.
Start the free lessonWhy does my Make filter block everything?
Usually the mapped value is not what you think. Run the scenario once, click the bubble on the module before the filter and read the output.
- Extra spaces or different capitals. Use Equal to (case insensitive), or wrap the value in
trim(). - Text vs number. "1000" under Text operators compares letters. Switch to Numeric operators.
- Mapped the wrong field. A form question has a Value and sometimes a label. In the lesson you map Value.
- AND when you meant OR. Two conditions joined with AND both have to be true.
When a route should catch "everything else", use a fallback route instead of a second filter. Make Router and Filter Examples shows that setup.
Key takeaways
- Choose the operator group that matches the data: Text, Numeric, Date, Basic or Array.
- Text Equal to is exact; use the case-insensitive version or trim() for messy input.
- Exists stops blank values before they break a later module.
- Check the bubble output after Run once whenever a filter blocks a bundle you expected to pass.
Frequently asked questions
- What filter operators does Make have?
Make groups them as Text operators, Numeric operators, Date operators, Time operators, Basic operators (Exists, Does not exist), Array operators and Boolean operators.
- How do I filter for empty values in Make?
Use the Basic operator Does not exist to catch empty values, or Exists to let only filled values through.
- Can I use functions inside a Make filter?
Yes. Both the condition and the value can hold functions, such as formatDate(now; "YYYY-MM-DD") or lower(), so you can clean a value before comparing it.
- Where do I learn Make from the start?
The free Make & Zapier Jump Start course starts with a first scenario and adds filters, schedules and webhooks one lesson at a time.
