# Make Filter Operators Cheat Sheet: Text, Number, Date > Every Make filter operator group on one page: text, numeric, date, basic and array, with an office example for each and the mistakes that block bundles. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/make-filter-operators-cheat-sheet · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Quick answer A Make filter compares one mapped value with another using an operator, and the operator group (Text, Numeric, Date, Basic, Array) decides how the comparison works. Pick the group that matches the data: "Equal to" under Text compares letters, "Equal to" under Numeric compares numbers. This cheat sheet lists the operators you will use most, with the example from the free [Filters and Routers in Make](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-router-and-filters) lesson. Last updated October 20, 2026 [Take the free module →](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/make-zapier-jump-start/5)Module 5 of the free [Make & Zapier Jump Start](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/make-zapier-jump-start) course, about 12 minutes. No account needed. By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) · Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 20, 2026 · 4 min read Make · Filters · Cheat sheet ## 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](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/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](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-daily-summary-email-google-sheets-schedule) 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](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/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 lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/make-filters-routers) [Or read the full step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-router-and-filters) ## Why 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](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/conditional-logic) joined with AND both have to be true. When a route should catch "everything else", use a [fallback route](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-router) instead of a second filter. [Make Router and Filter Examples](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/make-router-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](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/make-zapier-jump-start) course starts with a first scenario and adds filters, schedules and webhooks one lesson at a time. ## Free lessons in this post - [Filters and Routers in Make.com: Send Urgent Requests One Way, Routine Ones Another](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-router-and-filters): 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. - [On a Schedule: A Daily Summary Email from a Google Sheet in Make.com](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-daily-summary-email-google-sheets-schedule): Build a Make scenario that runs every day at 5 PM, finds today's rows in Google Sheets, combines them with a Text aggregator and emails one summary with Gmail. ## Related terms Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson. [Invoice](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/invoice) · [Conditional logic](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/conditional-logic) · [Router (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-router) · [Aggregator (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-aggregator) · [Iterator (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-iterator) · [Bundle (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-bundle) · [Module (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-module) · [Operation (Make)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-operation) [The full AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) ## Related prompts - [End of day report prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/end-of-day-report-prompt): A ChatGPT prompt for an end of day report: paste your rough notes and get a short EOD report with what got done, what is still… [All free prompt templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts) ## Keep reading - [Make formatDate Examples: Dates in Filters and Emails](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/make-formatdate-examples): Copy-ready Make date functions: formatDate(now; "YYYY-MM-DD"), addDays, parseDate and time zones, with the daily summary filter that finds today's rows. - [Make Scenario Errors: Fix the 8 You'll Meet First](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/make-scenario-errors): Common Make scenario errors and fixes: ConnectionError, InvalidAccessTokenError, DataError, BundleValidationError, RateLimitError and a bad Form ID. - [n8n Workflow Ideas for Operations Teams: 10 to Build](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/blog/n8n-workflow-ideas-for-operations): Ten n8n and Make ideas for operations teams: meeting notes to tasks, urgent request routing, 5pm summaries, morning assignments and approvals. 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