Starting without data: templates and column sets

Clicking Start without data (top right on the New List page) skips import entirely — pick a template for a ready-made set of columns, or start from a blank structure and pick your own. Before you have any lists, the Lists page offers the same path as Empty list → Create list under "Ways to your first list". The new list is created in your active workspace.

Templates#

Three templates are shown up front: Contacts (a full CRM-quality record — person, company and location fields), Outbound (campaign-ready fields: email, LinkedIn, phone plus the ICP data used to target leads) and Companies (company profile and firmographic fields). Click More templates for HubSpot (contact and status fields matching HubSpot's own properties) and Custom structure, which starts with no columns and opens the column picker immediately.

Customizing the columns#

Every template pre-selects a set of columns, grouped as Person, Contact, Company, Location and Other details. Click Customize columns to check or uncheck any of them, search for and add a column from the full catalogue (dozens of types across categories like social, marketing, sales and more), or click Show all columns to browse the whole catalogue by category. You can rename, add or remove columns again at any time after the list is created — see "Adding and managing columns."

Naming and creating#

The list name auto-fills from the template (e.g. "My contacts," "Outbound campaign") but you can edit it before clicking Create list.

"How do you want to fill this list?"#

A list that has columns but no records yet opens with this question and four cards:

• Manual — Enter data yourself (Open table): opens the table with one empty row, ready for typing or pasting rows.
• AI research — Let AI find contacts (Start research): opens AI Research with this list already chosen as the place the hits go. Describe who you're looking for; matching people land straight in the list. Research costs credits as usual — see "AI Research".
• Form — Collect with a form (Create form): opens the list's Set up page on the Form section and creates the list's own form, to share as a link or embed in your website. Free — see "List forms: collect contacts with your own form".
• Webhook — Receive from a tool (Get the webhook URL): opens the list's Set up page on the Webhook section, where Create webhook gives the list its own address for a form, Zapier, n8n or Make. Free; the fields land in the matching columns automatically — see "List webhooks: receive records from forms and tools".

The screen comes back each time you open the list until it holds data. You can also still import a file into a new list, or add contacts from a finder. To let an AI agent work on the list, set up the list's API connection instead: More → Automation in the list header (see "Give an AI agent access to one list").

Cost#

Starting a list this way is free — only file, connected-tool and LinkedIn imports are billed.

Related topics: create-list-and-import-file · columns-formulas-ai-columns · sample-list · list-webhooks · ai-research.

FAQ#

What templates can I choose from when starting without data?#

Contacts, Outbound and Companies are shown up front; click More templates for HubSpot and Custom structure (no preset columns). Each pre-selects a set of columns you can adjust before creating the list.

What's the difference between the Contacts and Outbound templates?#

Contacts is a full CRM-style record with person, company and location fields. Outbound is trimmed to what a campaign needs — email, LinkedIn, phone and the firmographic fields used for targeting, like industry and company size.

What does the HubSpot template include?#

Contact fields (email, name, company, job title, phone, city, country) plus HubSpot-specific fields like lead status, lifecycle stage and owner, matching HubSpot's own properties.

What is "Custom structure"?#

A blank starting point with no preset columns — choosing it opens the column picker right away so you build your own set from the full catalogue.

Can I change which columns are included before I create the list?#

Yes — click Customize columns to check or uncheck any of the template's columns, search the catalogue to add more, or click Show all columns to browse every available column type by category.

Does starting a list without data cost credits?#

No, it's free. Only importing a file, connecting a tool, or a LinkedIn import charges credits.

Where do I start an empty list?#

On the New List page (New List button on Home), click Start without data (top right). If you have no lists yet, the Lists page also shows Empty list with a Create list button under "Ways to your first list", which opens the same template step. Either way it is free, and the list is created in your active workspace.

Can I just start with a blank list and add my own rows?#

Yes — pick Custom structure, choose your columns, name the list and click Create list. On the "How do you want to fill this list?" screen click Enter data yourself (Open table): the table opens with one empty row, and you add more rows and type or paste your data in directly.

What are the options under "How do you want to fill this list?"#

A list with columns but no records offers four cards. Enter data yourself opens the table for typing or pasting, Let AI find contacts starts AI Research with this list preset as the target for the hits (research costs credits), Collect with a form creates the list's own form to share as a link or embed in your website (free), and Receive from a tool opens the Webhook section of the list's Set up page so a form, Zapier, n8n or Make can send records to it for free.

Where did the "AI Agent" card on an empty list go?#

The empty-list screen now offers Manual, AI research, Form and Webhook instead. Agent access is still included on every plan: the workspace owner or an admin opens the list, clicks More in the list header, then Automation, and clicks Set up agent access.