# Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday) > Learn how to use the Contact Date of Birth field to automate birthday reminders, personalize customer outreach, and build age-based Smart Lists in GHL Customer Care. - Source: https://docs.ghlcustomercare.com/docs/contacts/smart-lists/contacts-date-of-birth-birthday - Section: Contacts / Smart Lists - Reading time: 4 min - Images: 6, each explained below - Modified on Mon, 15 Jun at 9:58 AM --- The Birthday field in contacts allows you to personalize communications, build automation campaigns based on contact birthdays, and filter contacts by age within Smart Lists. This article explains how to utilize the Birthday field effectively. --- **TABLE OF CONTENTS** - [What is the Birthday Field?](#what-is-the-birthday-field) - [Key Benefits of the Contact Date of Birth Field](#key-benefits-of-the-contact-date-of-birth-field) - [How to Build Birthday Reminder Campaigns](#how-to-build-birthday-reminder-campaigns) - [How to Filter Contacts by Birth Date in Smart Lists](#how-to-filter-contacts-by-birth-date-in-smart-lists) - [How to Filter Contacts by Age in Smart Lists](#how-to-filter-contacts-by-age-in-smart-lists) - [Best Practices](#best-practices) - [Common Issues and Troubleshooting](#common-issues-and-troubleshooting) - [Frequently Asked Questions](#frequently-asked-questions)[](#related-articles) - [Related Articles](#related-articles) --- ## **What is the Birthday Field?** The Contact Date of Birth field stores a contact's birthday within their contact record. Once populated, it can be used in workflows, Smart Lists, and other contact management processes to personalize communication and organize contacts based on age-related criteria. **It can be populated through:** - Manual entry - Form submissions - CSV Imports - API integrations This field enables automation triggers based on birthdays and helps segment contacts by age. ![What is the Birthday Field? (image 1 of 6)](https://jumpshare.com/share/YVNFnL3hzfETUryTwl5I+/Screen+Shot+2026-06-15+at+19.13.54.png) **What is the Birthday Field? (image 1 of 6)** This screenshot appears in the "What is the Birthday Field?" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". The text alongside this image reads: This field enables automation triggers based on birthdays and helps segment contacts by age. This part of the guide covers 4 fields, listed below. Immediately after, the guide continues: Personalized Engagement: Send birthday messages and special offers automatically. Workflow Automation: Trigger birthday-based reminders and campaigns. Audience Segmentation: Create Smart Lists using age-based filters. Improved Customer…. - What this covers: This field enables automation triggers based on birthdays and helps segment contacts by age. - Fields: Manual entry, Form submissions, CSV Imports, API integrations - Next: Personalized Engagement: Send birthday messages and special offers automatically. Workflow Automation: Trigger birthday-based reminders and campaigns. Audience Segmentation: Create Smart Lists using age-based filters. Improved Customer Experience: Deliver timely and relevant communications. Full procedure: 1. Manual entry 2. Form submissions 3. CSV Imports 4. API integrations --- ## **Key Benefits of the Contact Date of Birth Field** - **Personalized Engagement:** Send birthday messages and special offers automatically. - **Workflow Automation:** Trigger birthday-based reminders and campaigns. - **Audience Segmentation:** Create Smart Lists using age-based filters. - **Improved Customer Experience:** Deliver timely and relevant communications. --- ## **How to Build Birthday Reminder Campaigns** You can automate birthday reminders or offers by setting up birthday workflows. ### **Step 1:** Configure the Birthday Trigger 1. Navigate to **Workflows** > **Create New Workflow**. 2. Set the **Trigger** to **Birthday Reminder**. 3. Choose the trigger condition: - After no. of days - Before no. of days - Day is - Month is ![Step 1: Configure the Birthday Trigger (image 2 of 6)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/155047948330/original/A-EJmS-eU8slwJQO8xWd4wXGOcnUm1t4yg.gif) **Step 1: Configure the Birthday Trigger (image 2 of 6)** This animation appears in the "Step 1: Configure the Birthday Trigger" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". The text alongside this image reads: Navigate to Workflows > Create New Workflow. Set the Trigger to Birthday Reminder. Choose the trigger condition. The navigation path used here is Workflows > Create New Workflow. This part of the guide covers 4 fields, listed below. Immediately after, the guide continues: Send Email: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. Send SMS: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. Assign Task: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. - Path: Workflows > Create New Workflow - Where to go: Navigate to Workflows > Create New Workflow. Set the Trigger to Birthday Reminder. Choose the trigger condition: - Fields: After no. of days, Before no. of days, Day is, Month is - Controls: Workflows, Create New Workflow, Trigger, Birthday Reminder - Next: Send Email: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. Send SMS: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. Assign Task: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. Full procedure: 1. Navigate to Workflows > Create New Workflow. 2. Set the Trigger to Birthday Reminder. 3. Choose the trigger condition: ### **Step 2:** Define Actions - **Send Email**: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. - **Send SMS**: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. - **Assign Task**: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. ![Step 2: Define Actions (image 3 of 6)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/155047948420/original/dY-FvszUwlOsrnpiCsrWVS72Ety5D6TVsw.gif) **Step 2: Define Actions (image 3 of 6)** This animation appears in the "Step 2: Define Actions" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". The text alongside this image reads: Send Email: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. Send SMS: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. Assign Task: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. Immediately after, the guide continues: Step Action 1 Trigger on Birthday 2 Send Birthday SMS 3 Send Birthday Email 4 (Optional) Notify the internal team. - What this covers: Send Email: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. Send SMS: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. Assign Task: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. - Controls: Send Email, Send SMS, Assign Task - Next: Step Action 1 Trigger on Birthday 2 Send Birthday SMS 3 Send Birthday Email 4 (Optional) Notify the internal team Full procedure: 1. Send Email: Personalized birthday greetings or offers. 2. Send SMS: Short birthday wishes or coupon codes. 3. Assign Task: Alert internal teams to follow up manually if needed. ### **Example Workflow Structure** | Step | Action | | --- | --- | | 1 | Trigger on Birthday | | 2 | Send Birthday SMS | | 3 | Send Birthday Email | | 4 | (Optional) Notify the internal team | --- ## **How to Filter Contacts by Birth Date in Smart Lists** Using the Birthday field, you can segment your contacts based on their date of birth for targeted communication. ### **Steps to Filter by Birth Date** 1. Go to **Contacts** > **Smart Lists**. 2. Click on **Advanced Filters**. 3. Select **Date of birth** filter under contact information. 4. Select the appropriate filter condition: - Today - Tomorrow - Yesterday - This week - This month - This quarter - In month - This year - On - Between - More than - After date - Less than - Before date - In the next - In the last. ![Steps to Filter by Birth Date (image 4 of 6)](https://jumpshare.com/share/QdGpRnhsNDlSwzfEci1c+/GIF+Recording+2026-06-15+at+19.26.19.gif) **Steps to Filter by Birth Date (image 4 of 6)** This animation appears in the "Steps to Filter by Birth Date" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". The text alongside this image reads: Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. Click on Advanced Filters. Select Date of birth filter under contact information. Select the appropriate filter condition. The navigation path used here is Contacts > Smart Lists. This part of the guide covers 12 fields, listed below. Immediately after, the guide continues: Using the Age field, you can segment your contacts based on their age for targeted communication. - Path: Contacts > Smart Lists - Where to go: Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. Click on Advanced Filters. Select Date of birth filter under contact information. Select the appropriate filter condition: - Fields: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday, This week, This month, This quarter, In month, This year, On, Between, More than, After date - Controls: Contacts, Smart Lists, Advanced Filters, Date of birth - Next: Using the Age field, you can segment your contacts based on their age for targeted communication. Full procedure: 1. Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. 2. Click on Advanced Filters. 3. Select Date of birth filter under contact information. 4. Select the appropriate filter condition: --- ## **How to Filter Contacts by Age in Smart Lists** Using the Age field, you can segment your contacts based on their age for targeted communication. ### **Steps to Filter by Age** 1. Go to **Contacts** > **Smart Lists**. 2. Click on **Advanced Filters**. ![Step 2 of 5: Click on Advanced Filters](https://jumpshare.com/share/u3mx4bfTvGCFM0HM0XfA+/Screen+Shot+2026-06-15+at+19.45.08.png) **Step 2 of 5: Click on Advanced Filters** This screenshot accompanies step 2 of 5 in the "Steps to Filter by Age" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". At this point in the walkthrough you click on Advanced Filters. For context, this section explains: Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. Click on Advanced Filters. Select Age filter under contact information. Select the appropriate filter condition: Click Save. The navigation path used here is Contacts > Smart Lists. This part of the guide covers 4 fields, listed below. The next step is to select Age filter under contact information. - Path: Contacts > Smart Lists - What to click: Click on Advanced Filters. - Fields: Equals to, Between, More than, Less than - Controls: Advanced Filters, Contacts, Smart Lists, Age, Save - Next: Select Age filter under contact information. Full procedure: 1. Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. 2. Click on Advanced Filters. <- this image 3. Select Age filter under contact information. 4. Select the appropriate filter condition: 5. Click Save. 3. Select **Age** filter under contact information. 4. Select the appropriate filter condition: - Equals to - Between - More than - Less than 5. Click **Save**. The system calculates age dynamically based on the current date and the stored birthday. ![Steps to Filter by Age (image 6 of 6)](https://jumpshare.com/share/lag30Pty4c2vTehB76Tf+/GIF+Recording+2026-06-15+at+20.19.44.gif) **Steps to Filter by Age (image 6 of 6)** This animation appears in the "Steps to Filter by Age" section of "Contacts - Date Of Birth (Birthday)". The text alongside this image reads: The system calculates age dynamically based on the current date and the stored birthday. The navigation path used here is Contacts > Smart Lists. This part of the guide covers 4 fields, listed below. Immediately after, the guide continues: Capture Birthdays Early: Include a Birthday field in lead capture forms to gather the information upfront. Validate Date Formats: Use MM/DD/YYYY format to ensure automation triggers work correctly. Test Automation: Always test birthday…. - Path: Contacts > Smart Lists - What this covers: The system calculates age dynamically based on the current date and the stored birthday. - Fields: Equals to, Between, More than, Less than - Controls: Contacts, Smart Lists, Advanced Filters, Age, Save - Next: Capture Birthdays Early: Include a Birthday field in lead capture forms to gather the information upfront. Validate Date Formats: Use MM/DD/YYYY format to ensure automation triggers work correctly. Test Automation: Always test birthday workflows with sample contacts before making them live. Consider Time Zones: Be aware that workflows may use contact-specific time zones if configured. Full procedure: 1. Go to Contacts > Smart Lists. 2. Click on Advanced Filters. 3. Select Age filter under contact information. 4. Select the appropriate filter condition: 5. Click Save. --- ## **Best Practices** - **Capture Birthdays Early**: Include a Birthday field in lead capture forms to gather the information upfront. - **Validate Date Formats**: Use MM/DD/YYYY format to ensure automation triggers work correctly. - **Test Automation**: Always test birthday workflows with sample contacts before making them live. - **Consider Time Zones**: Be aware that workflows may use contact-specific time zones if configured. --- ## **Common Issues and Troubleshooting** | Issue | Solution | | --- | --- | | **Birthday automation is not triggering** | Ensure the Birthday field is populated with a complete and correctly formatted date. | | **Incorrect age calculation** | Confirm that the birth year is correctly entered. Missing or incorrect years can cause errors. | | **SMS or email was not sent on the birthday** | Double-check workflow timing, trigger configuration, and contact timezone settings. | --- ## **Frequently Asked Questions** **Q: Can I use the Contact Date of Birth field to send automated birthday messages?** Yes. The Contact Date of Birth field can be used in workflows to trigger birthday-related automations, such as sending emails, SMS messages, notifications, or applying tags. **Q: Do contacts need a Date of Birth value for birthday workflows to work?** Yes. Birthday-based workflows require a valid Date of Birth value in the contact record. If the field is empty or invalid, the workflow will not trigger as expected. **Q: Can I create Smart Lists based on a contact's age?** Yes. You can use the Contact Date of Birth field in Smart List filters to create age-based audience segments. **Q: Why isn't my birthday workflow triggering?** Check that the contact has a valid Date of Birth value, verify that the workflow trigger is configured correctly, and ensure the workflow is active and published. **Q: Why are my age-based Smart List results incorrect?** Review the Date of Birth values for affected contacts, confirm that your Smart List filters are configured correctly, and check for formatting issues in imported data. **Q: What should I do when importing contacts with birthdays?** Use a consistent date format and verify that Date of Birth values are imported correctly. Accurate data helps ensure workflows and Smart List filters function as expected. --- ### **Related Articles** - [Workflow Trigger - Birthday Reminder](https://docs.ghlcustomercare.com/docs/workflows/contact-workflow-triggers/workflow-trigger-birthday-reminder-155000002670) - [Workflow Trigger - Custom Date Reminder](https://docs.ghlcustomercare.com/docs/workflows/contact-workflow-triggers/workflow-trigger-custom-date-remimder) - [Contacts – All-New Contact Detail Page](https://docs.ghlcustomercare.com/docs/contacts/contact-details-view/contacts-all-new-contact-detail-page) - [How to Use Custom Fields](https://docs.ghlcustomercare.com/docs/merge-fields-and-custom-variables/merge-fields-and-custom-variables/creating-and-managing-custom-fields-for-better-data-organization) --- Documentation for GHL Customer Care. Support: support@ghlcustomercare.com