Design the label system
Open Settings → Labels and create labels for durable facts or workflows that are not already represented by a pipeline stage, source, or owner. Use short names the whole team understands.
Avoid creating near-duplicates such as “Hot,” “hot lead,” and “HOT.” Too many labels make filters and automation unreliable.
Apply and maintain labels
Labels can help filter Contacts and Messages, build groups, or trigger supported workflows. Before renaming or removing a label, check where the team and automations use it. After changes, verify one known contact in both Contacts and Messages so the label behaves as expected.