# Does the segment filter actually work?
**URL:** https://forum.mautic.org/t/does-the-segment-filter-actually-work/6933
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [December 21, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/does-the-segment-filter-actually-work/6933 "2016-12-21T16:54:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@imautic](https://forum.mautic.org/u/imautic)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/does-the-segment-filter-actually-work/6933/1 "2016-12-21T16:54:07Z")
I was trying to build a smart list today. To my surprise, even the most basic filter won’t work. For example “First Name” = “John” (there are several Johns in the contact list), or “Email” = “not empty”. Whatever conditions I tried, there are always zero contact in the “smart segment” I created.
Am I doing something wrong? or is this a bug and the system is not working?
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### Author:  [@imautic](https://forum.mautic.org/u/imautic)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/does-the-segment-filter-actually-work/6933/2 "2016-12-21T16:54:07Z")
I was trying to build a smart list today. To my surprise, even the most basic filter won’t work. For example “First Name” = “John” (there are several Johns in the contact list), or “Email” = “not empty”. Whatever conditions I tried, there are always zero contact in the “smart segment” I created.
Am I doing something wrong? or is this a bug and the system is not working?