# Filtering leads in 'list leads' API request **URL:** \ **Category:** Development\ **Created:** [April 26, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/filtering-leads-in-list-leads-api-request/3601 "2016-04-26T12:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![seeeking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@seeeking](https://forum.mautic.org/u/seeeking)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/filtering-leads-in-list-leads-api-request/3601/1 "2016-04-26T12:47:16Z")
Hi everybody I’m using API to manage leads through own PHP classes (due to our framework’s architecture ) and I’m trying to filter leads by the ‘search’ parameter in list leads request. **NB: I need to filter them by a custom field**. The API manual [states](https://developer.mautic.org/?php#list-leads) that it’s a “_String or search command to filter entities by_.” ~~I’ve tried SQL instructions, key:value, key=value and all kinds of quotes’ combinations with these - nothing seems to impress the API: if the ‘search’ parameter isn’t empty, it always returns an empty array and count=0. ~~ Ok, I got the point: it works exactly like the search bar in the frontend (the ‘key:value’ commands work for name, email and some other standard fields). ~~Now, **can I filter by multiple fields**?~~ ~~Say, I have two custom fields **client\_id** and **client\_status** and I need to retrieve records with client\_id=x **and** client\_status=y, is there a way to do it?~~ **UPD** : Got it also figured out. The working format seems to be “ **field\_name1** :substring1 **field\_name2** :substring2” with a space between the key:value pairs. Now, the (hopefully) last question: Is there a way to search for **exact** field value, not substring? Thanks in advance ![:)]( ":)") ---
**Author:** ![seeeking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@seeeking](https://forum.mautic.org/u/seeeking)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/filtering-leads-in-list-leads-api-request/3601/2 "2016-04-26T12:47:16Z")
Hi everybody I’m using API to manage leads through own PHP classes (due to our framework’s architecture ) and I’m trying to filter leads by the ‘search’ parameter in list leads request. NB: I need to filter them by a custom field. The API manual [states](https://developer.mautic.org/?php#list-leads) that it’s a “String or search command to filter entities by.” I’ve tried SQL instructions, key:value, key=value and all kinds of quotes’ combinations with these - nothing seems to impress the API: if the ‘search’ parameter isn’t empty, it always returns an empty array and count=0. Ok, I got the point: it works exactly like the search bar in the frontend (the ‘key:value’ commands work for name, email and some other standard fields). Now, can I filter by multiple fields? Say, I have two custom fields client\_id and client\_status and I need to retrieve records with client\_id=x and client\_status=y, is there a way to do it? UPD: Got it also figured out. The working format seems to be “field\_name1:substring1 field\_name2:substring2” with a space between the key:value pairs. Now, the (hopefully) last question: Is there a way to search for exact field value, not substring? Thanks in advance 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dandumit](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mautic.org/dandumit/32/6497_2.png) [@dandumit](https://forum.mautic.org/u/dandumit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://forum.mautic.org/t/filtering-leads-in-list-leads-api-request/3601/3 "2023-02-19T18:21:13Z")
> [@seeeking](#): > > tly like the sea hello @seeeking I am following the same path as you did in the past. and I am getting same results. it seems that it’s a bug or never been implemented. please tell me you have never managed to put multiple filters like array like col key value ? Daniel