Glossary of Terms
This page provides explanations of terms used throughout our documentation and plugin, listed in alphabetical order.
Index
-A-
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of rules and tools in Groundhogg that allows external applications to communicate with it, enabling automation, data exchange, and integration with third-party services like Zapier, CRMs, or custom apps. The Groundhogg REST API, accessible with an API key from Groundhogg > Settings > API, supports actions like adding contacts or triggering funnels programmatically.
Example: Using the REST API, a developer connects Groundhogg to Zapier to automatically add new Shopify customers as contacts with a "Customer" tag.
Actions
Steps within a Groundhogg funnel that perform specific tasks after a trigger event, such as sending emails, applying tags, or notifying users. Configurable via the Funnel Builder, actions execute immediately or after a delay, driving automation workflows.
Example: After a contact submits a form (event), an "Apply Tag" action adds "Lead" to their profile.
-B-
Benchmarks
Starting points or triggers within a Groundhogg funnel that initiate automation workflows when a contact performs a specific action, such as submitting a form or making a purchase. Configurable via the Funnel Builder, benchmarks define the entry conditions for subsequent actions.
Example: A "Form Submission" benchmark triggers a welcome email when a contact completes a signup form.
Birthday Field
An input field in Groundhogg’s web form builder, typically a date picker, designed to collect a contact’s date of birth for personalization and segmentation purposes.
Example: A user selects "03/15/1990," triggering a "Happy Birthday" email annually.
Broadcasts
A feature in Groundhogg for sending a single email to a large group of contacts simultaneously, such as newsletters or announcements. Accessible via Groundhogg > Broadcasts, they can be scheduled with options for recipient segments (fixed or dynamic), batch sending, and time zone adjustments, with reporting tools providing metrics like opens, clicks, and unsubscribes.
Example: A user schedules a broadcast to announce a sale, targeting a "Customers" segment, and reviews the open rate in the reporting dashboard.
-C-
CASL
Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation, a Canadian law aimed at reducing spam by requiring businesses to obtain consent before sending commercial electronic messages (CEMs) to Canadian inboxes. It mandates including business contact details and an unsubscribe link in emails, with fines up to $10 million for non-compliance.
Example: A Groundhogg user adds a confirmation link in a welcome email to comply with CASL’s consent requirements before sending marketing content.
Campaigns
Organizational tools in Groundhogg used to group related marketing assets—such as emails, funnels, and broadcasts—into a single category for easier management and performance tracking. Campaigns can be assigned when creating or editing these assets via a dropdown menu and allow users to compare results (e.g., open rates, clicks) across associated broadcasts from the Groundhogg dashboard.
Example: A "Spring Sale" campaign groups a promotional email, a discount funnel, and a broadcast, enabling the user to analyze their combined performance in one report.
Checkbox Field
A single checkbox field representing a binary choice (e.g., yes/no). Used for confirmations like opting into a newsletter.
Example: "Subscribe to our newsletter" adds a "Newsletter Subscriber" tag when checked.
Checkbox List Field
Multiple checkboxes allowing users to select several options from a set (e.g., interests).
Example: "Select your interests: Marketing, Sales" stores multiple values.
City Field
A field collecting the city portion of a contact’s address for location-specific marketing.
Example: "Chicago" triggers a localized event reminder.
Country Field
A field (often a dropdown) collecting the country portion of an address for international marketing.
Example: "Australia" applies an "AU Subscriber" tag.
Conversion
The successful completion of a predefined goal within a Groundhogg funnel, tracked when a contact completes a benchmark marked with "Track conversion when completed," contributing to the funnel’s performance metrics in the reporting dashboard. It measures the effectiveness of a funnel in achieving outcomes like sales, signups, or engagement.
Example: A contact purchasing a product completes a "Product Purchased" benchmark, registering as a conversion in the funnel report.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A system and strategy in Groundhogg for managing and organizing interactions with contacts (e.g., leads, customers) through tools like contact records, tags, funnels, and email campaigns. It centralizes data to track customer journeys, automate marketing, and enhance relationships, accessible via Groundhogg > Contacts and integrated with WordPress.
Example: A business uses Groundhogg’s CRM to tag new leads from a form, send follow-up emails via a funnel, and track their conversion into customers—all within one platform.
CRON
A time-based job scheduler in Groundhogg, leveraging WordPress’s WP-Cron system, that automates recurring tasks such as sending scheduled broadcasts, processing funnel actions, or running background jobs (e.g., imports/exports). It can be replaced with a server-side CRON job for improved reliability on high-traffic sites, configurable via Groundhogg > Tools > WP-Cron Replacement.
Example: A CRON job triggers a daily broadcast to a "Daily Deals" segment at 9:00 AM, ensuring timely delivery without manual intervention.
-D-
Dynamic Segment
A group of contacts in Groundhogg that updates automatically based on current segment criteria when a broadcast is sent, reflecting the latest matching contacts rather than a fixed list from scheduling time. It ensures the recipient list adapts to changes in contact data up to the send moment.
Example: Scheduling a broadcast to a Dynamic Segment of "Active Subscribers" on March 1st includes all contacts tagged as subscribers at the send time, even if new subscribers were added after scheduling.
-E-
Email Field
A required field in Groundhogg’s form builder collecting a contact’s email address as their primary identifier.
Example: "jane.doe@example.com" creates a new contact record.
Note: Two types exist: "Contact Info" (default) and "Custom" (named freely).
Export
The process of extracting data from Groundhogg, such as contact lists, funnels, or email templates, into a downloadable file (e.g., CSV for contacts, `.funnel` for funnels, `.email` for emails) for backup, transfer, or external use. Accessible via tools like Groundhogg > Contacts > Export Contacts or export options in Funnels and Emails, it allows users to save and share data efficiently.
Example: Exporting a contact list as a CSV file enables a user to transfer subscriber data to another marketing platform.
Extensions
Add-on plugins for Groundhogg that enhance its core functionality by integrating with third-party services, adding advanced features, or enabling custom automation. Available with premium plans (e.g., Basic, Plus, Pro), extensions like Advanced Features, SendGrid Integration, or the Groundhogg Helper can be installed and licensed via the WordPress admin dashboard to expand capabilities such as webhooks, email APIs, or streamlined extension management.
Example: Installing the "Advanced Features" extension enables webhook functionality, allowing a funnel to connect Groundhogg with an external CRM when a contact submits a form.
-F-
First Name Field
A field collecting a contact’s first name for personalization and CRM profiling.
Example: "Liam" personalizes an email: "Hi Liam, here’s your ebook!"
Filters
Tools in Groundhogg that allow users to refine and search contact data by applying specific conditions or criteria, such as tags, contact details, activity, custom fields, or integration data, to create targeted segments or analyze contact lists. Accessible via Groundhogg > Contacts > Filters, they support advanced comparisons (e.g., equals, contains) and can be combined for precise results.
Example: A filter set to "Tags = Customer" and "Last Donation > $50" identifies high-value donors for a follow-up campaign.
Fixed Segment
A static group of contacts in Groundhogg selected at the time of scheduling a broadcast, whose membership does not update dynamically when the broadcast is sent. It captures the contacts matching the segment criteria at the scheduling moment, ensuring a consistent recipient list regardless of later changes.
Example: Scheduling a broadcast to a Fixed Segment of "Newsletter Subscribers" on March 1st includes only those tagged as subscribers on that date, even if more subscribers are added before the send date.
-G-
GDPR Consent Field
A checkbox field collecting explicit consent for GDPR compliance.
Example: "I agree to receive emails" records consent and applies a "GDPR Opt-In" tag.
GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation, an EU regulation effective since May 25, 2018, designed to protect the privacy of European citizens by requiring businesses worldwide to secure consent and handle personal data responsibly when collecting it from EU residents. It mandates including business contact details and unsubscribe links in emails, with fines up to €20 million or 4% of global revenue for non-compliance. In Groundhogg, GDPR features can be enabled under Compliance settings to manage consent and data deletion.
Example: A Groundhogg user enables GDPR features to add a consent checkbox to forms, ensuring compliance before emailing EU contacts.
-H-
Hidden Field
A non-visible field collecting predefined or dynamic data (e.g., source).
Example: "Facebook Ad" from a URL parameter tags a lead as "FB Lead."
-I-
Import
The process of bringing external data, such as contact lists, funnels, or email templates, into Groundhogg from a file (e.g., CSV for contacts, `.funnel` for funnels, `.email` for email templates). Contacts can be imported via Groundhogg > Tools > Import, mapping CSV columns to fields like email or custom meta; funnels are imported via Groundhogg > Funnels > Add New > Import Tab; and email templates are imported via Groundhogg > Emails > Add New > Import Tab.
Example: Importing a CSV of "Leads" tags them as "Imported Leads," while importing an `.email` file adds a pre-designed "Welcome Email" template for immediate use.
-L-
Last Name Field
A field collecting a contact’s surname for full-name personalization and CRM management.
Example: "Smith" creates "John Smith" in the contact record.
Lead Scoring
A method in Groundhogg for assigning numerical values (scores) to contacts based on their behaviors, engagement, or attributes (e.g., email opens, form submissions, page visits) to prioritize leads for sales or marketing efforts. Enhanced by the Lead Scoring extension, it helps identify high-potential contacts, accessible via Groundhogg > Contacts or reporting tools.
Example: A contact earns 10 points for opening an email and 20 for submitting a demo request, reaching a score of 30, flagging them as a "Hot Lead" for follow-up.
Line 1 Field
A field collecting the first line of a street address (e.g., "123 Main St").
Example: "456 Oak Lane" supports shipping logistics.
Line 2 Field
A field collecting the second line of an address (e.g., "Apt 4B").
Example: "Unit 12" completes the address with "Line 1."
Logs
Records in Groundhogg that track system activities, such as emails sent (Email Log), contact-related events (Event Log), and scheduled background tasks (Background Tasks Log). Accessible via Groundhogg > Tools > Logs, they help troubleshoot issues and monitor performance, with options to enable/disable logging and clear logs as needed.
Example: Checking the Email Log reveals a failed email send due to an SMTP error, aiding in debugging.
-M-
Metadata
Additional data stored with a contact in Groundhogg beyond standard fields (e.g., name, email), used to record custom information like preferences, purchase history, or unique identifiers. Managed via Groundhogg > Contacts > Custom Meta or added through forms and imports, it enhances segmentation and personalization.
Example: A contact’s Metadata includes "Last Purchase: 03/01/2025" and "Favorite Color: Blue," enabling a targeted email offering blue products after their next purchase.
-N-
Number Field
A field collecting numeric values (e.g., age).
Example: "35" applies an "Adult" tag for ages 18+.
-P-
Phone Number Field
A field collecting a contact’s phone number for SMS or calls.
Example: "555-987-6543" triggers an SMS confirmation.
Pipeline
A visual representation of stages in a sales or marketing process within Groundhogg, used to track contacts (e.g., leads, prospects) as they move toward a goal, such as a purchase or conversion. Enhanced by extensions like Sales Pipeline, it organizes contacts into customizable stages (e.g., Lead, Negotiation, Closed), accessible via Groundhogg > Pipelines, to manage and monitor progress.
Example: A business sets up a Pipeline with stages "New Lead," "Follow-Up," and "Customer," moving a contact through each stage as they respond to a funnel’s emails.
-R-
Replacement Codes
Special shortcodes in Groundhogg that merge user-specific data (e.g., contact details, dates) into emails, forms, or other content for personalization. They are enclosed in curly braces (e.g., {first}, {email}) and can be used in various Groundhogg features like emails, funnels, and shortcodes.
Example: {first} in an email becomes "John" for a contact named John, personalizing the message: "Hi John, here’s your offer!"
-S-
Shortcode
A small piece of code in WordPress, enclosed in square brackets (e.g., [shortcode]), that triggers dynamic functionality or content from WordPress or plugins like Groundhogg. In Groundhogg, shortcodes can embed forms, display contact data, or control content visibility, and can be placed anywhere shortcodes are supported, such as pages, posts, or sidebars—not to be confused with replacement codes.
Example: [gh_form id="123"] embeds a Groundhogg form with ID 123 on a page.
Safe Mode
A troubleshooting tool in Groundhogg that temporarily disables all non-Groundhogg plugins to identify conflicts causing issues. It can be enabled from the Tools page in Groundhogg, allowing users to test if a problem persists without interference from other plugins.
Example: Enabling Safe Mode reveals that a third-party plugin conflict caused a form submission error; disabling Safe Mode and deactivating the conflicting plugin resolves the issue.
Segment
A group of contacts in Groundhogg filtered by specific criteria (e.g., tags, behaviors, or metadata) for targeted marketing or analysis, such as sending broadcasts or tracking campaign performance. Created and managed via Groundhogg > Contacts > Segments, segments can be static (fixed) or dynamic, adapting to real-time changes in contact data.
Example: A segment of contacts tagged "VIP" and located in "California" receives an exclusive offer via a scheduled broadcast.
State Field
A field collecting the state or region of an address.
Example: "Florida" triggers a state-specific email.
Suppression List
A collection of email addresses or domains excluded from marketing campaigns.
-T-
Terms & Conditions Field
A checkbox field securing agreement to terms.
Example: "I accept the Terms" records acceptance for membership.
Text Field
A field collecting short, freeform text (e.g., "Blue").
Example: "Favorite Color" as "Blue" triggers a themed email.
Tags
Labels or markers in Groundhogg used to categorize and segment contacts based on attributes, behaviors, or characteristics, enabling targeted marketing and automation. Tags can be applied manually, via forms, imports, or automation, and managed under Groundhogg > Tags, with special opt-in status tags (e.g., "Confirmed," "Unsubscribed") affecting email deliverability.
Example: A contact submitting a "Request Demo" form receives the "Demo Requested" tag, triggering a follow-up email sequence.
-U-
URL Field
A field collecting a website URL.
Example: "https://mybusiness.com" tags a "B2B Lead."
-W-
Web Form
An online form created in Groundhogg’s Form Builder to collect contact information and trigger actions like adding tags or starting automation workflows. Accessible via Groundhogg > Forms, web forms can be embedded on WordPress pages using shortcodes and customized with fields like email, name, or consent checkboxes.
Example: A web form with an "Email" field and "Subscribe" button adds new subscribers to a "Newsletter" tag when submitted.
WordPress
An open-source content management system (CMS) that powers Groundhogg, providing the foundation for its installation, user interface, and integration with plugins, themes, and shortcodes. It hosts Groundhogg’s CRM and marketing tools within a website, accessible via the WordPress admin dashboard (e.g., Groundhogg > Contacts).
Example: A business installs Groundhogg on their WordPress site to manage contacts and send emails directly from the WordPress admin panel.
-X-Y-Z-
Zip Code Field
A customizable input field in Groundhogg’s Form Builder that collects a contact’s postal or ZIP code, typically used for geographic segmentation, shipping, or location-based marketing. Configurable under Groundhogg > Forms, it can store data in a contact’s profile and trigger automation (e.g., applying tags) based on the entered value.
Example: A form captures "90210," storing it in the contact’s record and applying a "California Lead" tag to trigger a regional promotion email.