Capability template for advertising and lead generation
Campaign audience check
When an audience export is ready for review, the campaign owner gets it segmented with reconciled counts, the exclusions applied and the records whose contact status needs checking, with conflicts, stale records and duplicates kept visible.
Listed under
Add it to a workflow in the Fully Powered Planner, beside the teams and roles that will run it. Book a fit call
The outcome
Nobody approves an email audience on the strength of a row count. The campaign owner gets one page that says how many records the export held, how many are cleared to go into each segment, how many were taken out and why, and how many are being held back until a person looks at them. The three groups add up to the export, and the page shows the sum.
The records that need a decision stay in plain sight. Two preference rows that disagree, a permission record that is old, an address that appears twice under different records, a record with no permission on file at all: each is listed with what the files show and a question for a named person. The page never settles one of them by guessing, and it never treats a missing permission as a yes.
The owner resolves the uncertain records, signs off the final audience, and decides what happens next. The page sends nothing, changes no list and takes no view on what the law requires of the campaign.
Who starts the work, and when
The campaign owner, or someone on the marketing team for them, starts it when an audience export for a campaign is ready for review and before anything is scheduled. The customer-data steward, where there is one, answers the questions about records. The owner reads the page and approves the final audience.
What they supply
- The audience export, one row per record, with the address and the fields the segments use.
- The permission records for those people: what status each holds and when it was recorded.
- The preference records for the campaign's topic.
- The bounce history, by address.
- Optionally, your own do-not-contact list.
- The campaign's settings: the as-of date, the topic, which permission statuses you count as permitted and which as excluded, how old a permission record may be, and the segment rules in priority order.
What comes out
One page in a fixed order: the answer in a few lines, the settings used, the counts reconciled from the export to the three groups, the segments with cleared and held-back counts, the exclusions applied with their record numbers, a numbered list of records to check, the decisions for the campaign owner, and what the page could not judge. Where a section is empty it says so. A final line leaves a place for the owner's approval of the audience.
An invented example
Illustrative example with invented data. The company, the people, the addresses (all on the reserved .example domain), the dates and the counts below are invented. Shop R is an invented online seller of homeware to cafes, hotels and small businesses. Its campaign owner has an audience export for a winter offers email and ran the check, with the customer-data steward answering questions about records. First come the inputs the campaign owner supplied, in full, then the page the capability returned.
The inputs
1. Campaign settings
Campaign: Winter homeware offers email
Audience: Winter offers audience
As-of date: 2026-11-10
Topic: offers
Permitted statuses: opted_in, existing_customer_agreed
Excluded statuses: unsubscribed, withdrawn
Permission age limit: 730 days
Soft bounces: 3 or more in the 90 days up to the as-of date
Segments in priority order:
1. Customers: source equals purchase
2. Newsletter readers: source equals newsletter
3. Event contacts: source equals event
Page goes to: campaign owner and customer-data steward
2. Audience export (audience.csv)
record_id,email,full_name,company,country,source,created_on,last_engaged_on
R01,ana@cafe-a.example,Ana Ruiz,Cafe A,US,purchase,2023-03-01,2026-09-14
R02,ben@cafe-b.example,Ben Okoye,Cafe B,US,purchase,2022-05-10,2026-10-02
R03,carla@studio-c.example,Carla Dent,Studio C,CA,newsletter,2025-01-20,2026-08-30
R04,dev@shop-d.example,Dev Rao,Shop D,US,newsletter,2024-02-02,2026-06-01
R05,eli@hotel-e.example,Eli Marsh,Hotel E,GB,event,2025-06-11,2026-10-20
R06,fay@hotel-f.example,Fay Lind,Hotel F,GB,purchase,2021-09-09,2026-03-03
R07,gus@bar-g.example,Gus Hale,Bar G,US,purchase,2020-12-12,2026-10-30
R08,hugo@bar-h.example,Hugo Pike,Bar H,US,event,2025-04-04,2026-04-04
R09,ines@inn-i.example,Ines Cole,Inn I,GB,newsletter,2025-09-09,2026-09-09
R10,jo@gallery-j.example,Jo Frey,Gallery J,US,purchase,2024-08-08,2026-10-10
R11,jo.frey@gallery-j.example,Jo Frey,Gallery J,US,newsletter,2025-02-02,2026-05-05
R12,kim@kiosk-k.example,Kim Vale,Kiosk K,CA,newsletter,2025-03-03,2026-07-07
R13,Kim@Kiosk-K.example,Kim Vale,Kiosk K,CA,purchase,2025-03-04,2026-08-08
R14,lee@lodge-l.example,Lee Armas,Lodge L,CA,purchase,2025-10-01,2026-10-30
R15,mo@mill-m.example,Mo Berg,Mill M,US,newsletter,2022-02-02,2026-01-15
R16,,Nia Tran,Nook N,US,event,2025-12-12,2026-02-02
R17,ola@oak-o.example,Ola Beck,Oak O,GB,purchase,2025-07-07,2026-09-01
R18,pat@pier-p.example,Pat Ito,Pier P,US,event,2026-09-30,2026-09-30
R19,quin@quay-q.example,Quin Shaw,Quay Q,GB,event,2026-02-02,2026-10-12
R20,rae@reef-r.example,Rae Lomas,Reef R,US,purchase,2025-11-11,2026-11-01
R20,rae@reef-r.example,Rae Lomas,Reef R,US,purchase,2025-11-11,2026-11-01
3. Permission records (permission.csv)
record_id,permission_status,permission_basis,recorded_on
R01,opted_in,signup form,2025-03-01
R02,existing_customer_agreed,checkout tick box,2025-05-10
R03,opted_in,signup form,2025-01-20
R04,opted_in,signup form,2024-02-02
R05,opted_in,event card,2025-06-11
R06,opted_in,signup form,2025-09-09
R07,opted_in,signup form,2025-01-01
R08,opted_in,event card,2025-04-04
R10,opted_in,signup form,2025-08-08
R11,opted_in,signup form,2025-02-02
R12,opted_in,signup form,2025-03-03
R13,existing_customer_agreed,checkout tick box,2025-03-04
R14,opted_in,signup form,2025-10-01
R15,unsubscribed,unsubscribe link,2026-01-15
R17,opted_in,signup form,2025-07-07
R18,pending,signup form,2026-09-30
R19,opted_in,event card,2026-02-02
R20,existing_customer_agreed,checkout tick box,2025-11-11
4. Preference records (preferences.csv)
record_id,topic,choice,updated_on
R01,offers,in,2025-03-01
R03,events,out,2026-01-01
R05,offers,in,2025-06-11
R06,offers,in,2025-09-09
R06,offers,out,2026-02-14
R08,offers,out,2026-03-03
5. Bounce history (bounces.csv)
email,bounce_type,bounced_on
ana@cafe-a.example,soft,2026-03-01
ben@cafe-b.example,soft,2026-10-15
gus@bar-g.example,hard,2026-07-01
lee@lodge-l.example,soft,2026-08-20
lee@lodge-l.example,soft,2026-09-25
lee@lodge-l.example,soft,2026-10-30
6. Do-not-contact list (suppression.csv)
email
ola@oak-o.example
zed@zone-z.example
The page the capability returned
CAMPAIGN AUDIENCE CHECK: Winter homeware offers email, Winter offers audience, as of 2026-11-10. Status: complete
For: campaign owner and customer-data steward. Counts are records, after exact repeats are collapsed. Nothing has been sent, changed or approved.
THE ANSWER
20 records in the export. 6 are cleared, 5 are excluded and 9 are held back for a person to check. The 9 records to check fall into 7 entries below. The campaign owner is asked to resolve them and approve the final audience; the cleared count is not an approval.
SETTINGS USED
Topic: offers. Permitted statuses: opted_in, existing_customer_agreed. Excluded statuses: unsubscribed, withdrawn. Permission age limit: 730 days (records before 2024-11-10 are stale). Soft bounces: 3 or more since 2026-08-12. Segments in priority order: 1. Customers: source equals purchase; 2. Newsletter readers: source equals newsletter; 3. Event contacts: source equals event.
COUNTS
Export rows 21; exact repeats collapsed 1; records 20. Cleared 6 + excluded 5 + held back 9 = 20.
SEGMENTS
Customers: cleared 3, held back 4 Newsletter readers: cleared 1, held back 4 Event contacts: cleared 2, held back 1 Unsegmented: cleared 0, held back 0 Total: cleared 6, held back 9. Excluded records are not segmented.
EXCLUSIONS APPLIED
No email address: 1 (R16, audience.csv row 16, the email cell is blank) On the do-not-contact list: 1 (R17, ola@oak-o.example, audience.csv row 17 and suppression.csv row 1) Hard bounce on file: 1 (R07, gus@bar-g.example, bounces.csv row 3, hard bounce 2026-07-01) Permission status excluded: 1 (R15, permission.csv row 14, unsubscribed, recorded 2026-01-15) Preference out: 1 (R08, preferences.csv row 6, offers out, updated 2026-03-03, no row saying in)
RECORDS TO CHECK
Q1 Duplicate address: R12, R13 Files show: kim@kiosk-k.example (audience.csv row 12, R12) and Kim@Kiosk-K.example (audience.csv row 13, R13) are the same address once case is ignored. R12: source newsletter, opted_in recorded 2025-03-03 (permission.csv row 11). R13: source purchase, existing_customer_agreed recorded 2025-03-04 (permission.csv row 12). Neither is removed. Other reasons: none. Question: Should this address appear once, and under which record's segment? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Q2 Conflicting records: R06 Files show: preferences.csv row 4 has offers in (2025-09-09) and row 5 has offers out (2026-02-14). permission.csv row 6 has opted_in, recorded 2025-09-09. Neither preference row is chosen. Other reasons: none. Question: Which preference does this person hold today? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Q3 Permission missing or not recognised: R09 Files show: permission.csv has no row for R09 (no permission row for this record); the record is audience.csv row 9. Other reasons: none. Question: Is there a permission record for this person that was not in the file? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Q4 Permission missing or not recognised: R18 Files show: permission.csv row 16 has status pending, recorded 2026-09-30. It is in neither the permitted nor the excluded list. Other reasons: none. Question: What does pending mean in your records? Who can answer: campaign owner.
Q5 Permission stale or undated: R04 Files show: permission.csv row 4 has opted_in recorded 2024-02-02, which is 1,012 days before the as-of date; the limit is 730. Other reasons: none. Question: Is there a more recent confirmation of this person's permission? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Q6 Soft bounces at the limit: R14 Files show: bounces.csv rows 4, 5 and 6 have soft bounces for lee@lodge-l.example on 2026-08-20, 2026-09-25 and 2026-10-30 (3 within the window; the limit is 3). permission.csv row 13 has opted_in, recorded 2025-10-01. Other reasons: none. Question: Is this address still receiving mail? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Q7 Possible duplicate identity: R10, R11 Files show: both are Jo Frey at Gallery J, with addresses jo@gallery-j.example (audience.csv row 10, R10) and jo.frey@gallery-j.example (audience.csv row 11, R11). Both have opted_in permission recorded in the last 730 days (permission.csv rows 9 and 10: 2025-08-08 and 2025-02-02). Neither is merged. Other reasons: none. Question: Are these one person with two addresses, and should the audience hold one or both? Who can answer: customer-data steward.
Held back by first reason: duplicate address 2 (R12, R13); conflicting records 1 (R06); permission missing or not recognised 2 (R09, R18); permission stale 1 (R04); soft bounces at the limit 1 (R14); possible duplicate identity 2 (R10, R11). Total 9.
DECISIONS FOR THE CAMPAIGN OWNER
- Resolve Q1 to Q7: for each, add the record to the audience or leave it out.
- Confirm the exclusions above stand.
- Approve the final audience, or ask for changes.
COVERAGE
Used: settings; audience.csv (21 rows, 20 records); permission.csv (18 rows); preferences.csv (6 rows); bounces.csv (6 rows); suppression.csv (2 addresses). Missing: nothing. Could not judge: whether any permission is sufficient for this campaign; whether the pending status means what its name suggests; who the people are beyond the files; whether an address still works; and bounces dated after the as-of date (none in the file). Ignored: none found. Checked and fine: 1 preference row is for the topic events, not offers, and was left out (R03). 1 do-not-contact address (zed@zone-z.example) is not in the export. Soft bounces for R01 (1, outside the window) and R02 (1, below the limit of 3) do not hold them back. Sums: 21 rows less 1 repeat = 20 records; 6 + 5 + 9 = 20; cleared by segment 3 + 1 + 2 + 0 = 6; held back by segment 4 + 4 + 1 + 0 = 9; exclusions 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 5; first reasons 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 9.
Prepared on 2026-11-10. Every statement comes from the inputs listed under Coverage. Audience approved by: ____________ Date: __________
Where it fits
- Advertising and lead generation, where an audience is built, reviewed and approved before it is used.
- Marketing and content, where the team that writes the message wants to know exactly who it is going to.
- Marketing and advertising, where an agency reviews a client's audience before a send.
- E-commerce and retail, where buyers, newsletter sign-ups and event contacts sit in the same list.
- Consumer brands, where lists grow from many sources and preferences change often.
- Growth & scaling, when the list is growing faster than anyone can keep track of it.
- Established businesses, when years of imports have left a list nobody fully trusts.
It does not choose who to win back (lapsed-customer win-back), build a list of prospects (prospect list by role and firm type) or set up the campaign itself (campaign build sheet). It starts when a list already exists and ends with a checked audience.
What has to change for your company
Name the permission statuses your records use, and say which count as permitted and which as excluded; a status left in neither list is held back for a question. Decide how old a permission record can be before it is looked at again, and how many soft bounces in what period call for a check. Write your segments as rules on the columns your export holds, in priority order. Agree who answers for record questions and who approves the final audience. If a rule about permission applies to your campaign, your own advisers set it; the capability template only applies the statuses you give it.
What has been checked
Fully Powered AI wrote this capability template. It was editorially reviewed on 10 November 2026. It was tried on its invented example on 10 November 2026 in Claude; the record is published with it. It has not yet been tested in a client environment. It has not yet been tested as a packaged version in ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini.
Testing in your environment means running it on a past audience whose problems you already know: a record with two disagreeing preferences, an address held twice, a permission record years old, and an address that bounced. The steward should recompute every count from the export before the page is relied on.
The full capability template
Everything above is the outline. The complete capability template is the working version: the roles, the inputs, the procedure, the exceptions and stop conditions, the output format, the reviewer checklist, the acceptance tests, the instructions for an AI assistant and what to customize for your company. It comes with a download and the link to its folder in Fully Powered’s public repository.
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Next step
Put this capability to work for your team: on your plan, or built with you in a sprint.
Build this in a sprint
In a sprint, Fully Powered adapts this capability template to your rules, proves it on your own work and puts it in the hands of the roles that own it.
Two ways to begin: