# List Campaigns in Engage Studio

A List campaign sends one email to a contact list that you create from a CSV file in [Engage Studio](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio). You do not need to build a Parent Segment first, so you can send to a list of event attendees or any other group that you prepare outside Audience Studio. Use a List campaign when you already have the recipient list as a file and want to send it without setting up a segment.

## How List Campaigns Differ from Other Campaigns

Engage Studio has three ways to send email to a group of people. They differ in where the recipients come from.

|  | List campaign | One-off Email Campaign (CDP Segment) | Always-on Campaign |
|  --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recipients come from | A contact list created from a CSV file | A segment in Audience Studio | Triggers from a journey or batch activation |
| What you prepare | A CSV file with an `email` column | A Parent Segment and a segment | A Parent Segment and a journey or activation |


For a send to a segment, see [One-off Email Campaign](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/email/bulk-delivery). For continuous sends triggered by a journey, see [Always-on Campaigns](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/always-on-campaigns).

## Contact Lists and Their Tables

A contact list is the recipient list for a List campaign. When you upload a CSV file, Engage Studio saves its rows to a table that you choose and gives the list a name. You select the list by name when you set up a campaign.

When you create a contact list, enter these three values.

| Field | What it is | Example |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Database | The database that stores the table. You can select only databases you have permission to import into. | `marketing` |
| Table name | The table that stores the uploaded rows. | `event_attendees_2026_11` |
| List name | The name that appears when you select the list in a campaign. | `November event attendees` |


Keep these rules in mind as you plan your lists:

- Each contact list is stored in one table, and each table belongs to one contact list.
- Campaigns that use the same table share the same contact list.
- The CSV file must contain an `email` column. Other columns can be used as merge tags in the email. A campaign can use up to 20 merge tags.
- Overwriting a table replaces all of its rows. The contact list keeps its existing name, even if you enter a different list name.
- A table that you create in Data Workbench, or that was not uploaded through a List campaign, does not appear in the **Existing list** table.


## Campaign Statuses

A campaign moves through these statuses as you launch and send it.

| Status | Meaning | What you can do |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Draft | The campaign is being prepared and has not been launched. | Edit the campaign, save it as a draft, or launch it. |
| Planned | The campaign is launched and waiting for its scheduled time. | Pause it to return it to Draft, and then edit it. |
| Active | The campaign is sending. | Wait until sending finishes. An active campaign cannot be stopped. |
| Finished | Sending has finished. | Duplicate the campaign to create a new draft. |
| Suspended | Processing failed, and the campaign stopped. | Revert it to draft, fix the cause, and launch it again. |


**Finished** means that the sending process completed. It does not confirm delivery to each recipient.

## When Emails Are Sent

- By default, a List campaign sends as soon as you launch it. This option is **As soon as the campaign is launched** on the **Delivery Schedule** tab.
- To schedule the send, choose **At a designated time**, and then set the date, time, and timezone. The time must be later than the moment you launch the campaign.
- The send uses the contents of the contact list's table at send time, not at launch time. If you overwrite the table after you launch and before the send starts, the recipients change.


## Limits

| Item | Limit |
|  --- | --- |
| Campaign name | 100 characters. Names must be unique in the workspace. |
| Campaign description | 10,000 characters |
| Merge tags | 20 per campaign |
| Merge tag display name and preview value | 100 characters each |
| Merge tag default value | 300 characters |
| UTM values | 40 characters each |
| Channel | Email only |


## What You Cannot Do with a List Campaign

- Select a Parent Segment, a CDP Segment, or a table that you did not create from a CSV file.
- Filter recipients by attributes or behavior. Filter the CSV file before you upload it.
- Send through SMS, mobile push, LINE, or any channel other than email.
- Edit a campaign after it is launched, unless you pause it or revert it first.


## Permissions and the Sending Account

- The view, edit, and launch actions follow the campaign permissions in your workspace. See [Workspaces and Permissions](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/permissions).
- Sending runs under the workspace owner's account. The workspace owner needs an API key, and must have access to the table that holds the contact list. If either is missing, the launch fails.


## Frequently Asked Questions

**Do I need a Parent Segment to send a List campaign?**

No. A List campaign uses a contact list that you create from a CSV file. You do not need a Parent Segment or Audience Studio.

**Can I reuse a contact list in another campaign?**

Yes. Select the list under **Existing list** on the **Target Audience** tab. Many campaigns can use the same contact list.

**Can I change the recipients after I launch a campaign?**

Only before the send starts. Pause a Planned campaign to return it to Draft, change the recipients, and launch it again. You cannot edit an Active or Finished campaign.

## Next Steps

- [Create a List Campaign from a CSV File](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/list-campaigns/creating-a-list-campaign)
- [One-off Email Campaign](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/channels/email/bulk-delivery)
- [Workspaces and Permissions](/products/marketing-cloud/engage-studio/permissions)