Manage CRM Sample Data in GoHighLevel — Complete FAQs

When you set up a new subaccount in GoHighLevel, the platform automatically populates your CRM with sample data. While this is helpful for learning how the system works, most agencies and businesses want to clean up their workspace quickly and start fresh with real client information.

The problem? Many users don't know where that sample data lives, how to identify it, or whether they can safely remove it without breaking their setup. In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about managing CRM sample data in GoHighLevel—so you can get your pipeline ready for real business.

If you're ready to dive in and build your CRM from scratch, start your free 30-day GoHighLevel trial today—that's double the standard trial period, with no credit card required.

What Is Sample Data in GoHighLevel?

Sample data is pre-populated dummy information that GoHighLevel automatically includes in newly created subaccounts. Think of it as training wheels for your CRM. The platform includes example contacts, opportunities, tasks, and pipeline stages so you can see how everything works together without having to manually create test records.

This is actually a smart feature because it lets you immediately understand:

• How contacts flow through your CRM
• How pipelines and opportunities work
• What tasks look like when assigned to team members
• How the dashboard displays real data

However, for agencies running live client work, sample data can clutter your workspace and create confusion about what's real and what's not. That's why knowing how to manage it is essential.

How to Identify Sample Data in Your CRM

GoHighLevel makes it easy to spot sample data so you don't accidentally confuse it with your real client information. All sample data records are clearly prefixed with "(Example)" to differentiate them from your actual data.

For example, you might see:

• (Example) John Smith — Contact
• (Example) Website Redesign Project — Opportunity
• (Example) Follow-up Call — Task

When you're browsing your Contacts, Opportunities, or Tasks sections, scan for this prefix. It makes sorting and removing sample data straightforward. You won't accidentally delete real client data because real records won't have this label.

How to Remove or Modify Sample Data

Yes, you can easily customize, edit, or delete any sample data at any time. There's no lock on sample records—they're just regular CRM entries with a prefix label.

To remove sample data:

1. Navigate to the section containing sample data (Contacts, Opportunities, Tasks, etc.)
2. Locate the record prefixed with "(Example)"
3. Click on the record to open it
4. Select the delete option (usually a trash icon or "Delete" button)
5. Confirm the deletion

To modify sample data:

1. Open the sample record
2. Edit the fields as needed (change the contact name, update the opportunity amount, reassign the task, etc.)
3. Save your changes

This flexibility is useful if you want to convert sample data into your first real client record. For instance, if you have an (Example) contact that matches a new client, you can simply edit the record instead of deleting and recreating it.

This is built into GoHighLevel. Try it free for 30 days →

What Types of Data Are Included?

GoHighLevel's sample data package is comprehensive. Here's what typically comes pre-loaded:

Contacts: Example contact records with names, email addresses, phone numbers, and tags. These help you understand how to organize and segment your audience.

Opportunities: Sample deals or projects at various pipeline stages (Prospect, Qualified, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed). This shows you how deals move through your sales process.

Pipelines: Default pipeline stages that match common sales workflows. You can customize these later, but samples give you a starting point.

Tasks: Example to-do items assigned to team members, showing how task management integrates with your CRM.

Companies/Accounts: Organization records that contacts can be linked to, demonstrating account-based selling structure.

Not all data types appear in every subaccount—it depends on your GoHighLevel plan and whether you've set up default pipelines for your location.

Understanding Default Pipelines and Sample Data

Here's an important detail: If your location doesn't have a default pipeline set, sample Opportunities and Pipelines won't be created. However, you'll still receive sample data for Contacts and Tasks.

This is how it works:

• With a default pipeline: You get sample Contacts, Tasks, Opportunities, and Pipeline data all at once.
• Without a default pipeline: You get sample Contacts and Tasks only. Opportunities and Pipelines will be blank until you manually create them.

To set a default pipeline for your location, navigate to your location settings in GoHighLevel and assign a pipeline. Once you do, your next new subaccount will include opportunities sample data.

Do Existing Subaccounts Get Sample Data?

No, existing subaccounts will remain unchanged. This is important to know if you've already been running GoHighLevel for a while. The sample data feature applies only to newly created subaccounts.

If you created your subaccount before this feature was rolled out, you won't suddenly have sample data cluttering your CRM. Your existing workspace stays exactly as it is.

This means:

• Legacy subaccounts are unaffected
• New team members added to existing subaccounts won't see sample data
• Only brand-new subaccounts get the sample data treatment

So if you're concerned about sample data interfering with your current setup, you can relax—it only happens on fresh accounts.

Best Practices for Cleaning Up Your CRM

Now that you know how to manage sample data, here are some best practices:

1. Clean up before adding real data. Remove or repurpose all sample records before importing your actual client list. This keeps your CRM organized from day one.

2. Use sample data as a learning tool. Before you delete everything, spend 15 minutes exploring the sample records. Click around, see how opportunities work, check out task assignments. Then delete.

3. Establish naming conventions. Once sample data is gone, implement consistent naming for your real records (company names, contact formats, deal stages, etc.). This prevents future confusion.

4. Set up custom fields early. Configure any custom fields you need before mass-importing contacts. This ensures clean, consistent data entry across your team.

5. Document your pipeline stages. As you remove sample opportunities, document what your real pipeline stages should be and what criteria define each stage.