Entry Sources

The entry source on the canvas tells Journey Builder where customers entering this journey come from. Each journey must include an entry source.

Important Don’t modify a data extension that is used as the entry source in an active journey. When activated, the journey uses a snapshot of the entry source data extension. The running journey doesn’t detect those fields added after activation. If you must add a field to the entry source data extension, create a version of the journey to include the updated data extension. For example, you can add a field to allow you to use personalization in messages within the journey.

Note In an upcoming release, Contact Data Events aren’t supported. Events and journeys created before this change continue to run without interruption. Use the Data Extension entry source to admit contacts instead.

• Entry Source Administration
  An entry event is the action that prompts one or more contacts to enter a journey. Entry events are recorded in a data source, which Journey Builder monitors on a schedule you set. Entry events can be journey-specific or reusable.
• Edit an Entry Source
  After you configure an entry source, you can edit it or review its configuration before activation. After activation, you can review the entry source configuration, but you can’t edit it. To edit an active entry source, pause or stop the Journey and then create a new version.
• Configure a Mobile App Event Entry Source
  Use the Mobile App Event entry source in Journey Builder to listen for user behavior and admit contacts who take specific actions in your mobile app, such as installing the app or making a purchase. You can set a filter using App Event data attributes to ensure that only intended customers enter the journey. Mobile App Events aren’t stored in a data extension, but you can use Mobile App Event metadata as journey data.
• Configure a MobilePush Message Engagement Entry Source
  Easily retarget users by entering them into a journey when they open a push notification.
• Configure an In-App Engagement Entry Source
  Easily retarget users by entering them into a journey when they dismiss, display, or click a button in an In-App message.
• Data Extension Entry Source
  The data extension entry source lets you choose a sendable data extension, then admit contacts in that data extension into a journey in a batch. You can configure a filter to control which contacts enter or admit all contacts in the data extension. You can also use Automation Studio to create and refresh the data extension, or you can use an SMS list created in MobileConnect.
• The Audience Entry Source
  Use an audience to admit a list of contacts into a journey. Select from the push, SMS, and published Audience Builder audiences available in your account. To create or edit audiences, use Contact Builder.
• Inbound Chat Message
  You can use the Inbound Chat entry source in Journey Builder to admit contacts who send one of the keywords that you selected to your app channel.
• The Contact Event Entry Source
  An entry event uses data about customer behavior to put contacts into a journey. Entry events generally require a change in data about the customer that triggers an evaluation of that contact for admission in the journey. The records Journey Builder evaluates for events are stored in a data source, which Journey Builder monitors on a schedule that you set.
• Admit Contacts Via an API
  The API event in Journey Builder connects the journey canvas to an API used to admit contacts into a journey. When the API fires an event, the contacts entering the journey are stored in your chosen Marketing Cloud Engagement data extension. You can set a filter using Marketing Cloud Engagement data attributes to ensure that only intended customers enter the journey.
• Honor Opt-Out Requests for Personalized Ads
  Google integration partners can display personalized ads to your customers. If you use Google Analytics to manage your customers’ requests to opt out of personalized ad targeting, use these steps to observe those requests in Engagement.
• Google Analytics Use Case
  An NTO marketer wants to compel past purchasers to review the item or service they purchased. The marketer uses Journey Builder to create a journey in Marketing Cloud Engagement, which uses data from their company’s Google Analytics (GA) account.
• The Salesforce Data Event
  A Salesforce Data Event is an action in Sales Cloud or Service Cloud, such as creating or updating an object record, that injects a contact into a journey. If the primary object meets rule criteria and reference object filtering criteria, Flow Builder initiates a Journey Builder event.
• Use CloudPages to Admit Contacts into Journey Builder
  Use a CloudPages Smart Capture form and Journey Builder to admit Marketing Cloud Engagement contacts into a journey using the CloudPages Form Submit Event.