Configure a Decision Split

The Decision Split activity in Journey Builder evaluates contact journey data, then sends each contact down a path based on the filter criteria you set. The paths in a decision split are evaluated in succession from top to bottom. Contacts who meet more than one set of criteria for a path follow the path they qualify for first. Contacts that don’t meet conditions to follow one of the paths you configure follow the Remainder path.

You can use either a sendable or non-sendable data extension in a Decision Split activity. For more information, see Connect the Data Extension for a Decision Split.

Tip To help you decide where and how to store data to use in decision splits, see Journey and Contact Data.

1. Drag the Decision Split activity onto the canvas.
2. To enter a name, click .
   

   Tip We recommend that you use a name that describes its purpose.
3. Click the activity.
4. To configure the first path, click Edit.
5. Select Contact Data or Journey Data.
6. To configure a filter, click to narrow the attribute selection.
7. Drag the attributes to use into the filter.
8. To set the filter criteria, click next to an attribute.
9. Click Done.
10. After you set all filter criteria, click Summary.
11. To configure more paths, click Add Path, and repeat steps 4 through 10.
    

    Note You can create up to 20 paths.
12. Click Done.
13. Configure the remaining activities for each path.

Example A marketer sets up a decision split to divide Active Subscribers, Lapsed Subscribers, and Subscribers with an Abandoned Cart Transaction. The goal of the split is to separate customers and subscribers who are actively engaged with the brand from the customers who aren't. Apart from these two cohorts, the marketer wants to send messages to any customer with an Abandoned Cart transaction. This setup evaluates each contact for active subscribers first, lapsed subscribers second, and then for any subscriber who abandoned a purchase.

• Connect a Data Extension for Decision Splits
  To use data that isn’t in the entry source or that changes in a Decision Split in Journey Builder, follow these steps to link a data extension in Contact Builder.
• Use Restricted Values
  To control the values available to select in the filter expression, an admin can use restricted values. Users who build the filter expression can choose from designated values only, not a default or blank value. In practice, restricted values are created in Contact Builder. Then when a user creates a journey, the dropdown menu used to set the attribute value displays a list of preselected values only.
• Copy a Decision Split Path
  To save time, you can copy decision split paths in Journey Builder. After you make a copy, edit the attribute values to make it distinct from other paths. You can't activate a journey when two decision split paths are configured identically.
• Reorder Decision Split Paths
  Journey Builder evaluates contacts that reach a Decision Split activity against the split’s filter criteria in succession from top to bottom on the canvas. You can change the order of the paths.