---
schema_version: "1"
id: db569efdaf626b002688a8efbf4b0740d1329eeac808dc855c1dd8596b882e6c
title: Create a Waterfall Segment
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/data/264-0-0/c360_a_create_a_waterfall_segment.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_create_a_waterfall_segment.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 694f96d9fbc4734cb80ff59f0eb6600db21dbbb1aa6eadb724eddccbc59ac8bd
description: If you’re running a campaign with multiple offers, use a waterfall segment to process a list of existing segments in a priority order. The primary goal is to ensure that an individual who qualifies for more than one segment is placed only into the highest-priority segment they match. This creates a series of mutually exclusive audiences, which is ideal for campaigns where you want to send customers only one, most-relevant offer.
products:
  - Data 360
release: "264"
---
# Create a Waterfall Segment

If you’re running a campaign with multiple offers, use a waterfall segment to process a list of existing segments in a priority order. The primary goal is to ensure that an individual who qualifies for more than one segment is placed only into the highest-priority segment they match. This creates a series of mutually exclusive audiences, which is ideal for campaigns where you want to send customers only one, most-relevant offer.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>All Editions</strong> supported by Data 360. See <a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.c360_a_dc_editions.htm&amp;release=264.0.0&amp;type=5" title="Data 360 is available in several supported Salesforce editions. Some Data 360 features also require additional licenses.">Data 360 edition availability</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;" id="d136884e63">Permission Sets Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="Permission Sets Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d136884e63 ">To create a waterfall segment:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d136884e63 ">
              <p>Any one of these permission sets:</p><a name="c360_a_create_a_waterfall_segment__ul_jjg_cpm_d2c"><!-- --></a>
              <ul id="c360_a_create_a_waterfall_segment__ul_jjg_cpm_d2c">
                <li>Data Cloud Architect</li>

                <li>Data Cloud Activation Manager</li>

                <li>Data Cloud Activation Specialist</li>

              </ul>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

1. In Data 360, click **Segments**.
2. Click **New**.
3. Select **Use a Visual Builder**.
4. Select **Waterfall Segment**, and click **Next**.
5. Enter the segment details.
    1. Select a data space.
    2. For Segment On, select the data model object (DMO) that your segment is built on. The list displays the objects marked as Profile type during ingestion.
    3. Give your waterfall segment a unique name that’s easily identifiable.
6. Click **Next**.
7. Define when and how often your waterfall segment publishes to activation targets.
    
    If you plan to add segment filters, you can also select **Don’t Refresh** and add the schedule later. The processing schedule applies to the entire waterfall. Rapid segment publish isn’t available for waterfall segments.
8. Click **Save**.
9. Create the waterfall by dragging segments onto the canvas and ordering them according to priority.
    
    You can add up to 20 segments. Only active segments that are based on the selected DMO and that aren’t already in a waterfall are listed. A segment can exist in only one waterfall. You can't include nested segments in a waterfall segment. Counts for each mutually exclusive segment are available after you save and publish the waterfall segment.
10. Click **Save**.
    
    Saving your waterfall segment takes time. Leaving the waterfall page doesn’t affect processing.

![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-data-data_cloud-264-0-0-production-enus/f3569962-3c9b-4f83-9d0c-b6a574e785da/images/icon_example.png)

Example

This example shows how a waterfall segment creates mutually exclusive audiences so a customer receives only one offer.

You have three separate promotional offers and three segments of customers you want to target:

- Offer 1 (Best Offer): 25% off for High-Value Customers
- Offer 2 (Mid-Tier Offer): 15% off for New Customers (Joined in last 90 days)
- Offer 3 (General Offer): 10% off for All Active Customers

A customer can be in multiple segments at once. For example, a High-Value Customer (Offer 1) might also be a New Customer (Offer 2) and is definitely an All Active Customer (Offer 3). You don't want to email this person three different offers; you want to send them only the best one they qualify for (the 25% off).

You create a waterfall segment and drag your existing segments onto the canvas in this priority order:

1. High-Value Customers (Priority 1)
2. New Customers (Priority 2)
3. All Active Customers (Priority 3)

When the waterfall segment runs, it evaluates each customer against the list in order and stops as soon as it finds a match:

- Customer A (Sarah): Sarah is a High-Value Customer and a New Customer.
    - Does she match Priority 1 (High-Value)? Yes.
    - Result: Sarah is placed into the High-Value Customers group. The waterfall stops processing her. She will not be placed in the New Customers or All Active Customers groups, even though she technically qualifies for them. She receives only the 25% off offer.
- Customer B (David): David is not a High-Value Customer, but he is a New Customer.
    - Does he match Priority 1 (High-Value)? No.
    - Does he match Priority 2 (New Customers)? Yes.
    - Result: David is placed into the New Customers group. The waterfall stops processing him. He receives only the 15% off offer.
- Customer C (Maria): Maria is not High-Value and not a New Customer, but she is an Active Customer.
    - Does she match Priority 1 (High-Value)? No.
    - Does she match Priority 2 (New Customers)? No.
    - Does she match Priority 3 (All Active Customers)? Yes.
    - Result: Maria is placed into the All Active Customers group and receives the 10% off offer.

The final output of your waterfall segment is three distinct, non-overlapping lists of customers that ensures no one receives more than one promotion.