---
schema_version: "1"
id: 5278e7314da51d052a09c4215a53b433247dec5b5b72819d9b37aad0076813cd
title: Fire an Event
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_jb_fire_event.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_fire_event.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 1e1aaf7ad0c568da3b222ce24425439c6d1ad4260732065d051176875d50f593
description: Entry events prompt Journey Builder to evaluate Marketing Cloud Engagement contacts for journey entry. An entry event occurs when records in a journey's entry event data source, often a data extension, are added, updated, or overwritten. Firing an event lets you kick off a journey using an API or an automation created in Automation Studio.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Fire an Event

Entry events prompt Journey Builder to evaluate Marketing Cloud Engagement contacts for journey entry. An entry event occurs when records in a journey's entry event data source, often a data extension, are added, updated, or overwritten. Firing an event lets you kick off a journey using an API or an automation created in Automation Studio.

1. **[Create a Journey](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_create_a_journey.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Use a Contact Data entry event to fire events in Journey Builder using a Marketing Cloud Engagement automation or an API entry event.
2. **[Define the Automation](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_define_automation.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Define a Marketing Cloud Engagement automation using the Fire Event activity to fire an event prompting Journey Builder to detect updates. When you set up the Fire Event activity, select the same data extension used in the entry event you set up in your journey. Automations used for journeys can be set up in advance using Scheduled or File Drop Automations.
3. **[Run the Automation](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_run_automation.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Prompt Journey Builder to filter contacts into journeys configured to use this entry event.
4. **[Confirm Journey Entry](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_confirm_journey_entry.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Check Journey Builder Analytics.

#### See Also

- [Fire an Event via API](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/how-to-fire-an-event.html)