---
schema_version: "1"
id: 3e93d99936ce71d98509e41f69cd0a9d076495feaf6be1e97da6619f883481b8
title: Configure a Path Optimizer Test Activity
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_jb_path_optimizer_test_activity.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_path_optimizer_test_activity.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 882be9fefd0c1b5e1f25832d0f3b43c9748ff1c7dca62ac987ae15275e905155
description: Follow these steps to configure the Path Optimizer Test activity in Journey Builder.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Configure a Path Optimizer Test Activity

Follow these steps to configure the Path Optimizer Test activity in Journey Builder.

1. Drag the Path Optimizer activity onto the canvas.
2. Add activities to the paths between the start and finish points of the Path Optimizer.
    
    The activity defaults to two paths, but you can add up to 10 paths for testing.
3. Click the Path Optimizer activity.
4. Click **Configure Winner Evaluation**.
    
    To pick a winner automatically based on email metrics, click **Email Engagement**. Then choose the metric and evaluation period. The evaluation period is how long the system waits after contacts pass through the longest path before picking the winner. You can configure the evaluation period in hours or days with a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 99 days.
    
    To review your data and manually pick a winner, select **Manual Engagement**. If you don’t select a winner within 7 days of activation, the test expires and contacts are held back as if they’re now part of a Random Split.
5. Click **Split**.
6. Select the percentage of contacts to send on each path.
    
    To include more paths in your testing, click **Add Path**.
7. Click **Holdback**.
    
    ![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/images/icon_important.png)
    
    Important The Holdback feature is only available when you use the Run Once entry schedule type. Change the entry schedule type back to Run Once to activate the journey with a Holdback. If you want to use the Recurring schedule type, you must first change the entry schedule type back to Run Once, then remove the Holdback feature from Path Optimizer before activating your journey.
8. Select the percentage of contacts to include in the test. The rest of the contacts wait in the Holdback group until a winner is selected, then enter the journey on the winning path.
    
    ![Tip](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/images/icon_tip.png)
    
    Tip To allow the system time to track engagement for all preceding messages, add a wait activity after the last message included in the test.
9. Click **Done**.
10. Activate your journey.
11. Click the **Path Optimizer** activity.
12. Review **Test Summary**.
13. For Email Engagement tests, review the results of your running test. These results include all email metrics, which path is in the lead, and elapsed time of the test. To end the test early, click **Select Winning Path**. Select the winning path, and click **Select Winner**.
    
    ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/images/icon_note.png)
    
    Note The test duration is the sum of the evaluation period you select and the length of the longest path including wait activities.
14. For Manual Engagement tests, click **Select Winning Path**. Select the winning path, and click **Select Winner**.
15. Click the Analytics dropdown, and select **Summary** to view the activity configuration.

After the test completes, the activity shows Test Summary metrics that are snapshots of test stats at the time the winner was selected. Also, Post-Test Performance stats show elapsed time, how many contacts passed through, and engagement metrics after the winner was selected. This information allows you to compare performance for ongoing optimization of your journey.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/images/icon_note.png)

Note If you copy a journey with a Path Optimizer activity and you select a winning path, only that winning path remains in the copied journey. If you didn’t select a winner, all potential paths copy into the new journey.

#### See Also

- [Data Extension Entry Source](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_data_extension.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "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.")