--- schema_version: "1" id: c1ff043e524fd7cc78f445f1ca49032822110a5e69ddee8e303712b529d920c6 title: Configure a Decision Split collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_jb_use_decision_splits.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_use_decision_splits.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 7490f2ede8d9ee0fe64ef2032767d5639c704e6916ceb1ced6e1eaec69b2e0f3 description: 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. products: - Marketing - Marketing Cloud Engagement release: "264" --- # 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](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_connect_data_extensions_for_decision_split_use.htm&language=en_US). ![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 help you decide where and how to store data to use in decision splits, see [Journey and Contact Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_contact_data.htm&language=en_US). 1. Drag the Decision Split activity onto the canvas. 2. To enter a name, click ![Edit Icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/mc_journeys_and_automations/images/mc_jb_edit_icon_pencil.jpg). ![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 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 ![Expand Arrow Icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/mc_journeys_and_automations/images/mc_jb_back_icon.jpg) to narrow the attribute selection. 7. Drag the attributes to use into the filter. 8. To set the filter criteria, click ![Edit Icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/mc_journeys_and_automations/images/mc_jb_edit_icon_pencil.jpg) 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](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 You can create up to 20 paths. 12. Click **Done**. 13. Configure the remaining activities for each path. ![Example](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_example.png) 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](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_connect_data_extensions_for_decision_split_use.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** 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](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_use_restricted_values.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** 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](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_copy_split_path.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** 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](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_reorder_split_paths.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** 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. #### See Also - [Linked Data Extensions in Journey Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_data_relationships.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Your data setup affects how Marketing Cloud Engagement evaluates the contact attributes used in journey entry source filters, wait activities, or decision splits. Review what happens when a data extension is linked to one or more other data extensions.") - [Journey and Contact Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_contact_data.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Journey data preserves the state of a contact's data at the moment an entry event fires, facilitating the use of that data throughout a journey. Contact data captures the data values in the event source data extension at the time when Journey Builder evaluates it. Both are uniquely useful in journey creation.") - [Connect a Data Extension for Decision Splits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_connect_data_extensions_for_decision_split_use.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "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.")