---
schema_version: "1"
id: 8e61e41b3dee25ac70654df05c3ab794ec9cca592e5911541e53e2e6d894a3ca
title: Validate a Journey in Journey Builder
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_jb_validate_your_journey.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_validate_your_journey.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4714d9bd04d9bfa0e7c873b3e381e59e00df271e1e291b7e2af91d127078d432
description: When you create or edit a journey, use validation to fine-tune the journey. Validation confirms that the journey’s components are configured correctly and work as planned.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Validate a Journey in Journey Builder

When you create or edit a journey, use validation to fine-tune the journey. Validation confirms that the journey’s components are configured correctly and work as planned.

Journey Builder checks for errors or configuration issues in these activities when you validate or activate the journey.

- Entry Source
- Entry Schedule
- Decision Splits
- Wait Activities
- Update Contact Activities
- Email Engagement Splits
- Journey Settings
- Journey Goals and Exit Criteria

If the email activity’s personalization strings don’t match the entry source attributes, include inline validation of those personalization strings. To activate the journey, you must resolve the personalization errors. A journey must include at least one messaging activity. For data transfer, segmentation, or other non-messaging use cases, consider another tool.

1. After you design a journey, click **Validate**.
    
    To validate a Transactional Send journey, configure the activities and then click **Activate**.
    
    - Errors and configuration issues appear in the results drawer.
    - Multiple errors for the same activity appear in the same error tile.
    - Activities that require attention are highlighted on the canvas.
2. To fix an error, click **Edit**.
    
    If the activity doesn’t have an Edit button, click the activity.
3. After you correct the error, click **Done**.
4. After fixing the configuration errors, click **Revalidate**.

After you validate a journey and resolve the issues, the **Test** button is available. To simulate a journey’s flow, test it before you activate it.