--- schema_version: "1" id: 70607566f23e6b62aa223a6e123ccf5ca159e1e0d2bbad2004de567a0ad96f77 title: Path Experiment Element collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/flow_ref_elements_path_experiment.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_path_experiment.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: bd640026ce3e6af000a33e936fd6200df40c17e0d7728eec536aa085f004769e description: Experiment with up to 10 different versions of a customer journey to determine the most effective path. The Marketing Cloud Path Experiment element randomly assigns individuals to paths for an unbiased outcome. Use automated path selection for faster optimization. Use manual path selection for added control or if you’re using data from outside Salesforce. products: - Flow Builder - Salesforce Platform release: "264" --- # Path Experiment Element Experiment with up to 10 different versions of a customer journey to determine the most effective path. The Marketing Cloud Path Experiment element randomly assigns individuals to paths for an unbiased outcome. Use automated path selection for faster optimization. Use manual path selection for added control or if you’re using data from outside Salesforce. ### Required Editions
Available in: Lightning Experience
Available in: Salesforce Enterprise and Unlimited Editions with Marketing Cloud Advanced Edition, and in Starter and Pro Suite Editions. Your edition determines the options that you have.
![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_note.png) Note Flow Builder remembers your expand and collapse preferences for this element on the canvas. Your view is stored locally in your browser and persists between sessions on the same browser; this setting is specific to you and does not affect the view of other users. However, if you clear your browser's cookies and other site data, or switch to a different browser, your preferences reset to the default expanded view. Clearing cached images or files doesn't affect this setting. ## Prerequisites To add the Path Experiment element to a flow, the user requires either the Marketing Cloud Manager or Marketing Cloud Admin permission set. The Path Experiment element also requires that you set up personalization features. For detailed instructions, see [Set Up Personalization Features in Marketing Cloud Next](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_data_graph_setup.htm&language=en_US). Path Experiment is available in automation event-triggered flows and segment flows. ## Automated Path Selection (Recommended) To use automated path selection, select Automated, then configure your performance metric, test settings, and fallback behavior. During automated path selection, the system tests paths, then selects a winner. The system uses Bayesian prediction to select a winning path. If a path meets or exceeds 95% confidence to beat all other paths after testing, it’s declared as the winner. If no path meets or exceeds 95% confidence to beat all other paths, the experiment uses your selected fallback behavior. ![The automated path selection configuration panel](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_automated.png) | Field | Description | | --- | --- | | **Performance Metric** | The metric used to measure a path’s level of success in your experiment. The performance metric can be a standard event, such as Email Link Clicks, or a custom engagement signal. For detailed information about custom engagement signals, see [Engagement Signals](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.persnl_engagement_signals.htm&type=5&language=en_US). | | **Test Group** | The percentage of your audience to run the experiment on. | | **Duration** | The amount of time the experiment runs. | ## Considerations for Automated Path Selection - Every path in the experiment needs at least one data point for your selected Performance Metric before the experiment selects a winner. Make sure your audience and experiment duration are large enough that each path is likely to generate at least one data point. - Experiments with fewer than 300 audience members per path are inconclusive because the results aren’t statistically significant. An inconclusive experiment uses your selected fallback behavior. With the Best Performer option, the experiment selects the best performer even with fewer than 300 participants per path. - Einstein Metrics Guard suppresses bot engagement signals from emails before the experiment records them. Suppressed engagement signals can prevent a path from reaching the one-data-point minimum. As a result, the experiment doesn’t select a winner. For more details, see [Email Client Privacy Metrics in Marketing Cloud Engagement Einstein](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_anb_mpp_overview.htm&type=5&language=en_US). ## Manual Path Selection To use manual path selection, select Manual, then configure your test settings. To experiment on a subset of your audience, select Test a subset of your audience in the Path Experiment properties panel. You can test a subset of the audience only for flows configured to run one time. Enter the percentage of the audience to include in the experiment. Then enter the delay duration for the remaining group. When the duration expires, the delayed group enters the experiment and follows randomly assigned paths based on the distribution percentages. ![The manual path selection configuration panel](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_manual.png) | Field | Description | | --- | --- | | **Test Group** | The percentage of your audience to run the experiment on. | | **Duration** | The amount of time the experiment runs. | ## Paths Create a path for each customer journey that you want to test. Specify an audience percentage for each path. Flow randomly assigns each individual an experiment cohort and path based on the distribution percentage. After the initial assignment, each individual always receives the same path when reentering the experiment. The individual can reenter through a loop or Go To connector. ![The Path Experiment path configuration](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_configpaths.png) | Field | Description | | --- | --- | | **Path Label** | Identifies the path on the canvas. | | **Path API Name** | The requirement for uniqueness applies only to elements within the current flow. Two elements can have the same API name, provided they're used in different flows. An API name can include underscores and alphanumeric characters without spaces. It must begin with a letter and can’t end with an underscore. It also can’t have two consecutive underscores. | | **Path Percentage** | The distribution percentage of individuals to send down this path. The total distribution percentage across all paths must equal 100%. | ## Path Assignment and Test Group Distribution The Path Experiment element uses randomization to assign individuals to paths and test groups. The percentages you set are targets, not guaranteed counts. The actual distribution doesn't always match your specified percentages exactly, especially with smaller audiences. The system assigns each individual based on their unique ID and the experiment ID. This calculation places each person into a specific bucket, which determines their path assignment and whether they're in the test group. Because the system assigns each person individually rather than dividing the total evenly, the results work like probability rather than exact division. For example, you configure two paths with a 50% distribution each and run the experiment on a small audience of 6 people. The actual split can be 4 people in one path and 2 in the other, rather than exactly 3 and 3. The same applies to test groups. With an 80% test group setting for 10 people, you sometimes see 7 or 9 people instead of exactly 8. Larger audiences yield distribution results closer to your set percentages. This behavior applies to both path percentages and test group percentages. ## Debug a Path Experiment Element Run your Path Experiment element in debug mode to test its behavior. Click **Debug**, select triggering records and any other relevant debug options, and then click **Run**. On the Debug panel's Details tab, find the Select Resume Path card after the Path Experiment card. ![The debug options for a Path Experiment element on the Debug panel's Details tab.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_debug_options.png) To randomize path assignment, select **Automatically select a path**. To test a specific path, select **Manually select a path**, and then for Resume Path, select a path. ![Resume path options for selecting a manual path while debugging](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_debug_manual_path.png) Click **Continue the Debug Run**. ## Manually Select a Winning Path To select a winning path for an activated flow, select the Path Experiment element on the Flow Builder canvas. In the Winning Path dropdown, select the path to designate as the winning path. Selecting a winning path sends all new, remaining, and delayed audience members down that path. Manually selecting a winning path doesn't require saving a new flow version. ![Path experiment winning path selection](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_ref_elements_path_experiment_winner_selection.png) ## View Path Comparison Analytics Review how paths in your experiment are performing by using the Analytics tab in the Path Experiment properties panel. This tab shows participant counts, performance metrics, and confidence levels for each path. The Analytics tab is available for segment flows that have a progress status of Activated, Completed, Canceled, or Error. However, if the flow status is Error, no analytics data appears. To access detailed analytics reports, click **View Analytics**. Path outcome metrics show the overall performance result for each path. To view path outcome metrics, in the Path Experiment element's Analytics tab, click **Open Details**. ![The path comparison analytics for a Path Experiment element with a progress status of Activated](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_analytics.png) ## View Path Experiment History Track what happened during your path experiment by using the History tab in the Path Experiment properties panel. The tab shows all changes after activation, including when each event occurred, who made the change, and whether the action was automated or manual. Review events such as experiment start, winner selection, delayed group releases, and fallback handling. The History tab appears for segment flows with a progress status of Activated, Canceled, or Error. ![The path experiment history for a Path Experiment element with a status of Completed](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_builder_path_experiment_history.png) ## Path Experiment Notifications The user who activates a flow receives an in-app notification when the path experiment completes. The notification informs you about the experiment outcome. For example, it shows which path won, whether fallback handling occurred, or if the experiment was inconclusive. These notifications are sent automatically without extra setup. If the user who activated the flow is deactivated, Salesforce doesn’t send a notification. ![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_example.png) Example With the Path Experiment element, you can test the effectiveness of two subscription renewal campaigns. - Send 80% of the individuals to Path 1, and send them a renewal email. The flow waits for one day before sending a follow-up SMS. - Send 20% of the individuals to Path 2, and send them a renewal email that includes testimonials. The flow waits for one week before sending a follow-up SMS with a discount code. To see more details about message engagement results, create a Data 360 report by using one of the Message Engagement DMOs. Filter the report by the flow element ID. ![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/images/icon_example.png) Example ![Flow Builder canvas with Path Experiment element](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-platform_automation-264-0-0-production-enus/60568438-ec7e-4665-acd1-7c80dcbe60d5/platform_automation/images/flow/flow_ref_elements_path_experiment_canvas.png) #### See Also - [Data 360 Reports and Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=data.datacloud_reports_dashboards_overview.htm&language=en_US) - [Turn On Einstein Metrics Guard for Unified Messaging](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.um_channel_email_einstein_metrics_guard.htm&type=5&language=en_US)