This feature is only available for Professional accounts.
Within an automation, you can choose the action 'Split' under the section 'Conditions and workflow'. Here you can create two different types of splits: a conditional split and a proportional split.
By using a split, you can determine which approach works best within your automation.
Note 1: In order for contacts to participate in a split action, they must encounter this action in their automation path. Once a split action has been initiated, it cannot be edited.
In this article:
- How to create a conditional split within an automation?
- How to create an equal split within an automation?
Note 2: Generally, we strongly advise against making adjustments to an active automation. This can lead to unexpected errors. Therefore, always set the automation to 'Inactive' before making any changes!
If the situation requires the automation to be 'Active' (e.g. contacts starting at a specific point), it is better to leave it as is.
How to create a conditional split within an automation?
This split will send contacts to the 'A-path' until the condition you have set in advance is met, and then send the new contacts to the 'B-path'. For example, you could apply this if you want to offer a special promotion to the first 100 contacts on your list, and then offer a different promotion to all other contacts who perform the same action.
You add this action to your automation by:
- Choosing the point within your automation where you want this split to occur;
- Clicking on the plus sign (+);
- Clicking on 'Conditions and workflow' and then on 'Split'.
- Then choose 'Conditional split'.
In the following pop-up screen, you can set the condition on which the split should no longer lead contacts to the A-path; the moment they should be directed to the B-path.
There are three options to choose from:
- Until X number of contacts have been sent to path A.
- Until X number of contacts have achieved a goal.
- On a specific date or time.
Option 1: Until X number of contacts have been sent to path A
All contacts that encounter this split action will be directed to path A until a certain number of contacts have already followed that path. Once this number of contacts is reached, all remaining contacts encountering this split will be directed to path B. In this action, you determine the number of contacts that will be led to path A.
By default, a value of 300 is filled in here, which you can adjust to the desired value by clicking on the number. Click 'Apply' once the desired value is entered.
Option 2: Until X number of contacts achieve a goal
All contacts that encounter this split action will be directed to path A until a certain number of contacts have achieved a specific goal that you have set in advance. Once X number of contacts have achieved this goal, the remaining contacts will be directed to path B. In other words, contacts will only be forwarded to path B if a certain number of contacts have met the predefined goal, regardless of the total number of contacts directed to path A.
By default, a value of 300 is filled in, and the goal is: 'have been sent to path A'. You can adjust the total number of contacts that must achieve the goal by clicking on the number 300 and then typing your own value. You can also define your own goal here. To do this, first click on 'have been sent to path A' and then choose 'Has achieved the goal'. It should look like this:
Then click on 'Set the conditions' and set your own goal/conditions within the split conditions editor.
Save your choice by clicking on the green button 'Save'. Then, don't forget to click on the blue button 'Apply' in the pop-up where you return.
Option 3: On a specific date or time
All contacts will be directed to path A until the moment a specific pre-set date/time is reached. Once this specific date/time is reached, all other contacts encountering this split will be redirected to path B.
To set this condition, click on the radio button next to 'Current date is'.
Then click on the blue date and time link '%d-%m-%Y &H:%M'
Use the calendar to select the desired date and use the drop-down to select the desired time.
After choosing the date/time, click on the blank area in the pop-up you were working in, where the arrow in the screenshot below points.
Then click on the blue button 'Apply'.
How to create an equal split within an automation?
An equal split determines the 'winning path' within an automation and can be seen as an A/B split test. This way of splitting will evenly distribute contacts along the paths as far as the split goes. For example: Contact 1 goes to path A, contact 2 to path B, contact 3 to path A, contact 4 to path B, and so on. At the end of the split, the 'winning path' is determined based on conditions that you have predefined and set. You can use this equal distribution to see which automated email performs better or to see which marketing or sales approach works best.
You add this action to your automation by:
- Choosing the place within your automation where you want to introduce this split;
- Clicking on the plus sign (+);
- Clicking on 'Conditions and workflow' and then on 'Split'.
Then click on 'Equal split'.
In the following pop-up screen, you can set a condition to determine when you want the split to end in order to determine the 'winning path' afterwards. There are 4 options to choose from:
- Never, split it infinitely;
- Until X number of contacts have been split;
- Until X number of contacts have reached the goal;
- On a specific date.
Each option is explained below.
Option 1: Never, split it infinitely
This option simply means that a split never ends and a winning path is never determined. All contacts that enter this split will be evenly split across the paths for as long as the automation runs.
To choose this option, click on the radio button for 'Never, split it infinitely' and then click on the blue button 'Apply'.
Option 2: Until X number of contacts have been split
This option means that the split will continue until a certain number of contacts have been evenly split. Here, you will determine the number of contacts that will be evenly distributed across both paths.
Once the split is completed, the winning path will be determined based on the conditions you have set beforehand. The path with the most contacts that have met these conditions will be the winning path. In case of a tie, path A will be chosen as the winning path.
To choose this option, click on the radio button for '300 total number of contacts have been split'. You can adjust the number 300 to your own chosen number of contacts by clicking on this number.
Then click on the 'Set the conditions' link, create the conditions in the split conditions editor, and click on 'Save'.
Then click again on 'Apply'.
Option 3: Until X number of contacts have reached the goal
Contacts that encounter this split will be evenly distributed across the paths until X number of contacts have reached a goal. You can determine both the number of contacts that need to reach this goal and what this goal should be. Once X number of contacts have reached this goal, the split test will end, and a winning path will be determined. The path in which the number of contacts that have reached the goal is the largest will be the winning path. If the number of contacts in both paths is equal, path A will automatically be chosen as the winner.
It is important to note that there may be more contacts in the split action than the number you set to meet a goal. For example, if you have set that 300 contacts need to meet a certain goal, it is possible that 500 or 1,000 contacts will go through the path; the split action will only end when 300 contacts have met the goal.
To choose this option, click on the radio button for '300 total number of contacts split'. You can set the number 300 to your own chosen number of contacts by clicking on this number.
Then click on the 'Is split' link to choose 'Has reached the goal'.
Then click on the 'Set the conditions' link, create the conditions in the split conditions editor, and click 'Save'.
Then click again on 'Apply'.
Option 4: On a specific date
This option means that your split will end on the date and time you have specified in advance. Once this date/time is reached, the split will stop, and the winning path will be determined based on the conditions you have set in advance.
To use this option, click on the radio button next to 'Current date is' and click on the blue date and time link '%d-%m-%Y &H:%M'.
Use the calendar to select the desired date and use the drop-down to select the desired time.
After choosing the date/time, click on the empty area in the pop-up you were working in, where the arrow in the screenshot below points.
Then click on the blue button 'Apply'.