Use a conditional step in a journey

In this article, you'll learn how to add a conditional step to a journey. Conditional steps allow you to branch your journey into specific user paths.

Good to know

The conditional step:

• Creates branches or 'user paths' when it is added to a journey. By default, an 'ELSE' path is always created as a fallback.

• All conditional branches return to the parent tree, unless you have used the End journey step to terminate them.

• You can create multiple branches with a single conditional step.

Applying conditional filters

When setting up your conditional step, there are two types of filters you can apply:

• Properties about someone: Filter based on contact attributes, including custom attributes and synced connector events.

• If someone is in or not in a list: Filter for a specific list, or choose to combine two or more lists. This is particularly useful when building a journey to send marketing emails.

What you'll need

• A journey with a trigger

• A contact with attributes

Step one: Add the conditional step to a journey

1. Hover your mouse pointer over the last node of the journey tree or over a conditional step’s path you’ll see an ‘add step’ icon.

2. Select the add a step icon.

3. Select the Conditional step.

Step two: Configure the conditional step

1. Give the branch a name.

2. Select a conditional filter type.

3. Configure the filter by selecting an attribute and setting up the filter.

4. Click Save, unless you want to add an additional filter or multiple branches.

If you click Save, your journey will be updated, and the ELSE path will now be visible.

[Optional] Step three: Add an additional filter

If you want to layer additional filters at this stage, follow these steps:

1. Below your existing filter configuration, in the Condition section, click Add +. A new conditional block will appear.

2. Select the conditional filter type.

3. Configure the additional filter by selecting an attribute and setting up the filter.

4. Click Save, unless you want to add multiple branches.

If you click Save, your journey will be updated, and the ELSE path will now be visible.

[Optional] Step four: Add multiple branches

If you want to add multiple branches to your journey, follow these steps:

1. Below your existing filter configuration, in the Condition section, click New branch +.

2. Give the branch a name.

3. Select the conditional filter type.

4. Configure the additional filter by selecting an attribute and setting up the filter.

5. Double-check the setup of your branches before you continue.

6. When you've finished setting up your additional branches, click Save.

Your journey will be updated, and the ELSE path, any branches you have configured previously, and your new branch will now be visible.

Step five: Terminate your branches

1. Hover over the branch that you want to terminate. At the last node of that branch, select the Add step icon.

2. Select the End journey step. This will terminate the path.

If you want to remerge the branch back into the main journey tree, you can delete the End journey step by clicking it, then clicking the Delete icon.

Success! You've set up a conditional step.

FAQs

How do I remove a branch while leaving the other branches in place?

From the conditional step setup, find the branch that you want to remove, and click the Delete icon.

What happens when two branches are configured the same way?

The journey will run with the first matching branch from the configured branches, from left to right. Contacts moving through the journey will only move through this branch.