Reference
Criteria Filter and Criteria Split Workflow Actions

Segmenting audience using Workflow nodes

Criteria Filter

Criteria filter checks incoming data against the provided criteria. If the data matches your criteria, the experience continues along the success path. If the data does not match your criteria, the experience continues along the fail path.

Usage Scenario

The example below demonstrates the use of a Criteria Filter in an A/B testing scenario, initiated by a form submission. The Criteria Filter divides customers into two groups based on predefined criteria. Customers who meet the criteria for Group A receive Email A. Conversely, those who do not meet the criteria for Group A and fall into Group B receive Email B. This setup allows for direct comparison between different marketing approaches.

Criteria Split

Criteria split enables you to build multiple 'criteria paths', and checks recipients against the criteria for each path. If the criteria match, the data follows the corresponding path. If multiple path's match, the highest priority (top) path is followed. If no paths are matched, they follow the 'Other' path.

Usage Scenario

The example below showcases a Criteria Split in action, with a flow based on student project preferences from a form submission. The Criteria Split node examines the student's choice and directs the flow accordingly. Successful project matches trigger an email with relevant project materials, while mismatches result in an email informing the student of the issue and suggesting alternative actions.

Configuration of the Action

Groups and Rules

• Groups serve as containers for sets of rules, similar to how parentheses are used in mathematical equations to group together different parts of an expression. Choose Add a group to begin a new set of conditions that act as a separate logical statement within the criteria.
• Rules are the individual conditions that reside within a group. A single group may contain multiple rules connected by a shared logical operator, AND or OR. A rule can exist on its own without a group. Utilise the Add a rule option to introduce new conditions within an existing group.

• The option between AND and OR within the interface allows you to define how groups and rules interact.

  Choosing OR means that your segment will include recipients satisfying any one, some, or all of the rules within that group. For example, if your segment's rules are that a recipient’s preferred channel is Email OR SMS, then all recipients with either preferred channels will be included.

  Conversely, selecting AND ensures that only recipients who meet all conditions are included in your segment. For instance, if your segment's rules are that a recipient’s preferred channel must be SMS AND must have bought a subscription within the last 30 days, then only recipients who meet both criteria will be included.

  Additionally, this logic can be layered to create complex segmentations, such as segmenting recipients who satisfy a specific rule AND at least one of two other conditions. For example, a segment might include recipients who have clicked on a campaign link AND prefer Email OR SMS.

Operators and Types

• Operators define how a field’s value is compared to your criteria. Available operators include:
  • equals – The value must be an exact, case-sensitive match.
  • greater than / less than / less than or equal to – Numeric comparisons only.
  • null – The field exists but its value is empty (e.g. { "Age": null }).

  • contains – Checks if a value contains a substring, or if an array includes a value of the same type. This comparison is case-sensitive.
    Use contains to: 

    • Find a substring within a string (e.g. "Smith" in "John Smith").
    • Find a value inside an array (2 in [1, 2, 3]; "a" in ["a", "b", "c"]).

    Only valid comparisons are allowed; for example, you can’t check if a number (with type number) is contained within a string. 

• Types refer to the kind of data used in rules:

  • String – Text values.
  • Number – Numeric values.
  • Boolean – True or false.
  • Field – References another field from your system, similar to merge fields.
  • Formula – A calculated value based on other data.

  Choose the correct type for both sides of your comparison. Some operators (such as contains) support specific combinations only, such as string[] with string, or number[] with number.

Ensure the value you enter matches the selected type. For example, if comparing an array, the operator and comparison value must be compatible (e.g., a string with a string array). The system will warn you if you select an invalid combination.

For a detailed guide on types, see Working with Types: Formula, Fields and Values

Paths

This is only applicable for Criteria Split.

• In Criteria Split, each path can be given a path label, reflecting its unique conditions. These names appear on the canvas, offering a clear map of the flow’s branching logic. To set up multiple paths, label each with a relevant name that describes the segment or condition it represents.
• The paths within a Criteria Split are prioritised from top to bottom. Recipients are evaluated against each path’s criteria sequentially. If a recipient matches multiple paths, the system prioritises the topmost path. There’s also a provision for a fallback path, labeled typically as 'Other', which captures any recipients not meeting the criteria of the prior paths.
• Within the node, you can duplicate a path as well as change the order of path to set precedence.