A segment stack runs a sequence of segments in order and puts each contact in the first segment they match. Someone who matches an earlier segment is left out of the later ones, so the groups never overlap. This is useful for an appeal waterfall: major donors first, then regular givers, then lapsed supporters, with each person asked once.

Before you start

  • Creating, changing and deleting stacks needs relationships:write:contacts; running them needs relationships:read:contacts.
  • Save the segments you want to use first; see Build and save a segment. You can also create one from inside the stack.

Create a stack

  1. Open Relationships → Segments and choose the Stacks tab.
  2. Choose New stack, then enter a Name (required), such as “Donor waterfall”, and an optional Description.
  3. Choose Add segment. In Pick a segment to snapshot, choose Snapshot beside a saved segment, or Create new segment to build one there.
  4. Repeat for each group, up to 10. Rename an item if you like, and use the move up and move down controls to set the order. The first item takes priority.
  5. Choose Create stack.

Snapshot means the stack takes a copy of the segment’s conditions at that moment. If you later edit the saved segment, the stack keeps the copy it took; remove the item and snapshot the segment again to pick up the change.

Run a stack

  1. Load the stack: choose Saved stacks, then Load beside it. (A stack you’ve created in this visit is already loaded.)
  2. Choose Run stack. It’s only available for a saved stack.
  3. Read the results:
    • Buckets shows each item with its Position, Count and % of total, plus an Unassigned row for contacts who matched nothing, and how many contacts were scanned. Select a bucket to see its members.
    • Flat (labelled) lists every contact with their Assigned bucket, Name, Email and Town. Choose Load more for further rows.

As with segments, contacts you aren’t allowed to see aren’t counted or listed.

Change or delete a stack

Load the stack, change its name, description or items, and choose Save changes. To delete one, open Saved stacks and select the delete icon beside it. Deleting a stack doesn’t delete its segments or any contacts.

If something goes wrong

If saving or running fails with a message about stale custom fields, an item refers to a custom field that has since been deleted. The message names the item; remove that item, or snapshot an updated segment in its place.