2. Flow nodes aka triggers, actions, goals and Flow controls

The Flow feature is applied with the help of paths and nodes. A path describes the customer journey and is built with different types of nodes. In this article, we'll explain what different nodes within a path can do.

A node is a single point of action in a path. The node's type and criteria determine the side-effects it has when a customer reaches the specific node.

Nodes can be divided into the following types:

• Trigger A type of node, where a customer enters the path or moves forward on a path based on input, such as a new sale or a change in a customer data field.
• Action A type of node, which yields a side-effect. The current side-effects are customer data updates and the generation of new events.
• Goal A type of node, which keeps a count of customers and transactions that have reached the node.
• Flow control A special type of node used to direct a customer on a specific path or branch of a path.

In addition to their respective types, nodes can also include criteria such as filters. This means that the node includes a set of rules that guide how and when the node's side-effect is generated. For example, a branching node will redirect customers to a specific node based on a predefined filter, and a trigger node can be set only to start the path if specific criteria are met.

Trigger nodes can also act as checkpoints after the initial trigger for the path has been set. The purpose of the check is to see if a customer who is moving along the path has performed an action or not. For example, you could check if the customer has opened or clicked your email or you could check if they have completed a purchase. Then you can direct the customer in the right direction according to if the desired action has been completed or not.

Next up: How to edit nodes?