Trigger node

The trigger node is the entry point of every journey. It defines when and which contacts enter the flow.

Every journey has exactly one trigger node. It must be the first node in the graph. The underlying node type values are event_trigger, segment_trigger, date_trigger, and api_trigger (always lowercase snake_case).

Trigger types

Event trigger (event_trigger)

Contacts enter when they fire a specific event.

• Event name — pick from your event catalog (e.g., order_completed, signup_completed, cart_abandoned)
• Event filters (optional) — narrow to events matching specific property values (e.g., amount > 1000 or category = "electronics")
• Deduplication window — prevent the same contact from re-entering within a time period (e.g., “once per 7 days”)

Best for: behavior-driven flows like cart abandonment, post-purchase, and milestone triggers.

Segment trigger (segment_trigger)

Contacts enter when they join a specific segment.

• Segment — pick from your segment library
• Entry mode — “on enter” (contact joins the segment) or “on exit” (contact leaves the segment)

Best for: lifecycle stage transitions like “became inactive”, “upgraded to pro”, or “entered VIP tier”.

Scheduled trigger (date_trigger)

Contacts enter on a recurring schedule.

• Schedule — daily, weekly, monthly, or cron expression
• Segment — which contacts to enroll on each schedule tick
• Timezone — respect each contact’s timezone or use a fixed timezone

Best for: recurring campaigns run through a journey (e.g., weekly digest with branching).

API trigger (api_trigger)

Contacts enter when your server calls the journey enrollment API.

• No UI config needed — the trigger listens for POST /api/v1/journeys/{id}/start with a contact ID
• Payload pass-through — any JSON properties in the API call are available as variables inside the journey

Best for: server-driven flows like order fulfillment, support ticket escalation, or webhook-initiated processes.

Re-entry behavior

What happens if a contact triggers the journey while already inside it?

Default is Ignore — safest for most use cases.

What’s next

• Wait node — pause after the trigger
• Journey builder — canvas overview