Using Synchronized data extension fields in journey builder decision splits

Question

I want to use synchronized data extension fields in the form of contact data in journey builder splits. Let's say my journey is abandoned cart and when the customer enters the journey through API based entry event, the customer recieves the first email after an hour. However, the customer could potentially make an order in that hour which ends up as an order record in Salesforce. We have a decision split configured, if the customer makes a purchase for the cart that it abandoned, after it entered the journey(by saving timestamp and then comparing it with order createddate), so we exit the customer from the journey. I am not able to use the synchronized data extension fields and compare it with the journey data. Since some of the fields on the synchronized data extensions are nullable, I cannot compare it with journey data, as it gives me a warning. The alternative, that I have tried to use journeydata through {{Event.event_definition_key."cartId"}}, which works for update contact activity, but does not work in decision splits. Has anyone successfully tried to use synchronized data extension fields(not required on object level in Salesforce but marked as non-nullable in synchronized data extension) in decision split and compare it with journeydata?

Answer 1

You'll need to create a custom attribute in Contact Builder - Data Designer with the fields that will connect to the subscriber in the Journey.

(1) Create a query or multiple that pulls from the synchronized data extensions as the source (FROM) pulling in the fields subscriber/contact ID, cartID and order createddate.

(2) Create a data extension that will feature the contact/subscriber key that will relate to the ContactKey for the subscriber (Contact ID or Lead ID) and the cartId and order createdate fields.

(3) Create an automation that will run the querys in step #1 at the frequency needed. If hourly is too long add 2-3 fifteen to twenty minute wait steps in the automation.

(4) In Contact Builder Data Designer build a custom attribute linking the Contact Key to the Contact/lead ID in your data extensions.

(5) In the decision splits in your journey set the 1 to 1 relationship with your subscriber by selecting the contact/lead ID in your custom attribute and check the Attribute compare checkbox and add in your contact/lead ID from your Journey DE equal to the attribute id.

(6) In the same decision split add another filter to compare the order createdate.