With Conditional Splits, you can create different Automation Workflow paths based on contact behavior, profile data, or message engagement. This lets you send different messages to different contact groups within the same workflow.
A Split Block creates two paths:
Yes – Contacts who meet the rule
No – Contacts who do not meet the rule
You can add different actions to each path or add common actions below the Split Merge.
When to Use Conditional Splits
Use splits to route contacts into different paths based on:
Trigger Filters – Event data at the moment the workflow triggers (order value, product purchased, cart value).
Contact Properties – Profile data (country, segment, tags, custom properties).
Message Engagement – Opens or clicks after sending a previous message in the workflow.
Alternative approaches:
Trigger Filters (in Trigger settings) – Filter who enters the workflow.
Audience Filters – Limit the entire workflow to a specific segment.
Conditional Splits – Route contacts into different paths after they enter the Automation Workflow.
Add a Split Block
Drag and drop the Split Block to any point in your Automation Workflow.
The Split Block creates a Yes path, a No path, and a Split Merge below both paths. You can drag and reorder the Split Block after adding it to the workflow.
Set Up Split Rules
In the Split block settings, select the rule type and define the condition that determines which path a contact takes.
Trigger Filters – Properties of the event that triggered the workflow.
Contact Properties – Profile data, tags, segments, or custom properties.
Message Engagement – Opens or clicks of a previous message.
If the rule is met, the contact goes to the Yes path. Otherwise, the contact goes to the No path.
Choosing the Right Filter
To identify the correct filter, check the last word in the filter string (e.g., "Collections", "Product", "Line"). The dropdown options belong to that category.
For example:
Order → Products → Collections → Title → This filter checks the Collection Title of the purchased product.
Trigger Filters
Use Trigger Filters to split based on event data at the moment the workflow triggers.
For example, you can send different Order Confirmation messages depending on the product collection purchased.
Important: Trigger Filters check event data at the moment the workflow triggers. You cannot split based on order tags or fulfillment status added after the trigger.
Just as with the trigger rule settings, the event specified in the split condition checks the order against its initial status. Therefore, it is not possible to split your automation based on the order tag, etc., unless the order had that tag/status when the workflow was triggered.
Contact Properties
Contact Properties split lets you split based on profile data, including segments, tags, country, and custom properties.
Example: Language Localization
You can check whether the contact is from Germany. If yes, send a message in German. Otherwise, send it in English.
Each Split Block has two decision paths: Yes and No. To create three or more outcomes, nest additional Split Blocks within a path.
The shared continuation below the merging point is not a third decision path. It contains actions that apply after contacts from the Yes and No paths rejoin.
Example: Route contacts based on three signup forms (Form A, Form B, Form C):
First split: Check if Country is Germany → Yes path sends Email A.
On the No path, add a second split: Check if Country is France → Yes path sends Email B.
The final No path sends Email C.
Using Custom Properties in Splits
To use contact custom properties in split rules, follow these steps:
Create a segment using a custom properties filter.
In the split settings, choose Segment as the contact properties rule filter.
Select the segment you want to use.
Segment-Based Splits: Timing Requirements
For event-based triggers (Placed Order, Viewed Product, Subscribed, Custom Event, and others), Omnisend applies a ~15-second wait before evaluating a segment-based Conditional Split that appears before the first timed delay. This ensures the segment has refreshed before the contact is routed.
Best practice: Adding a short delay block before a segment-based split is still a recommended setup – especially for large or complex segments where refresh time may vary. This gives you control over when the evaluation runs and keeps routing consistent regardless of segment size.
This applies to segment-based conditions (e.g., "First Order Customers").
Message Engagement
Use Message Engagement splits to route contacts based on opens or clicks of a previous message in the workflow.
Critical: Add a 2–24 hour delay before splits that check message engagement. Without a delay, the split checks immediately after sending – before recipients have time to open or click.
Note: Unsubscribe and Preference Center link clicks do not count toward the click count. If a recipient clicks either of these links, they won't go to the Yes path when checking if the contact clicked "any link."
💬 For more ideas, check our blog article on message engagement splits.
Opened Email Filter
After you select the Opened Email rule, the dropdown shows email messages added to your workflow prior to the split. You can send different messages to contacts who opened the email or discontinue the sequence.
⚠️ iOS 15 Impact: Conditional split by opens was impacted by the iOS 15 Mail Privacy Protection update and is ineffective with subsequent iOS updates as well. Learn more.
Clicked Email Filter
Select the email message first, then define the link type:
Link Type | When to Use | How to Set Up |
is any | Check if the contact clicked any link | No additional setup required |
is predefined | Check if the contact clicked a specific link | Select the link from the dropdown |
is generated | Check if the contact clicked a unique link (e.g., abandoned cart, product recommendation) | Use "contains" or "starts with" + the static part of the URL (e.g., |
Clicked SMS Filter
The SMS click filter works the same way as the email filter. You need to choose the message and the link type.
Important: Enter the original link you added to the SMS content, not the shortened 0snd.com/a/XXXXX link generated by Omnisend.
Example:
You add
https://basic-piece.comto your SMS.Omnisend shortens it to
0snd.com/a/XXXXX.In the Split Block, enter
https://basic-piece.com.
For automatically generated links (e.g., abandoned cart), use the "contains" operator with the static part of the URL (e.g., contains "cart").
Combine Multiple Split Rules
You can add up to 5 rules to a single split and combine them with AND or OR operators.
💬 Check our blog article for more ideas on split block usage.
Configure Split Paths
A Conditional Split creates two paths: Yes and No. You can add actions inside either path to route contacts based on the split rule.
You can also rejoin the paths at the Split Merge. Contacts from both paths then continue through the same sequence of actions.
Add Actions to the Yes and No Paths
Add the actions that should apply only to contacts in the Yes or No path. You can move messages and other blocks between paths by dragging them.
Important: At least one of the Yes and No paths must contain one step, such as an email, delay, or action. You can leave the other path empty. If both paths are empty, you’ll see this error: Cannot start workflow with empty paths.
Add Actions to the Split Merge
If contacts from both paths should follow the same steps at a certain point in your workflow, add those actions below the Split Merge. This creates a shared continuation for contacts from both the Yes and No paths.
You can move blocks between the Yes path, the No path, and the shared continuation by dragging them.
If you do not want the paths to merge, leave the shared continuation empty and keep adding actions inside the Yes and No paths only.
FAQ
Can I merge split paths back together into one workflow?
Yes. Add actions below the merging point to create a shared continuation for contacts from both the Yes and No paths. You can add emails, delays, or other workflow actions to this shared continuation.
What if I do not want the split paths to merge?
Leave the shared continuation empty. Add all path-specific emails, delays, and other actions inside the Yes or No path where they should run.
Can I move blocks between split paths and the Split Merge?
Yes. Drag the block to the Yes path, the No path, or the Split Merge. The block runs according to the path where you place it.
How do I split into three or more paths (e.g., three different forms)?
Omnisend splits have two paths (Yes/No). To create three outcomes, nest splits:
First split: Check if condition = Option A → Yes path for Option A.
On the No path, add a second split: Check if condition = Option B → Yes path for Option B.
The final No path handles Option C.
Will I see my abandoned checkout link in the list of predefined links?
No. Links that carry information personalized for each contact are not added to the predefined links menu. Instead, set the condition to: URL is generated → contains → "checkout".
Will the split adjust automatically if I change the links in the message after selecting them in the Split Block settings?
No. If you change the link in the message, you must update the Split Block settings manually to match the new link.
What is the limit of split blocks?
You can use up to 20 split blocks in one workflow.
Have any additional questions? Talk to us at [email protected] or via in-app chat.