Combine
The Combine activity is a Targeting activity. This activity allows you to perform segmentation on your inbound population. You can combine several populations, exclude part of it, or only keep data common to several targets. Here are the available segmentation types:
- The Union regroups the result of multiple activities into a single target.
- The Intersection keeps only the elements common to the different inbound populations in the activity.
- The Exclusion excludes elements from one population according to certain criteria.
Configure the Combine activity
Follow these common steps to configure the Combine activity:
- Add multiple activities, such as Build audience activities, to form at least two different execution branches.
- Add a Combine activity to any of the previous branches.
- Select the segmentation type: union, intersection, or exclusion.
- Click Continue.
- In the Sets to join section, check all the previous activities you wish to join.
Union
In the Combine activity, configure a Union by selecting the Reconciliation type to define how duplicates are handled:
- Keys only: This is the default mode. The activity keeps only one element when elements from the different inbound transitions have the same key. This option can only be used if the inbound populations are homogeneous.
- A selection of columns: Select this option to define the list of columns on which the data reconciliation is applied. First, select the primary set (the source data), then the columns to use for the join.
Intersection
In the Combine activity, configure an Intersection by following these extra steps:
- Select the Reconciliation type to define how duplicates are handled. See the Union section.
- Check the Generate complement option if you wish to process the remaining population. The complement contains the union of the results of all inbound activities minus the intersection. An additional outbound transition is then added to the activity.
Exclusion
In the Combine activity, configure an Exclusion by following these extra steps:
- In the Sets to join section, select the Primary set from the inbound transitions. This is the set from which elements are excluded. The other sets match elements before being excluded from the primary set.
- When necessary, manipulate inbound tables. To exclude a target from another dimension, return this target to the same targeting dimension as the main target. Click Add a rule in the Exclusion rules section and specify the dimension change conditions. Data reconciliation is carried out either via an attribute or a join.
- Check the Generate complement option if you wish to process the remaining population. See the Intersection section.
Examples
In the following example, a Combine activity uses a Union to retrieve all the profiles of the two queries: persons between 18 and 27 years old and persons between 34 and 40 years old.
The following example shows the Intersection between two query activities. It retrieves profiles who are between 18 and 27 years old and whose email address has been provided.
The following Exclusion example shows two queries configured to filter profiles who are between 18 and 27 years old and have an Adobe email domain. The profiles with an Adobe email domain are excluded from the first set.
