Inactive Segments
Inactive segments is a functionality in Zoho Campaigns where segments that haven't been used in email campaigns, SMS campaigns, WhatsApp campaigns, segment membership, and workflows get moved to the Inactive filter automatically after 60 days from when they were created. These segments are considered unused segments or inactive segments.
Why do segments need to be inactivated?
Segments are inactivated for two reasons:
- To prevent data cluttering by not displaying the unneeded segments that haven't been used in a long time.
- To ensure the performance of the app stays smooth.
On what basis are the segments inactivated?
If there are segments that haven't been used in email campaigns, SMS campaigns, WhatsApp campaigns, or workflows, they get a 60-day time limit. If the segments remain unused after this 60-day period they'll be moved to the Inactive filter automatically.
For the segments created after the release of this functionality, if they remain unused for 60 days from the date of creation, they'll be inactivated.
What happens to the segments after they're inactivated?
After the segments (whether they were created before or after this feature release) get inactivated, they'll stay in the Inactive filter for 120 days, unless they get manually reactivated. If these segments don't get reactivated even after 120 days, they'll get deleted automatically. If a segment gets deleted, it cannot be retrieved; the segment should be re-created by you.
As long as the segments are in an inactive state, they cannot be used in the different types of campaigns and also in workflows. They can only be used in campaigns and workflows if you reactivate them.
How do you access the inactive segments
Let's look at how to access the segments that have been inactivated:
- From the Navigation Toolbar to the left, click Audience.
- Click Segments.
- Click the All filter at the top of the page, then click the Inactive filter. This view should display the inactive segments.
- You can either reactivate these segments if you're going to use them in the future or you can delete them if they're not needed. Once a segment is deleted, it cannot be retrieved.
Note:
In the Segments page under the Status column, you'll see a text showing X days left beneath the Inactive status label.
For example, if there are two inactive segments, you may see 5 days left under one segment, and 45 days left under another. This indicates the remaining days before these segments get deleted automatically. So, the first segment will be deleted after 5 days and the second one after 45 days.
How can you reactivate an inactive segment
If you'd like to use an inactive segment in campaigns and workflows, you need to reactivate it by following the below steps:
- From the Navigation Toolbar to the left, click Audience.
- Click Segments.
- Click the All filter at the top of the page, then click the Inactive filter. This view should display the inactive segments.
- Click an inactive segment, then click the Reactivate button at the top-right corner.
- In the pop-up that appears, click the Reactivate button. This segment will be now active again, and you can use it in campaigns and workflows.
Alternate method:
- From the Navigation Toolbar to the left, click Audience.
- Click Segments.
- Click the All filter at the top of the page and click the Inactive filter. This view should display the inactive segments.
- At the far right of an inactive segment, click the More Actions (3-dot) button and click Reactivate.
- In the pop-up that appears, click the Reactivate button. Now, this segment will be active again, and you can use it in campaigns and workflows.
Email Alerts and In-App Notifications
This functionality involves automated actions, such as inactivating and deleting segments automatically, so we send automated reminder emails and in-app notifications to your Zoho Campaigns organization when a segment is inactivated or about to be deleted.
Let's look at the type of emails and notifications you'll receive.
When a segment is inactivated
An automated email alert and in-app notification will be sent to both the admin of the Zoho Campaigns organization as well as the user who created the segment when it is inactivated 60 days after inactivity. The email contains a button that will take you to the segment or the inactive filter view to reactivate it quickly.
30 days after the segment gets inactivated
Inactive segment will be deleted automatically after 120 days, so we'll send periodic email alerts reminding you to reactivate the segment if you're going to continue using it in the future. The first of these three emails is sent 30 days after the segment gets archived.
60 days after the segment gets inactivated
This is the second reminder email that is sent to both the admin of the Zoho Campaigns organization as well as the user who created the segment.
119 days after the segment gets inactivated
The last reminder email is sent one day before the segment gets deleted automatically. All three emails contain a button that will take you to the segment or the inactive filter view to reactivate it quickly.
After a segment is deleted
A notification email will be sent to inform the users that the segment has been deleted automatically, as it wasn't unarchived after 120 days from its date of inactivation.
Segments with Custom Fields
If you have segments in which custom fields are used as some of the criteria, and if these custom fields have been deleted, then these segments won't function. Hence, if they become inactivated automatically, they cannot be activated again, rendering them unusable.
You can view the list of contacts, export them, and view the reports of these segments.
But unlike the legacy segments, you can edit these segments when they're active and modify the criteria, then save changes. This will act as a brand new segment which you can use in future. Note that it will be a brand new segment, so the reports and contacts data for the older segment will be permanently flushed.
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