Using the ‘Sample’ block the selection can easily be divided into different segments for sending a test email or for sending multiple versions of the mailing to different parts of the selection.
Drag a sample block onto the worksheet and connect an input (selection) block with the sample block.
Double click the sample block to open the screen below.
1. Segments
Based on the number of segments one or more sample blocks will be shown.
2. Sample type
The size of a sample can both be based on a percentage as well as on an absolute number. Using the ‘Spread equally’ button the number of records will be distributed evenly over the number of segments selected.
3. Show ‘Remainder’ block
Check the ‘Show ‘Remainder’ block’ to add a “Remainder” block to the output of the sample. This block contains the records that do not meet any of the specified conditions. Please note that this can also be 0. The ‘Other’ block can be recognized by the different shape of the block with respect to the other sample blocks.
4. Block template
More details: Block template.
5. Description
More details: Description.
6. Apply / Cancel / Save / Calculate
Click ‘Calculate’ to perform the sample operation.
A segment block is created per group.
When ‘Show ‘Remainder’ block’ is selected a count of the remaining records (‘Remainder’) will be made. This remainder segment contains all records (from the input block) that do not meet the defined selection conditions in the sample block.
More details: Apply / Cancel / Save / Calculate.
Example
The ‘Sample’ block shows the total number of records, for example 9.351. In the settings a number of two segments are selected with an even distribution of 50% per segment. The output however shows three blocks: namely Sample A, Sample B and Remaining. The remainder block is only displayed when this option is checked in the sample settings and shows the remaining number of records that cannot be evenly distributed in an integer value over the number of segments or when the provided distribution of records does not add up to the total number of records. When the option ‘Show ‘Remainder’ block’ is not checked the output, in this example, consists of two samples of 4.675 records.
In the example the input consists of 9.351 records, evenly distributed over 2 segments (Sample A = 50% and Sample B = 50%). The output is: Sample A = 4.675, Sample B = 4.675 and Other = 1. When the record in ‘Other’ would be assigned to either Sample A or B the mutual division between the two segments would no longer be 50% – 50%.
