Understand segments

Who can use this feature?

  • Unison admins can create and manage segments.

Segments are reusable groups of records that match rules you define. Use segments to focus operational work on the Accounts, Users, Opportunities, interactions, or other records that matter for a specific purpose.

Understand the parts of a segment

Every segment includes the following parts:

PartWhat it means
Name and purposeExplain what the segment represents and how your team should use it.
Primary objectDetermines the type of record returned as a member of the segment.
RulesDefine the conditions a record must meet to become a member.
MembersShows the records that currently match the saved rules.

Primary object

The primary object determines what each result represents. You can create segments for Accounts, Users, Opportunities, Calls, Emails, Tickets, Documents, Tasks, To-Dos, and enabled external objects.

The rule builder can use fields from the primary object and from related objects. If a relationship is defined between two objects—including an external object—you can use fields from the related object in the segment criteria.

Rules

Rules describe which records belong in the segment. You can combine conditions with AND or OR logic and build rules using properties, dates, related activity, Markers, Journeys, and other data available for the selected object.

Members

Members are the records that currently match the rules. As customer data changes, records can enter or leave the segment when Unison reevaluates its membership.

Preview and review segment results

Generate a preview while building or editing a segment to check the total number of matching records and review a sample before saving. If you change the rules after generating a preview, Unison marks the preview as out of date so you can update it.

After you save a segment, open it to see the total number of members and review the member table. You can search the results, manage visible columns, and apply additional table filters to Account segments.

Screenshot needed: Segment creation page showing rules and the generated preview.

Use segments across Unison

Saved segments provide a consistent audience that can be reused in supported Unison experiences. Depending on the feature and object type, you can use segments to:

  • Define the audience or scope for Markers and Briefs.
  • Focus Lenses and reports on a specific group of Accounts.
  • Narrow AI-assisted analysis to a known group.
  • Apply the same segmentation model when defining Workflow entry conditions and other operational criteria.
Some Unison features support only Account segments. The available segment options depend on the feature you are configuring.

Compare segments and cohorts

A cohort is a special type of Account segment intended for reporting and comparison. Segments and cohorts use the same rule-building experience, but they serve different purposes.

TypePrimary objectUse it for
SegmentAny supported objectReusable operational audiences, filtering, and targeting.
CohortAccountConsistent comparison groups in cohort-based reports.

Find and organize segments

Go to Operations > Segments to find saved segments and cohorts. The directory identifies each item's type, primary object, visibility, creator, creation date, and last update.

Use search and folders to organize the directory. You can move or delete multiple items with bulk actions, or open an individual segment to rename it, update its purpose or rules, and review its members.

Screenshot needed: Operations > Segments directory showing folders and the segment list.

FAQs

Question: How quickly does segment membership update?

Answer: Saved segments are reevaluated periodically, so membership may not change immediately after source data or segment rules change. Use the preview to validate updated rules, then allow time for the saved member list to refresh.

Question: Can I change a segment's primary object?

Answer: No. The primary object is fixed after the segment is created. Create a new segment when you need to return a different type of record.

Question: Can segment rules use related records?

Answer: Yes. Segment rules can use fields from the primary object and from any standard or external object connected through a defined relationship. The rule builder shows the related fields available for the selected primary object.

Question: Are saved segments private?

Answer: Saved segments created in Operations belong to your Unison instance and are displayed as Public. Admins manage them, and they may be available to users in supported segment and audience selectors.

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