When running multiple journeys in SFMC Journey Builder, it’s crucial to prioritize which journey a contact should enter when they qualify for multiple journeys at the same time. Without proper prioritization, contacts may receive conflicting messages, experience delays, or enter unintended journeys.

Here are key strategies to manage journey prioritization effectively:

1.Prioritization Using Entry Criteria & Suppression

You can control which journey a contact enters by defining strict entry criteria and using exclusion filters.

Entry Criteria Example: Priority-Based Filtering

• High-priority journeys should have the most restrictive entry criteria.
• Use SQL queries or DE filters to segment contacts before entering the journey.
• Example: A customer qualifies for both a VIP Offer Journey and a General Promo Journey—ensure the VIP journey has a stricter entry rule.

            SELECT SubscriberKey FROM Customers

             WHERE IsVIP = 1 — Only VIP customers qualify

Suppressing Lower-Priority Journeys

• Use suppression data extensions to exclude users already in a higher-priority journey.
• Example: Add a field like “InJourney” and mark customers actively enrolled in a high-priority journey.

2.Using Journey Entry Source & Exit Criteria

If a contact is in a journey, you can prevent them from entering another one.

Exit Criteria Strategy

• If a contact enters a high-priority journey, configure Exit Criteria to remove them from lower-priority journeys.
• Example: If a customer enters a High-Value Retargeting Journey, exit them from General Promotional Journeys.

3.Decision Splits for Routing Contacts to the Right Journey

Instead of creating multiple overlapping journeys, consider using a Master Journey with Decision Splits to route contacts to the appropriate path.

Example: Master Journey with Decision Split

• A single journey determines which communication path to follow:
  • Path A: VIP customers → Exclusive Offers
  • Path B: High-intent customers → Abandoned Cart
  • Path C: General users → Standard Promotions

                          SET @CustomerSegment = AttributeValue(“Segment”)

                           IF @CustomerSegment == “VIP” THEN

                            /* Route to VIP path */

                            ELSEIF @CustomerSegment == “HighIntent” THEN

                              /* Route to Abandoned Cart */

                              ELSE

                               /* Route to General Promo */

                                ENDIF

                       This ensures that a contact follows only one journey path.

4.Prioritization Using Contact Participation Settings

Journey Builder allows control over how often contacts can enter a journey.

Participation Options

• No re-entry → Contacts can only enter once (ideal for lifecycle journeys).
• Re-entry anytime → Contacts can enter multiple times (use cautiously).
• Re-entry after exit → Allows a controlled re-entry.

Example: Prevent Re-entry into Low-Priority Journeys

If a customer enters a Premium Support Journey, prevent them from entering a Standard Support Journey by setting “No Re-entry” on lower-priority journeys.

5.Prioritization Using SQL Query-Based Preprocessing

If you’re pulling data from Salesforce CRM or another database, you can prioritize which journey a contact should enter before they reach Journey Builder.

SQL Example for Journey Selection

                  SELECT

                   SubscriberKey,

                   CASE

                    WHEN IsVIP = 1 THEN ‘VIP Journey’

                     WHEN AbandonedCart = 1 THEN ‘Cart Recovery Journey’

                      ELSE ‘General Promo Journey’

                      END AS JourneyAssignment

                      FROM CustomerData

• This assigns contacts to only one journey based on priority rules.

6.Using Einstein Engagement Scoring for Prioritization

Leverage Einstein Engagement Scoring to determine which journey a customer should enter.

• High Engagement Score? → Enter a loyalty journey.
• Low Engagement Score? → Enter a re-engagement journey.
• Recent Purchase? → Suppress from promotional journeys.

Example:

             SELECT SubscriberKey

              FROM EinsteinScoringData

              WHERE EngagementScore > 80

7.Using Automation Studio to Control Entry Priority

Use Automation Studio to process and assign journey entry priority before contacts enter Journey Builder.

How?

• Schedule an SQL activity to determine journey eligibility.
• Use Data Filters to move contacts into the correct entry Data Extension.
• Run automations in priority order (high-priority journeys first).

 Best Practices for Journey Prioritization

                    Define a clear journey hierarchy (High-priority journeys should have exclusive criteria).
                    Use Data Extensions for suppression (Mark contacts as “In Journey” to avoid multiple entries).
                    Route contacts within a single journey (Instead of creating many separate ones).
                    Use SQL queries to pre-process journey assignments (Select the most relevant journey).
                    Leverage Einstein Engagement Scores (Prioritize based on customer engagement levels).
                    Use Automation Studio for controlled journey enrollment (Manage journey entry with scheduled queries).

By implementing these Journey Prioritization Strategies, you can ensure that contacts receive the most relevant communication without conflicting journeys.