Segmentation 2.0 introduces more precise and flexible ways to work with dates. You can filter contacts by behavior or profile-based date fields, apply dynamic or fixed timeframes, and now even create recurring segments that ignore the year. These improvements make it easier to target audiences based on real-world timing - such as anniversaries, renewals, or upcoming events -without needing complex setup.
Behavior Dates vs. Profile Dates
Act-On differentiates between behavior dates (timestamps tied to tracked actions such as an email send or form submission) and profile dates (fields that exist on a contact’s profile, such as a birthday or renewal date). For Custom Data defined as a behavior type, at least one activity timestamp field is required. You may include additional date fields that function like profile attributes.
The main differences include:
- Behavior timeframe criteria allow selection of across all data, which includes all available historical data subject to retention policies.
- Behavior timeframe criteria do not include future-oriented options such as In the next X days/weeks/months or Next quarter/year. Profile-based fields do include these options.
- You can still set future-oriented behavior criteria using the Custom Date Range option.
Set as Recurring (Ignore Year)
When your data includes a year, you can use the Set as Recurring toggle to create a segment factor that ignores the year. This is ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, or renewal reminders where you want to find all qualifying contacts regardless of year.
The Set Recurring toggle appears at the end of the row for profile-based date factors. When turned on, the segment evaluates only the day and month. For example, if your criteria is Next week, the system calculates the relevant dates for the current year, then includes any contacts with matching dates regardless of year.
How Dates Are Calculated
Act-On calculates dates according to the following rules. For clarity, the segment builder drop-downs display the example ranges so you always know what to expect.
- Criteria such as Today, Yesterday, This Week, Next Month, or Last Quarter are calendar-aligned. Weeks start on Sunday.
- Criteria such as In the last X days/weeks/months/quarters or X days/weeks/months/quarters ago are normalized and inclusive.
- 1 day ago = yesterday (00:00–23:59)
- In the last 1 day = today (00:00–23:59)
- Custom date ranges are inclusive of both the start and end dates.