If/Else branches in workflows
If/Else branches let one workflow make decisions based on information stored in a contact's record: when the branch's condition is true, the contact follows one path, and when it's false, they follow another. Instead of building a separate workflow for every situation, a single automation can route each contact to the emails, resources, and follow-ups that fit them, which makes your automations more flexible and reduces the number of workflows you manage. For the building blocks behind this, see What Are JourneyCARE Automations?.
What If/Else branches do
An If/Else branch asks a question about the contact entering the workflow. If the answer is true, the contact follows one path; if it's false, they follow another.
For example, a new member onboarding workflow can branch on membership type:
Yes (Membership Type = Student): send the Student Welcome Email
No: send the Professional Welcome Email
If Else is an Internal Tools workflow action that creates conditional branches, so it works alongside the same actions and triggers as any other automation. A condition can compare a contact field, and it can also use a value produced earlier in the workflow, such as the result of a Math Operation action. You build If/Else branches in the workflows you create under Automations > Workflows; see Workflows Overview for how triggers and actions fit together.
Branching by membership type
Membership type is one of the most common things to branch on, because each type has its own needs.
Common membership types include Student, Professional, Retired, and Organization, and each one can receive different emails, resources, or onboarding experiences.
Branching by committee
Committee members often need different communication than general members.
For example, a workflow can branch on committee membership:
Yes (Committee = Conference Planning): send committee documents
No: continue the standard workflow
One automation like this can support multiple volunteer roles at once.
Branching by active or lapsed status
Branches can also make decisions based on membership status, so contacts hear from you in a way that matches where they stand.
For example:
Yes (Status = Active): send member benefits
No: send renewal information
This ensures contacts receive information relevant to their current relationship with your organization.
Branching on any contact field
You are not limited to membership information — nearly any contact field can be used for branching.
Fields you might branch on include:
State
Membership Level
Company
Certification Status
Event Attendance
Custom Fields
Tags
Branching on any of these makes it possible to create highly personalized experiences for every contact.
Best practices
Keep branches easy to understand, use meaningful field values, and test every possible path before publishing.
Keep branches easy to understand.
Use meaningful field values.
Test every possible path, and use Workflow History and Logs to review the exact path a contact took through the branches.
Avoid deeply nested branches whenever possible.
Use one workflow instead of several when branching can accomplish the same goal.
A workflow runs only after you Publish it. While a workflow is a draft, it never triggers or takes real actions, so you can test each path before it affects contacts.
Common mistakes
Most branch problems come from a few avoidable habits.
Creating unnecessary branches.
Forgetting to test both outcomes.
Using inconsistent field values.
Building multiple workflows when a single branch would be easier to maintain.