# A/B tests and Configure Delivery send options

*Marketing Cloud Engagement Specialist Study Guide · Content Creation and Delivery · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-specialist/content-creation-and-delivery/a-b-tests-and-configure-delivery-send-options*

Set up an Email Studio A/B test (six test types, random test and remainder groups, unique open or click-through winners, automatic or manual remainder sends) and choose the Configure Delivery options that control schedule time zone, reporting, Sales Cloud results, Prebuild Burst Sending and CC or BCC copies.

- Certification: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement Specialist
- Exam section: Content Creation and Delivery
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-specialist

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a customer scenario, configure send settings to meet the customer requirements.

## What the exam expects

- Pick the Email Studio A/B test type from what differs between two versions, and set the winner criterion and remainder send.
- Explain how test and remainder groups are chosen and why a dynamic subject line falls back to its default in a two-email test.
- Choose Configure Delivery options for reporting, Sales Cloud results, tracking, web analytics and fast urgent sends.
- Predict when a scheduled send deploys and which audience records it uses.
- Send hidden or visible copies of a user-initiated email with CC and BCC.
- Key terms: **A/B test** (two versions sent to two random test groups, winner sent to the remainder); **winner criterion** (highest unique open rate or highest click-through rate); **remainder** (subscribers not in a test group); **Configure Delivery** (the Send Flow step for timing, tracking and advanced options); **Prebuild Burst Sending** (locks the audience and builds emails when the schedule is set).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A/B winner criteria | Highest unique open rate or highest click-through rate | [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| A/B test types | Subject Line, Email, Content Area, From Name, Send Time, Preheaders | [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Subject Line test limit | 256 characters per subject line | [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Test and remainder groups | Chosen randomly by the system | [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Two-email test, dynamic subject | Default subject always used; use AMPscript | [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Schedule time zone | The scheduling user's time zone | [Configure Delivery](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=mc_es_configure_delivery.htm) |
| Suppress From Send Report | Results go to the Test Send Emails folder | [Configure Delivery](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=mc_es_configure_delivery.htm) |
| Prebuild Burst Sending | Audience locked and emails built when send time is set | [Configure Delivery](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=mc_es_configure_delivery.htm) |
| BCC | Invisible to recipients | [User-Initiated Email Messages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_email_messages.htm&language=en_US) |

## Check yourself

- Why might a long subject line fail in a Subject Line A/B test?
- When can a Content Area test be used?
- When should subscriber data be updated for a standard scheduled send?
- Where do a send's results go when Suppress From Send Report is selected?

## Sources

- [A/B Testing in Email Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_ab_testing.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Configure Delivery](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=mc_es_configure_delivery.htm)
- [User-Initiated Email Messages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_es_email_messages.htm&language=en_US)
- [Send Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_send_flow.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Improve Email Campaigns with Effective Testing and Sending (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/email-creation-and-sending/test-and-send-emails)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 8 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Marketing Cloud Engagement Specialist pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams