# Journey settings, goals, exit criteria and versions

*Marketing Cloud Engagement Specialist Study Guide · Marketing Automation · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-engagement-specialist/marketing-automation/journey-settings-goals-exit-criteria-and-versions*

How a journey's settings and lifecycle behave: contact entry modes and what can change after activation, the default email address, goals versus exit criteria and when each is evaluated, data extension and API Event entry options, and what versions, Pause and Stop do to contacts.

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

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a customer scenario, build the appropriate Journey Builder solution.

## What the exam expects

- Choose a contact entry mode and know which mode is fixed after activation and which can't be tested.
- Set the default email address from Contacts or from the Entry Source.
- Combine goals and exit criteria, and predict when each is evaluated and counted.
- Configure a data extension entry source's processing option and hand a developer the API Event's key.
- Predict what a new version, Pause and Stop do to contacts already in a journey.
- Key terms: **contact entry mode** (when a contact may enter or re-enter); **goal** (a filter on contact data that measures success and can exit contacts); **exit criteria** (a filter that only removes contacts); **current version** (the activated version that admits new contacts); **Event Definition Key** (the identifier that connects an API to a journey's API Event).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| No re-entry | Applies to all versions; can't change after activation; unsupported in test mode | [Journey Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_settings.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Long journey, changing address | Use email attribute from Contacts | [Journey Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_settings.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Goal without Exit Option | Counted, not ejected | [Goals in Journey Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_goals.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Exit criteria timing | When the contact's time in each wait expires | [Exit Criteria](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_exit_criteria.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Goal and exit criteria both met | Goal processed first | [Exit Criteria](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_exit_criteria.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Data Extension entry source | Sendable data extension; snapshot at activation | [Entry Sources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mc_jb_entry_sources.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Append-only entry data | Evaluate new records only | [Process Entry Source Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_manage_audience_data.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| API Event | Event Definition Key on the Summary tile; no period | [Admit Contacts Via an API](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_jb_admit_contacts_via_api.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| New version | Becomes current; old version finishes its contacts | [Journey Versions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_versions.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Pause | Up to 14 days; wait extension for Wait by Duration only | [Journey Pause](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_pause.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a Single Send journey be used when you need to measure a goal?
- When would you add a Wait by Duration before an exit path?
- Why does Use mobile number attribute from Contacts cope with a changed number?
- Which Pause option is unavailable when the Data Extension entry source uses Evaluate All Records?

## Sources

- [Journey Settings](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_settings.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Goals in Journey Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_goals.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Exit Criteria](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_exit_criteria.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Wait Activities in Journey Builder](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_wait_activity.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Journey Versions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_versions.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Journey Pause](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_pause.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Choose How to Process Entry Source Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_manage_audience_data.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Entry Sources](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mc_jb_entry_sources.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Admit Contacts Via an API](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.mc_jb_admit_contacts_via_api.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Journey Testing](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=mktg.mc_jb_journey_testing.htm&type=5)
- [Message Activities](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_jb_message_activities.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Test and Launch a Journey Campaign](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/journey-builder-campaigns/test-and-launch-a-journey-campaign)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 14 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