# Flow types, triggers and re-entry settings

*Marketing Cloud Next Consultant Study Guide · Campaign Design, Flow Orchestration & Content · Last updated November 6, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-next-consultant/campaign-design-flow-orchestration-and-content/flow-types-triggers-and-re-entry-settings*

How to match a marketing requirement to an audience, automation event-triggered, on-demand, broadcast or activation-triggered flow, then configure its source, event, schedule, segment update and re-entry settings.

- Certification: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Next Consultant
- Exam section: Campaign Design, Flow Orchestration & Content
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/marketing-cloud-next-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, determine the appropriate flow type, trigger conditions, and configuration settings required to achieve the desired marketing or messaging outcome.

## What the exam expects

- Choose among audience, automation event-triggered, on-demand, broadcast and activation-triggered flows from the trigger and required speed.
- Pick the audience source: Segment, List, Record or Campaign.
- Select the right event, including form, CRM record change and order events, and apply its rules.
- Configure Start settings: schedule, segment update, additional criteria and re-entry.
- Explain why republishing and re-entry settings don't remove people from running occurrences.
- Apply the edition gate on engagement signal events and the target rule for activation-triggered flows.

**Key terms.** *Occurrence*: one scheduled run of a segment flow. *Dynamic segment*: a segment whose membership is determined after a broadcast flow starts. *Event Library*: the list of events that can trigger a flow. *Engagement signal*: a custom behavior definition that can become a flow event. *Re-entry*: whether someone can join a flow again.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring audience flow | As often as every hour | [Flow type comparison](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_flow_types_compare.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Event flow timing | Within about 15 minutes for built-in and custom events | [Flow type comparison](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_flow_types_compare.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Activation-triggered entry | Follows segment publishing, 10 minutes to 24 hours | [Flow type comparison](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_flow_types_compare.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Broadcast starters | API request, Apex call or another flow | [Flow type comparison](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_flow_types_compare.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Broadcast Wait support | Start run type **Async** enables Wait elements | [Broadcast flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_broadcast_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| On-demand required input | `IndividualId` | [On-demand flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_on_demand.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Form flows using a Unified Individual | Wait at least 24 hours before actions | [Build event flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_automation_event_triggered_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Engagement signal events | Advanced Edition only | [Event-triggered flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_concepts_trigger_automation_event.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Activation-triggered target | Data 360 target type only | [Activation-triggered flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_activation_triggered_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Republishing | Changes new runs, not occurrences in progress | [Segment flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_concepts_trigger_segment.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Immediately before running this flow | Overrides the segment's publish schedule | [Create a segment flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_segment_triggered.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |

## Check yourself

- Why start a segment flow from a campaign in Marketing Cloud Next?
- When must a flow be deactivated before you change it?
- What must exist in the flow for a custom on-demand input to be recognized?

## Sources

- [Comparison of Marketing-Oriented Flow Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_flow_types_compare.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Audience Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_concepts_audience.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Segment Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_concepts_trigger_segment.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create a Segment Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_segment_triggered.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Automation Event Library](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_ref_event_library.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Build Automation Event-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_automation_event_triggered_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Automation Event-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_concepts_trigger_automation_event.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Set Conditions and Reentry Criteria for Event-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_automate_flow_marketing_cloud_additional_conditions_re_entry.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Trigger Automation Event-Triggered Flows When CRM Records Change](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_automate_flow_marketing_cloud_trigger_crm_data_changes.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=260)
- [On-Demand Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_concepts_trigger_on_demand.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create a Broadcast Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_broadcast_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Automate Data Delivery with Activation-Triggered Flows](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.automate_flow_build_create_activation_triggered_flow.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Manage Flows in Marketing Cloud](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud-growth/guide/mc-manage-flows.html)
- [Drive Sales with Automated Marketing Tools (Summer 26)](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_mktg_commerce.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Order Lifecycle API Automation Events](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_admin_api_events_overview.htm&type=5&language=en_US)

## 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 Next Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams