Smart stops in journeys
Use Smart stops to create journey-wide stop rules that remove contacts when they match selected criteria, no matter where they are in the journey.
What we'll cover
1 Concepts
Journey-wide logic
Smart stops apply across the journey rather than on a single step.
Exit behavior
When a contact matches a Smart stop, they exit the journey early.
Operational safety
Smart stops help prevent contacts from receiving messages after they reach an end condition.
Note: Smart stops use the same trigger types and filtering engine as journey entry triggers.
2 How to configure Smart stops
- Open the journey and click Smart stops in the left panel.
- Click to add a Smart stop and choose the trigger type you want to use.
- Configure the trigger settings and contact criteria, including any Apply to which contacts filters.
- Save the Smart stop and review it alongside your journey goals and exit steps.
Smart stop criteria uses the same filtering tools as other journey criteria, including rules, rule groups, AND/OR logic, and Smart filters.
3 How Smart stops behave
Smart stops are evaluated while the contact is in the journey.
If a contact matches a Smart stop event or condition, Tarvent exits the contact from the journey regardless of which step or path they are currently on.
Because Smart stops are journey-wide, they work well for global exit conditions such as purchase completed, status changed, or handoff to sales.
If multiple journeys listen for the same condition or event, a contact can exit one journey through a Smart stop and enter another journey through an entry trigger.
4 Use cases and examples
- Stop contacts after they become customers
- Stop contacts after they unsubscribe or change status
- Stop contacts once a sales handoff is complete
- Exit contacts when a goal or conversion event means they should no longer receive nurture messages
5 FAQ
6 Need help?
If you need help with Tarvent Journeys setup, troubleshooting, or strategy, contact support. We are happy to help.