A Marketo Filter and Flow Actions Text Notation Method

One thing I noticed on the Marketo Community is how hard it is to explain how to write out a Smart List using filters just using alphanumerics. Images explain what is going on so much better because Marketo is such a visual tool. Yet, there is no agreed notation method for writing out a Flow Step or Smart List Filter using just text.

Here’s what I suggest we do.

Filters or Triggers are written in Title Case: (if possible use Courier or Preformatted to show this just like a snippet of code).

Fills Out Form

Filled Out Form

Data Value Changes

Operators are shown in ALL CAPS such as IN, OR, AND, IS NOT EMPTY.

Filter Values are shown in double quotes “” to make it clear these are variables to adjust.

Filled Out Form IS NOT "Unsubscribe"

Visits Web Page CONTAINS "Careers; Career; Job" AT LEAST "2" times
Member of Smart List IN "Personal Email Domains"

Note the use of the semi-colon to denote the use of multiple values for a filter instead of OR since this is how Marketo shows it on the workspace.

A Trigger like Data Value Changes requires an Attribute (field) before further filtering. This would be denoted by a colon after the Trigger Name and “with” to start the additional Constraints. You could also use this for similar Flow Steps.

Data Value Changes: Email Invalid with New Value IS "True"

Choices in Flow Steps can be denoted in a similar fashion, adding “then” between the condition and the change you want to make.

Change Data Value:

Choice 1: If Email Invalid IS "True" then New Value IS "False"

Choice 2: If Member of Smart List IN "Personal Email Domain" then New Value IS "False"

Default Choice: Do Nothing

Showing Smart List Rule Logic such as ALL, ANY, or Advanced can be accomplished by using those operators before the Smart List or showing the order like Marketo does, using “1, 2, 3…” before each filter, then showing the logic as

(1 or 2) and (3 or 4)

Finally, an entire Smart Campaign should be written as:

Campaign: Email Revalidate

If Data Value Changes: Email Invalid with New Value IS "True"

Then Change Data Value: Email Invalid to New Value IS "False"

Schedule: Qualification Rule=Every Time and Recurrence: Daily at 10:00 AM

I like this method because it is clear how to go back to Marketo to select the matching Trigger, Filter, Constraints, Operators, and Values. I use a similar format in the Marketing Rockstar’s Guide to Marketo with the use of font changes. The chief advantage of the method in this post is you can use it on the Marketo Community, an Email, or anywhere else without the need for fancy text editors.