Adobe Analytics Segments

[ElinaMirin]

Hello! 

I have 3 segments (segment 1, segment 2, segment 3) included in another segment (segment 4 = segment 1 OR segment 2 OR segment 3).

I need to update the segment 2 with new values. If I update the segment 2 with the new values, does these changes reflect in the segment 4 as well? Or do I need to make these changes directly in segment 4?

Does anyone knows how it works? 

Thank you!

[kayawalton · Accepted solution]

Hi @ElinaMirin -- Segments embedded in other segments will not automatically update when the embedded segment is updated. You will have to go back to Segment 4 to re-embed the updated version of Segment 2. As best practice, when I update segments, I always go to the Segment Manager and look at the "Used In" column for the segment just in case I also forgot that I used it in segment A and other components.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

Yeah, I wish we had the ability to stack segments so that they reflected the changes, but it really just makes a copy of the segment inside the other segment... I don't even think the 'Used In" will show other segments (due to it being a copy and not an actual reference to the Segment).

[leocwlau]

A bit further comment on how segments being referred to in Adobe Analytics are not consistent.

If we are considering segments being used in Workspace projects or calculated metrics definition, segments are referred to by "ID", which means, changes in the source segment will be reflected in the Workspace projects and calculated metrics using it.

However, if a segment is being used in another segment definition, it is expanding the source segment into the new segment, so it is a "copy" and disconnected from the source segment.

And I also prefer for segments being "referred" in another segment, so we can build some very complicated logic without making one single segment too big to read.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

I would like if it gave us the option to reference or copy... sometimes I want to start with a "base" and then modify it. Copy would be ideal for that without having to rebuild everything... but most of the time, I would prefer it to be a reference so that any updates will affect all. Even if it defaulted to reference, then in the gear allowed you to break the reference if you want to make adjustments (an extra step there wouldn't bother me at all, and it would streamline "standard" usage to not always be prompted).

[ElinaMirin]

Thank you all for your responses! @kayawalton @Jennifer_Dungan @leocwlau  It is clear now.

[Josh__Stephens]

I discovered in an interesting way, that ad hoc/quick segments can have some unexpected behaviors when copying a workspace.

I tend to use ad hoc segments so my components list doesn't become an endless list of every segment I thought about using.

Once I made a copy of a Workspace to share with a colleague for a similar project.  I discovered that both panels shared the same segment.  When she changed the definition in her project, it also changed in mine.  

[Jennifer_Dungan]

Yep, because even the adhoc segments have an actual "segment id", they are completely shareable... I make 90% of my segments ad hoc, since they are very very specific uses, but I often need them in 2 or 3 reports, so you can also copy the panel or visualization, and paste that into another report to get a copy of the ad hoc segment into the report for use (without having to copy an entire project).

There's a a lot of little tricks like that!

This is why I also make sure to teach people what copying a report, panel or visualization that contains ad hoc segments will do and how they are interconnected to one another. If they need the same logic, great, if not, they need to create a new segment to avoid breaking the other report. If I am doing it, I also know that my minor tweaks to improve the segment will apply everywhere without having to update multiple reports..