Fallout vs Freeform - Why is the total number of People Different from each visual?

[Arn_Fam]

I see that this question comes up every once in awhile. Unfortunately I'm still struggling to understand the logic between why the fallout is displaying a different total than the freeform when the components being applied are virtually the same. Any help on this is much appreciated. 

I have a fallout and a freeform displaying how many people last year performed specific button clicks, which are contained in a segment.

As you can see from both screenshots, the number of people for each visual is different. 

The segment is a very simple one. It contains multiple versions of a button click (custom link):

Each black line essentially is a different custom link. What's interesting is what happens when I go into the segment builder from the fallout row menu. The summary or validation area shows a different number of people as well than the fallout does.

Can someone tell me why this is? It would immensely in explaining to other product managers what is going on. Thanks in advance!

[Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted solution]

Hi @Arn_Fam ,

This is because in the Fallout report, the step is based on a sequence... the freeform table is not.

I don't know what settings you have on your Fallout, but let's look at an example.

Let's say I am looking at a fallout like:

Home Page > Product Page > Button X

Step 1 looks at simple the Hit on the home page

Step 2 is actually a complex sequential segment that looks specifically for the user to have hit home and then eventually the product page

Step 3 is even more complex, looking specifically for the sequence of the user having hit the home page, then the product page, and then clicked the button

Any user that does not hit the home page, then the product page before hitting the button will not be included in the fallout.

Your freeform table only looks at buttons hit, but doesn't care about the sequence to get there. 

If you want your freeform table to match the fallout, you might want to right click on the step and "create segment from touchpoint"

Note, this will create a "permanent segment" in your components list (which for this, I personally hate, since this segment is so specific to this one report, I would want it to exist only in the report to prevent future confusion, and from cluttering my segment list)... if you too care about this, you can just look at how the segment is designed and replicate it manually... or a little trick, once a segment is created, the "delete" action doesn't actually delete, it just deletes from showing in your component list... so as long as you have this new segment pulled into your freeform table, you can delete from components, converting this segment into a ad hoc segment for your report.

[Arn_Fam]

Okay I understand what's going on now. Thanks for your help!

[Jennifer_Dungan]

You're very welcome