# Audience-based entry

**Audience-based entry** launches a journey for a pre-built segment of your app's users. A segment includes subscribers who meet specific conditions.

> For more information on Audience segments, refer to the [Segments guide](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/segmentation/).

To set up the Audience-based entry, drag the Audience-based entry element onto the canvas and select an Audience Source (i.e., a pre-built segment of app subscribers).

![Set up the Audience-based entry](/journey-elements-entry-3.webp)

You can manage segments directly from this element:
* To edit the selected segment, click the **Edit** icon next to the **Audience Source** dropdown.
* To create a new segment, click **Create Segment**.

You can also upload a CSV file to create a segment and then start a journey for it. [Learn more](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/segmentation/create-segments/by-import)

Once the journey is activated, all users from the selected segment enter the journey.

## Entry schedule

**Entry schedule** defines how users enter the journey.

In the element configuration, choose between two entry types:

* **One-time entry:** users enter the journey once – at launch or on a scheduled date.
* **Recurring entry:** users enter the journey repeatedly based on the selected schedule.

![Entry schedule with One-time entry and Recurring entry options](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-1.webp)

### One-time entry

When **One-time entry** is selected, choose when users enter the journey:

* **Immediately:** users enter as soon as the journey is activated.
* **Schedule for a specific day:** users enter on the date and time you set.

#### Immediately

Users enter the journey as soon as it is activated.

<Aside type="caution" title="No timezone sensitivity">

Users' timezones are not considered. All users in the segment enter at once. To control when users enter and use timezones (e.g. subscriber's device timezone), set **Schedule for a specific day** or use **Recurring entry** with time and timezone.

</Aside>

#### Schedule for a specific day

If you choose **Schedule for a specific day**, set the date, time, and timezone.

##### Timezone options

* **Subscriber's device timezone (default):** entry uses each subscriber's device timezone. If timezone is missing, a fallback (e.g. GMT+01:00) is used. Click **Change fallback** to change it.
* **Specific timezone:** pick a timezone from the dropdown for a fixed entry time.

![Audience-based entry: Schedule for a specific day with date, time and timezone](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-2.webp)

##### Choose what happens when a user's scheduled time has already passed

Choose what happens when a user's scheduled entry time (in their local timezone) has already passed:

* **No, exclude them from this journey:** the user will not enter the journey.
* **Yes, let them enter immediately:** the user enters the journey right away.

![Audience-based entry: Include or exclude users whose local scheduled time has already passed](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-3.webp)

#### Define who enters the journey
Choose which users from the selected segment can enter:

* **Existing users only (default):** only users who already match the segment at launch enter the journey. No one enters later. For example, send a one-time promo to users with the tag `Subscribed`.

* **Existing + new users:** users who match the segment at launch enter first. After launch, users who become matches also enter. For example, run an onboarding journey for users with the tag `Registered`.

* **New users only:** no one enters at launch. Only users who become matches after the journey is activated enter. For example, run a post-purchase flow only for users who make their first order after activation.

![Audience-based entry: Who enters the journey with Existing + new users selected](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-8.webp)

<Aside type="caution" title="Segment limitations">

- For **Existing + new users** and **New users only**, event-based segments are not supported. Use **Existing users only** or select a different segment type.
- For segments created by [CSV import](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/segmentation/create-segments/by-import), the list is static. New users are not added to this segment after launch. Use **Existing users only** for this segment type.
- With [RFM segments](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/segmentation/rfm-segmentation), users enter only after you refresh their data. Go to **Audience > RFM Segmentation** and click **Recalculate** periodically to update RFM tags and allow new matching users to enter.

</Aside>

### Recurring entry

When **Recurring entry** is selected, users enter the journey repeatedly.

Choose the schedule:

* **On specific dates:** users enter on the dates you pick.
* **Periodically:** users enter at a fixed interval (e.g. every 1 day).

<Aside type="note">
The segment is recalculated before each scheduled entry, so users who joined the segment after the last entry also enter at the next scheduled time. Users already in the journey at the moment of the next start do not enter again.
</Aside>

#### On specific dates

Users enter the same journey on the dates you choose (e.g. the same reminder or signup flow runs on each scheduled webinar or training date).

1. Select **On specific dates** and pick the dates in the calendar. Click **+ Add Date** to add more dates.
2. Set the time.
3. Set the timezone the same way as for [Schedule for a specific day](#schedule-for-a-specific-day).

If a subscriber's scheduled time has already passed, they are included on the next scheduled date.

![Audience-based entry: Recurring entry on specific dates](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-5.webp)

#### Periodically

Users enter the journey at a fixed interval on the days you choose (e.g. a fitness app runs the same daily 8 AM reminder journey every day).

1. Select **Periodically**.
2. In **ENTRY EVERY**, set the interval (e.g. every 1 day, every 2 weeks).
3. Pick the days (of the week or month, depending on the interval).
4. Set the time and the timezone the same way as for [Schedule for a specific day](#schedule-for-a-specific-day).

If a subscriber's scheduled time has already passed, they are included on the next scheduled day.

![Audience-based entry: Recurring entry periodically with interval, selected days, time and timezone](/journey-elements-audience-based-entry-6.webp)

<Aside type="note">
[RFM segments](/product/audience-data-and-segmentation/segmentation/rfm-segmentation) do not update automatically; they must be calculated in the RFM Segmentation tab first.

Before starting a journey with an RFM segment:

- Go to **Audience > RFM Segmentation** and calculate the segment.
- For recurring journeys, recalculate the segment before each scheduled entry so new users are included.

> Example: for a journey based on the RFM segment Champions that runs every Monday, calculate the segment and start the journey. Before each Monday, recalculate the segment in the RFM Segmentation tab so new users who meet the criteria are added.
</Aside>