Why do segment sizes differ between Mapp Intelligence and Mapp Engage?

When using behavioral segments from Mapp Intelligence in Engage, differences in user numbers are common — and often confusing. This FAQ helps you understand why and how to align both systems for meaningful results.

1. How do Intelligence and Engage differ in handling segment data?

Mapp Intelligence and Mapp Engage use different mechanisms to process and count users within a segment, even when the same segment logic is applied.

• Mapp Intelligence includes all users who matched the segment logic based on recent tracked interactions on your website or app. This may include contacts who no longer exist in Engage.

• Mapp Engage only includes contacts that are currently available for targeting, e.g., those with a valid email address and marketing opt-in.

Even if the segment logic is the same, the user base can differ.

Important

CI Segments in Engage are always based on a fixed logic that considers the last 90 days including today — as defined during creation in Intelligence.

This time logic is not visible in Engage, so it’s important to remember:

Once a contact qualifies for the segment, they will remain part of it until they are re-evaluated (e.g. through a new visit) or the segment is updated.

2. How can I compare segment sizes correctly?

If you’re using segments from Intelligence in Engage, it’s essential to align both configuration and expectations. Here’s how — using a practical example:

Example: Users interested in sneakers
You want to create a segment of users who are likely to respond to a fashion campaign — for example, contacts who showed interest in sneakers.

In Mapp Intelligence:

1. Go to Segment Manager and create your segment.

2. Choose a clear name and description, for example: “Engage – Sneaker Interest (Last 90 Days)”

3. Add a filter to define the behavior:
   

   This filter identifies users who interacted with a specific product category (e.g., Sneakers).

4. Add another filter to limit the result to Mapp Engage contacts:

   

5. Click Save Segment.

   After saving, the number of matching users will be displayed.

6. To preview the correct number of contacts (as used in Engage), set the time frame (top right) to the last 90 days including today.

   • Go to the calendar and choose Custom Period.

   • Select the start date as 90 days ago.

   • Then set the end date to today.

   Note

   The calendar only affects the displayed number — it does not change the segment logic.

7. Check the “Expected Segment Size” in the top-right corner of the Segment Manager. This number reflects how many Engage contacts currently match your segment logic.

   

In Mapp Engage:

• Go to Audience > Segmentation > Segmentation Builder.

• Add the CI Segment as a filter.

• Click Calculate to see how many contacts currently match the criteria.
  

3. When is a CI Segment updated in Engage?

CI Segments are synced to Engage once per day, typically overnight (CET/CEST).

You can check the exact time of the last update under Audience > CI Segments. Additionally, if you’re using a CI Segment in Segmentation Builder, the last calculation time is also shown there.

Contacts who match the segment logic after the last sync — for example, users who showed interest in sneakers today — will appear in Engage after the next daily update.

4. Why does a user sometimes stay in the segment in Engage even if they no longer appear in Intelligence?

Once a contact qualifies for a CI Segment in Engage, they remain part of it until:

• they return to your website or app (and are re-evaluated), or

• the segment in Intelligence is modified and synced again.

Although CI Segments are based on activity within the last 90 days including today, this time frame is only applied when the segment is evaluated or updated.

If a user does not return to your website or the segment is not recalculated, they will remain in the segment, even if their last activity now lies outside that 90-day range.

For example, a user who previously showed interest in sneakers will still appear in Engage, not because they still match the time-based logic, but because nothing has changed that would remove them.

5. Why are there sometimes more users in Intelligence than in Engage?

Mapp Intelligence tracks all users based on their behavior, including contacts who are no longer present in Engage.

This difference can occur for two main reasons:

• Broader tracking scope: Intelligence includes users regardless of their current subscription or deletion status.

• Data cleanup in Engage: Contacts may be removed from Engage (e.g., after unsubscribing), but their historical data remains available in Intelligence for analysis.