Segmenting contacts based on dates in the future

This article explains how the ‘in the future’ date filter option works in Ometria’s customer filter, and includes use cases.

‘In the future’ can only find existing events in the future, so it is only useful for finding custom events such as:

• baby due dates,
• birthdays,
• expected delivery dates, etc.

See also: Segmenting contacts by date

The in the future option displays in a dropdown list for the customer filter when you select any of the relative date filters.

'Before' and 'After' filters explained

When you select any ‘Before’ filter, Ometria always looks back in time, for events which occurred in the past.

When you select any ‘After’ filter, Ometria always looks forward in time, for events which occurred after the specified time.

‘Between’ filters always look in both directions ⇦⇨ for a set period:

‘Ago’ and ‘in the future’

When you switch between ‘ago’ and ‘in the future’ you are setting the time Ometria starts counting either forwards or backwards from.

If you select Before (relative) [date/time] in the future, you are telling the filter to look backwards from the specified date/time.

E.g. Due date before (relative) [2 weeks] in the future

This means Ometria ‘jumps ahead’ two weeks, then starts counting backwards from there:

...and if you select After (relative) [date/time] in the future, you are telling the filter to look forward from the specified date/time.

E.g. Due date after (relative) [2 weeks] in the future

Again, Ometria ‘jumps ahead’ two weeks, then starts counting forwards from there:

On and Between filters

‘On’ filters can only look at one specific date, and that can either be in the past (‘ago’) or ‘in the future’:

‘Between’ filters always look in both directions ⇦⇨ for a set period - using ‘in the future’ is most useful here, because you can look for events in an upcoming period:

Use cases

Segment contacts based on their upcoming birthday

To look for any upcoming custom events - including baby due dates, wedding dates, etc. you should use Between (relative) in combination with ‘in the future’.

This will look at a specific timeframe, e.g. birthdays next month.

Segment contacts based on a coupon expiry date

To look for upcoming events including subscription expiry, coupon code expiry or expected delivery date, you should use On (relative).

This looks at a single specific date in the future and returns contacts expecting an event on that exact date.