# Creating an Activation Template

Data Engineers typically create activation templates.

Here are some things you need to understand before you create an activation template:

* **Template Creation/Modification:** Your activation template policy permissions determine whether you can create and modify activation templates:
  * [Accounts with policy-based permissions](/products/control-panel/security/policies/setting-policy-based-audience-studio-permissions-using-td-console)
  * [Accounts without policy-based permissions](/products/control-panel/security/policies/setting-workflow-and-audience-studio-llm-permissions)
* **Template Inheritance** :
  * **Edit** : If you change locked fields in a published template, the edits apply to all existing and future activations based on the template without informing marketers. (Changes to unlocked fields are not applied to the template.)
  * **Delete** : If you delete a template, all activations that use the template will fail.
  * **Authentication Expiration or Failure** : If an authentication in a template is not valid, all activations created from the template fail.


This topic includes:

* [Create an Activation Template](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h2_145734635)
* [Complete a Batch Activation Template](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h2__1608097160)
* [Enter Batch Activation Template Details​](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h2_1868655205)
* [Define Batch Activation Template Output Mapping](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3_1129885866)
* [Define a Batch Activation Template Schedule](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3_1607093661)
* [Define Batch Activation Template Actions](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3__1688802692)
* [Complete a Batch Journey Activation Template](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h2_718164413)
* [Enter Batch Journey Activation Template Details​](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3_1104137493)
* [Define Batch Journey Activation Template Output Mapping](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3_1203418022)
* [Define a Batch Journey Activation Template Schedule](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3__833597385)
* [Define Batch Activation Template Actions](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/creating-an-activation-template#h3_1258742361)


## Create an Activation Template

1. Open TD Console.
2. Navigate to **Audience Studio**.
3. Select a parent segment and a folder.
4. Select **Create new** and then select **Activation Template**.
5. Enter a name and an optional description.
6. Select a type:


* **Batch** : Export segment data and segment stages.
* **Batch Journey** : Export journey data and journey stages.


![](/assets/copy-of-creating-an-activation-template-2025-01-24.5adfbf23f7f00a959be43a05a46312abeb901ab39e41fc9e979a1f52f949ead5.cf3845cb.png)

1. Select **Next**.


## Complete a Batch Activation Template

### Enter Batch Activation Template Details​

1. Create a new authentication for your batch activation template.


![](/assets/copy-of-creating-an-activation-template-2025-03-04.d616b30b8f07723932502789d11b0fa1758477bba8acd0aa94f8332056cc5f9b.cf3845cb.png)

1. Enter an activation template name and optional description.
2. Enable **Activation Actions** to add [activation actions](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/activation-actions) to your template. You can also lock this field by selecting **Lock Activation Actions**.
3. Select the checkboxes on the left of the fields you want to lock and select **Lock Selected Fields**.


The Authentication box is automatically checked; a marketer cannot override this field.

1. Select **Next**.


### Define Batch Activation Template Output Mapping

1. In the left panel, select **Output Mapping**.


![](/assets/copy-of-creating-an-activation-template-2025-01-27-5.93cb1e19affe046b80029c38eb559f63c79d2212ff7e145e533d2de7f512a296.cf3845cb.png)

#### Export All Columns

Select **Export All Columns** to select all attribute columns and export them with no changes. Optionally, lock this field.

#### Attribute Columns

1. Select **+ Add column** and then select a column. You can keep the column name or change it for your output.
2. Continue to add more columns.
3. Choose one of the following:


* Check the **Export All Columns** box to select all columns for your output.
* Select each column that you want to output.


#### Behavior Columns​​

Behavior Activation must be enabled at Parent Segment level. See [how to enable a behavior activation](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/configuring-behavior-activation).

1. Select **+ Add table** and then select a table.
2. Select **+ Add column** then select a column. You can keep the column name or change it for your output.
3. Select **Export** for the rows that you want to export.
4. Select **Order by** to specify the column and configure order of the output table.
5. If multiple number of rows will be outputted, select **Formatting** to configure the table row-column formatting.


#### String Builder

This allows you add additional strings to export if needed. See [how to use string builder](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/create-new-strings-for-export-using-string-builder).

### Define a Batch Activation Template Schedule

1. Customize the schedule settings.
See also [Activation Schedule Examples](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/activation-schedule-examples).


![](/assets/copy-of-creating-an-activation-template-2025-03-04-2.f4683ef8b019c080077768e35475a6b5c706c97683f7b3f19e0ada37bbe48dff.cf3845cb.png)

1. Check the **Select schedules** box and then select **Lock schedules** to lock the fields.


| Section | Field | Description |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Schedule | Does not repeat | Runs one time only (default). |
|  | Repeat every | Repeat the activation every hour, day, week, or month. |
| Start | Date/Time | Set the start date and time (up to six months in the future) using the picker. `00:00:00` marks the start of the day; `23:59:59` marks the end. |
|  | Time zone | Defaults to UTC. Select a different zone if needed. |
| Repeat every | Repeat every | You must choose `Weekly` to configure this option.- Repeat every hour, day, week, or month.- Start date/time defaults to the current moment.- When `Weekly` is selected, choose one or more days to run. For example, a schedule created on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 with Monday and Friday selected runs on January 31, February 3, and so on. |
| End | No end date | Runs indefinitely. |
|  | Date | Specify an end date or pick one from the calendar. |
| Email notifications to | Recipients | (Optional) Choose up to 20 recipients. Begin typing to find the user's email.- Settings copy when you duplicate an activation.- Update the list if a recipient leaves the account to avoid sending to inactive users. |
| Email notifications to | Success | Send success notifications to the selected recipients. |
| Email notifications to | Failure | Send failure notifications to the selected recipients. |


Even if you lock a schedule, marketers can override it.

1. Select **Create**. The template has a Public Status of **Draft**.


### Define Batch Activation Template Actions

Activation Actions enable you to run a user-defined custom workflow to execute these desired actions during activation. An instance of this workflow is triggered automatically during every activation event. Learn more about [Activation Actions](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/activation-actions).

## Complete a Batch Journey Activation Template

### Enter Batch Journey Activation Template Details​

1. Create a new authentication for your batch journey activation template.


![](/assets/creating-an-activation-template-journey-activation-template.7b55ead32592f21075bd282d275237dee486a1b8f255fa65b7febc2afb9784be.cf3845cb.png)

1. Select the checkboxes on the left of the fields you want to lock and select **Lock Selected Fields**.


The Authentication box is automatically checked; a marketer cannot override this field.

1. Select **Next**.


### Define Batch Journey Activation Template Output Mapping

1. In the left panel, select **Output Mapping**.


The batch journey activation template supports attribute columns and string builder output mapping only.

![](/assets/creating-an-activation-template-2025-03-05-2.e7c2eb709169bbb049ffc49e712638aa425879f2550383b208d93a02d46ab0e2.cf3845cb.png)

#### Export All Columns

Select Export All Columns to select all attribute columns and export them with no changes. Optionally, lock this field.

#### Attribute Columns

1. Select **+ Add column** and then select a column. You can keep the column name or change it for your output.
2. Continue to add more columns.
3. Choose one of the following:


* Check the **Select all columns** box to select all columns for your output.
* Select each column that you want to output.


#### String Builder

1. Select **+ Add string.**
2. In the String dropdown list, select one of the following:


* String
* Timestamp
* Activation Id
* Audience Id
* Journey Id
* Journey Name
* Stage Name
* AB Test Name


Your selection will typically display another field for you to assign a value for your choice.

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to add additional strings.
2. Choose one of the following:


* **Select all strings** : Select this option to export all strings.
* Select individual strings for export.


1. Optionally, lock fields.


### Define a Batch Journey Activation Template Schedule

1. Customize the schedule settings.
See also [Activation Schedule Examples](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/activation-schedule-examples).


![](/assets/creating-an-activation-template-2025-03-05-3.125b14c882ef37031f2d118ab389bac9949d4de3d5575ddb892744b67ce027a6.cf3845cb.png)

1. Check the **Select schedules** box and then optionally select **Lock schedules**.


| Section | Field | Description |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Run at | Custom | Set the execution time (hour, minute, second). If you choose this option, review [Batch Journey Workflow Dependencies](/products/customer-data-platform/journey-orchestration/batch/journey-workflow-dependencies). |
| Run at | After Parent Segment and Journey workflow refresh completion | Recommended option that runs after parent segment and journey workflow refreshes finish. |
| Schedule | Daily | Select the timeframe for your schedule (available only when `Custom` is chosen). |
| Timezone | — | Select the timezone for the activation template schedule. |
| Select notifications | — | Enable notifications and optionally lock the field. |
| Email notifications to | Recipients | (Optional) Choose up to 20 recipients. Begin typing a name to locate the email address.- When you copy an activation, notification settings are copied too.- Update the list if a recipient is removed from the account to prevent sending to inactive users. |
| Email notifications to | Success | Send success updates to the selected recipients. |
| Email notifications to | Failure | Send failure updates to the selected recipients. |


Even if you lock a schedule, marketers can override it.

1. Select **Create**. The template has a Public Status of **Draft**.


### Define Batch Activation Template Actions

Activation Actions enable you to run a user-defined custom workflow to execute these desired actions during activation. An instance of this workflow is triggered automatically during every activation event. Learn more about [Activation Actions](/products/customer-data-platform/audience-studio/activation/activation-actions).