--- title: "Define customer segments" description: "Create customer segments and the rules that tag feedback with them, with a preview of each rule before Deck saves it." url: "/docs/agents/workflows/define-segments" --- This page is an agent-readable workflow for Deck. Humans can follow along. Coding agents should treat the steps as the source of truth. # Define customer segments — agent workflow * **Use it when:** the user asks "set up segments for Enterprise and SMB", "split our feedback by plan", "tag all Zendesk feedback as support" or "show feedback from our key accounts only". * **Outcome:** the segments that the user approved exist. Each one has rules that tag the right insights, and the user saw a preview of each rule before Deck saved it. * **Needs:** Deck MCP. Segments must be on for the workspace, and only an organization admin can turn them on. Every member with MCP access can create segments and rules. A CRM field rule needs a connected CRM, and only organization admins connect integrations, in Settings → Integrations. ## 1. Probe Deck MCP Call `get_user_context`. This must be a real tool call. * 401 Unauthorized: tell the user to connect Deck MCP in this client (Settings → Connections). Stop. * No Deck tools: fetch and follow [https://docs.getdeck.io/docs/agents/getting-started/prompts/ai-pm.md](https://docs.getdeck.io/docs/agents/getting-started/prompts/ai-pm.md). Stop this workflow until the tools work. ## 2. Read the current state Make these calls at the same time: * `explore_segments` with no parameters: the segments with their insight counts and rule counts. * `explore_workspace` with `view` set to `settings`: your role and whether segments are on. * `get_overview`: read `organization.target_audience` for the customer groups. * `explore_integrations`: the connected sources that rules can match. For Slack channels, call it again with `integration_type` set to `SLACK` and `view` set to `slack_channels`. When segments are off and you are an organization admin, offer to turn them on with `set_segments_enabled` and `enabled` set to `true`. Get a yes first. A member gets `AUTH_ERROR`: tell the user to ask an organization admin, who can also turn segments on in Settings → Segments. Stop until segments are on. ## 3. Propose the segments and rules Ask the user which customer groups matter, for example plan tier, company size, region or a list of key accounts. Use the user's words. Do not create a segment that already exists in step 2. For each segment, plan: * A name of 1 to 100 characters. Segment names are unique in the organization. * An optional color as `#RRGGBB` and a description of up to 2000 characters. * One or more rules. An insight joins the segment when any rule matches. Each rule has a `rule_type`, an `operator` and a `value`: | `rule_type` | Matches | Example value | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | `source_type` | The feedback source: USER\_INTERVIEW, SURVEY, CS\_TICKET, SLACK, CSV or NOTION | `SURVEY` | | `integration_type` | The integration: ZENDESK, INTERCOM, SLACK, GONG, POSTHOG, HUBSPOT, SALESFORCE or NOTION | `INTERCOM` | | `slack_channel` | One Slack channel, by name | `#vip-customers` | | `crm_field` | A CRM field. Also set `source_type` to the CRM record type (for example `hubspot_company`) and `field_name` | `Enterprise` | | `segment` | Membership of another segment | A segment ID from `explore_segments` | Operators are `equals`, `not_equals`, `contains`, `starts_with`, `ends_with` and `in`. Only `in` takes a list of values. Show the plan as a table: segment, description, rules. Ask: "Create these segments?" Wait for a yes. ## 4. Preview each rule Call `explore_segments` with `preview_rule` set to the rule fields. It saves nothing. For a segment that exists, also set `segment_id` inside `preview_rule`, so its current members are not counted. * Read `preview.insight_ids` (up to 25), `sample_size` and `has_more`. * Call `explore_insights` with `insight_id` for 2 or 3 sample insights. Check that they belong to the segment. * When the sample is wrong or empty, change the rule and preview again. `INVALID_SEGMENT_RULE` gives Deck's reason. ## 5. Create the segments and rules 1. `create_segment` with `name` and optional `color` and `description`. Keep the segment ID from the result. 2. `create_segment_rule` with `segment_id`, `rule_type`, `operator` and `value`, plus `source_type` and `field_name` for a `crm_field` rule. When `retroactive_job.queued` is `true`, Deck tags the existing insights in the background. Use manual assignment only for what rules cannot match: * `set_feedback_source_segments` with `feedback_id` and up to 20 `segment_ids` replaces the manual segments of every insight from one source. An empty list clears them. Get the `feedback_id` from `list_sources`. * `confirm_insight_segment` with `insight_id` and `segment_id` turns an AI assignment into a manual one. `explore_insights` with `insight_id` shows the AI assignments. To change a segment or a rule later, use `update_segment` or `update_segment_rule`. ## 6. Check the result * Call `explore_segments` with each new `segment_id`. Check its rules and which rules are active. * Tagging runs in the background. Call `explore_segments` again later, and quote Deck's insight counts. * Show the top themes of a segment with `explore_themes` and `segment_ids`. To compare two segments, fetch and follow [https://docs.getdeck.io/docs/agents/workflows/segment-comparison.md](https://docs.getdeck.io/docs/agents/workflows/segment-comparison.md). See [Customer Segments](/docs/features/segments) for how segments work in the Deck web app. ## Rules * Prefer rules to manual assignment. Rules also tag new feedback. * Preview every rule before you save it. * Quote Deck's numbers. Do not compute your own. * Show the plan and get a yes before you call write tools. * `archive_segment` and `delete_segment_rule` are sensitive writes. MCP cannot undo them. Get an explicit yes for each call, every time. * Only organization admins can call `set_segments_enabled`. * After each write, check for a top-level `error` key. When `idempotency.replayed` is `true`, Deck did not run the write again. See [Write responses and retries](/docs/integrations/mcp#write-responses-and-retries). * If the user has more than one Deck organization, call `select_organization` first and pass `org_id` on every call. ## Done when * Each approved segment exists with the approved rules, and the user saw a preview of each rule. * `explore_segments` shows the rules as active. * The user knows that Deck tags existing insights in the background, and how to check the counts later. --- [View full sitemap](/docs/sitemap)