About Sections
Sections are the way you divide your Apsis One account so different brands, markets, countries, or business units each have their own data space. Profile data lives inside a Section — not at the account level — which means you can keep audiences cleanly separated, control who has access to what, and configure things like the Data Model and Tracking Script differently for each Section.
💡 Sections vs. Folders vs. Subscriptions — quick recap
Don't confuse Sections with the levels below them. Sections are the highest level of data separation (e.g. one per brand). Folders live inside Sections and group Subscriptions. Subscriptions are where Profiles give consent. A Profile lives in one Section but can be opted in to multiple Subscriptions within that Section. However, if a profile exists in multiple sections with the same UNIQUE KEY - deleting the profile is cross-sections.
In this article
What is a Section?
A Section is a self-contained data space inside your Apsis One account. Each Section holds:
Its own Profile data — Profiles in one Section don't appear in another (though a single individual can exist as separate Profiles in different Sections if you've set things up that way). If a profile exists in multiple sections with the same UNIQUE KEY - deleting the profile is cross-sections.
Its own Folders and Subscriptions.
Its own Data Model — Custom Attributes, Tags, and Custom Events configured for this Section's needs.
Its own Domains, Tracking Script, and Languages — for capturing browsing data from that brand's website(s).
Its own Cookie and Double Opt-in settings.
If your business has a website, the Section may contain a domain. A Section may have several domains, each one corresponding to a different country or website that belongs to that Section.
When to use multiple Sections
Sections aren't for everyone. Many smaller businesses run perfectly well on a single Section. Add more Sections when you have a clear reason to keep data separated.
🏢 Multiple brands
Your company runs several distinct brands (e.g. Heartland, Dinner Delights, Wonder Labs) with their own websites, audiences, and marketing teams. One Section per brand keeps each brand's data, consent, and tracking properly isolated. Note that templates and assets are shared cross sections.
🌍 Multiple markets or countries
You operate in several countries with different languages, regulations, and product catalogues. One Section per market lets each team manage their own Profile data and consent locally, while sharing templates and assets across the account.
🏛 Different business divisions
Internal divisions (B2B vs. B2C, retail vs. wholesale) that need separate audience pools, different consent treatments, or distinct reporting boundaries.
🔐 Strict data access boundaries
Some teams should not see other teams' Profile data. Sections combined with User Section permissions enforce that boundary cleanly.
⚠️More Sections = more administrative work
Each Section needs its own Data Model, Tracking Script, Cookie settings, Double Opt-in setup, and so on. Don't create extra Sections just because you can — only when there's a real reason to keep data separated. If you're unsure, fewer Sections is almost always the better starting point. Please book a meeting with an Apsis consultant so we can pick the best option for you. We also offer multiple accounts where suitable.
Section permissions and User access
Sections are the foundation of Apsis User access control. Each Apsis User can be granted permission to see one Section, several Sections, or all Sections — depending on their role and what they actually need.
Role | Default Section access |
Account Owner | All Sections automatically. |
Admin User | All Sections automatically. |
Restricted User | None by default — you grant access Section by Section in their User permissions. |
✅ Section permissions = access control done right
Use Section permissions to make sure the right Profile data is in the right hands. A content writer working only on one brand's newsletters doesn't need access to another brand's Profile data — or to the Data Model where Custom Attributes are defined. See User roles and Permissions for the full picture. Remember that templates and assets are shared.
Create a new Section
Click your Profile Icon in the top right corner and select Settings.
The Sections tab opens by default. If these settings aren't available to you, you don't have Account Owner or Admin User rights — get in touch with someone in your organisation who does.
Click + New Section.
Enter the Section name.
Click Add Section, and wait. The creation of the section may take a couple of minutes.
✅ Naming tip Pick a name that makes the Section's purpose obvious — usually the brand, market, or division it represents. Heartland, Norway B2C, or Wonder Labs Wholesale are easy to find and describe; Section 2 or Test are not. The Section name appears in dropdowns across every tool, so clarity here pays off everywhere.
Rename a Section
Click into the Section you want to rename.
In the inner left menu, select Section Settings.
Click Rename and enter the new name.
Confirm by clicking the Rename button.
Section setup: the inner menu
When you open a Section, you'll see a seven-item left menu for configuring everything inside it. This is where most of the real Account settings work happens.
Inner menu item | What it covers |
Domains & Languages | |
Tracking Script | The JavaScript snippet you install on your website to capture browsing behaviour. See Tracking script. |
SFTP Storage | Storage location for scheduled imports via SFTP — useful for automated batch data syncs from external systems. |
Data Model | Custom Attributes, Tags, and Custom Events for storing extra data on Profiles in this Section. See Data model. |
Double Opt-in | Default Double Opt-in confirmation email and landing page for this Section. See Double opt-in Account settings. |
Cookie | Cookie life time and Person detection settings. See Cookie settings. |
Section Settings | Section name, and the option to Rename. |
🚨Plan before you configure
Setting up a Section in the right order saves a lot of rework: (1) create the Section, (2) configure the Data Model — Custom Attributes, Tags, Custom Events, (3) add Domains and Languages, (4) install the Tracking Script, (5) set up Cookie and Double Opt-in, (6) create Folders and Subscriptions in Audience.
Doing it backwards (e.g. importing Profiles before the Data Model is ready) means you'll have data with nowhere to land.
Hide and unhide a Section
You can hide a Section to make it inaccessible without losing any data. Hidden Sections behave like archived ones: they're tucked away from the main view and can't be used in new activities, but their underlying Profile data, sent communications, and integrations are preserved.
How to hide a Section
In the Sections tab, locate the Section you want to hide.
Click the eye icon on the right side of the Section card.
The hidden section will now be under the line for Hidden
How to unhide a Section
Expand the Hidden Sections area below the active Sections list.
Click the eye icon next to the hidden Section to restore it.
It will now be fully visible in the main section menu and all activities are restored as well.
💡 What hiding actually does
Hiding a Section means: users can't open it, can't create new activities in it, and can't edit existing activities (no editing, activating, duplicating, or renaming).
Profiles whose data spans multiple Sections will still be visible — only the data tied to the hidden Section is hidden from their Profile view. Already-sent emails, active Marketing Automation flows, and API calls continue working and stay visible but greyed out. Forms in the hidden Section keep collecting submissions.
Section limits and your plan
Your Company Plan determines how many active Sections you can have. The Sections tab shows your current usage at the top — for example, "1/5 Sections".
Important: only active Sections count towards your plan limit. Hidden Sections don't.
✅ Need a new Section but at your limit?
If you've hit your plan's limit but no longer use one of your Sections, hide it — that frees up a slot for a new one without losing any data. If you genuinely need more Sections than your plan allows, click Upgrade Plan in the Sections tab to talk to your account manager.
Please book a meeting with an Apsis consultant so we can plan your account growth with you. We also offer multiple accounts where suitable.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Likely cause | Fix |
Sections tab is missing | You don't have Account Owner or Admin User rights. | Ask your Account Owner or an Admin User to make changes for you, or to grant you Admin rights. |
+ New Section button is greyed out | Your account has reached its Section limit. | Hide a Section you no longer use to free up a slot, or click Upgrade Plan to increase your limit. |
Created a Section but no Profiles or activities are visible inside it | New Sections start empty — Profile data isn't shared between Sections. | Import Profiles, set up subscription forms, or wait for tracked website behaviour to populate the new Section. |
Can't see a Section other team members work in | Your Restricted User account doesn't have permission for that Section. | Ask an Admin User to add the Section to your User permissions. |
Templates and assets from one Section appear in another | Templates and Assets are account-wide, not Section-specific. | Include the Section in the template name to avoid confusion. See User roles and Permissions. |
What's next?
Domains — Add the websites belonging to your Section so the Tracking Script can capture browsing data.
Languages — Set up language detection for multi-language domains.
Tracking script — Install the script that captures browsing behaviour into your Profiles.
Data model — Define Custom Attributes, Tags, and Custom Events for the Section.
User roles and Permissions — Grant team members the right Section access.