A step-by-step guide to setting up and managing your automation rules
Automation rules help you automate email workflows using a simple "If this happens, then do that" thought process. If automation rules are what you need, let's get into how you can set them up and manage them after that!
We'll cover:
How to create an automation rule
Click the Automate tab in the top navigation, followed by Rules.
Click the + New rule button at the top right to create a new rule.
You will see a screen that looks like this:
Set a trigger for your automation rule
A trigger is an event that will cause your automation rule to run. The available triggers are:
Subscribes to a sequence: When a subscriber subscribes to a sequence
Subscribes to a form: When a subscriber subscribes to a form or landing page
Completes a sequence: When a subscriber completes a sequence
Clicks a link: When a subscriber clicks a link
Tag added: When a tag is added to a subscriber
Tag removed: When a tag is removed from a subscriber
Select the appropriate trigger for your needs, then set it up.
For example, if you want your automation rule to run when a "Course buyers" tag is added to a subscriber:
Click the "Tag added" trigger, and
Select the "Course buyers" tag from your list of tags
Click the + button under your newly created trigger to add more triggers as needed. When you do so, your automation rule will run when any of these triggers occur.
Set an action for your automation rule
Now, you’ll set the action(s) that should happen when your automation rule is triggered.
The available actions are:
Subscribe to a sequence: Subscribe the subscriber to a sequence
Unsubscribe from a sequence: Unsubscribe the subscriber from a sequence
Subscribe to a form: Subscribe the subscriber to a form or landing page
Unsubscribe from a form: Unsubscribe the subscriber from a form or landing page
Add tag: Add a tag to the subscriber
Remove tag: Remove a tag from the subscriber
Set custom field: Set a custom field value for the subscriber
Select the appropriate action for your needs and set it up.
For example, if you want your automation rule to unsubscribe subscribers from a "Course pitch" sequence:
Click the "Unsubscribe from a sequence" action, and
Select the "Course pitch" sequence from your list of sequences
Click the + button under your newly created action to add more actions as needed. When you do so, your automation rule will take all of these actions when triggered.
Note: When subscribers are added through a rule or a bulk action, they will stay in “active” status after completing the sequence. Subscribers only show “completed” status if they are added to the sequence via visual automation.
Save (and enable) your automation rule
Click the Save Rule button to save your automation rule.
When you save your automation rule, we will also enable it for you. Your automation rule will immediately start running when its trigger(s) occur.
Finding and filtering your rules
The Rules page includes search, status filtering, and sorting so you can find any rule by what it does without scrolling through your entire list.
Search
Use the search bar at the top of the rules list to find rules by what they do, not who they affect. You can search by:
Trigger type (e.g., "tag added," "subscribes to form")
Trigger value (e.g., a specific tag name, form name, or sequence name)
Action type (e.g., "add tag," "subscribe to sequence")
Action value (e.g., the name of the tag or sequence involved)
App name (e.g., "Shopify," "Zapier")
Results update as you type. To clear the search, click the × icon in the search bar.
Note: Search works across rule triggers and actions, not subscriber data. You can't search by subscriber name or email address. If you're looking for rules affecting a specific subscriber, check their subscriber profile instead.
Filter by status
Use the All / Active / Inactive toggle to narrow your list by rule status:
Active — rules that are enabled and currently running
Inactive — rules that exist but have been disabled
Sort
Use the sort control to reorder your list by Creation date (default, newest first) or Last run (most recently triggered first). Rules that have never fired sort to the bottom when using Last run.
Using them together
Search, status filter, and sort work simultaneously—and that's where they're most useful. Search "welcome" while filtered to Active to see only your enabled welcome sequence rules. Or search "Shopify" sorted by Last run to quickly spot which of your Shopify rules fired most recently. Results are paginated at 50 rules per page.
Viewing an automation rule's trigger history
You can view up to the latest 50 triggers of your automation rule, including their trigger dates and the subscribers who triggered them.
To do so, select your automation rule from the Rules page to load its settings.
Scroll to the bottom of your automation rule's settings page to view its trigger history.
Disabling an automation rule
If you want to prevent your automation rule from running, you can disable it.
On the Rules page, select your automation rule to open its settings. Click the (disable) setting next to the "Automation Rule" heading to disable your automation rule.
Your automation rule's status will also be marked as Disabled on the main automation rules page.
To re-enable a disabled automation rule, simply click the (enable) setting next to the "Automation Rule" heading for it.
Disabling an automation rule doesn't remove it from your list of automation rules. If you no longer need an automation rule and want to remove it from your list of automation rules, you can delete it.
Deleting an automation rule
Go to the Rules page and click the automation rule you want to delete.
On the settings page for the automation rule, select the Delete Rule button to delete your automation rule.
⚠️ Deleting an automation rule will also delete its trigger history! If you want to temporarily pause your automation rule and/or retain its trigger history, disable it instead.
As mentioned, the setting up of link triggers is one popular use of automation rules. Learn how to set up your own in the guide below 👇