Creating automation rules

How a rule works

Every rule has 3 parts:

• Event trigger: when the rule checks a conversation. Conversation Created, Conversation Updated or Message Created.
• Conditions: what must be true. All conditions of a rule must match.
• Actions: what Deskwoot does when they match. Several actions run in the order you added them.

When several rules match the same event, all of them run, starting with the oldest rule. A rule only reacts to events that happen after you save it. It never goes back over earlier events.

Create a rule

1. Open Settings > Automation and click Create Automation.
2. Enter a Name, for example "Escalate VIP conversations", and an optional Description.
3. Pick the Event trigger.
4. Under Conditions, pick a field and a value. Click + Add condition for more.
5. Under Actions, pick an action and its value. Click + Add action for more.
6. Leave Active switched on and click Create.

A rule needs at least one condition and one action. The rule works from the next matching event on.

Conditions you can use

• Status, Priority, Label, Inbox, Team and Assignee: the rule matches when the conversation has the value you pick.
• Message Type: Incoming (from the customer) or Outgoing (from your side). Useful with Message Created.
• Content: matches when the message contains the text you enter, no matter the upper or lower case.
• Custom attributes: if your workspace has custom attributes (Business plan and up), they are listed under Conversation attributes and Contact attributes. You also pick an operator such as is, is not, contains, is more than, is after, is set or is not set. An attribute that is empty only matches is not set.

Actions you can run

• Assign Agent and Assign Team (teams come with the Business plan).
• Add Label and Remove Label.
• Change Status and Change Priority.
• Mute Conversation, which needs no value.
• Send Message: sends your text to the customer as a reply in the conversation. It is marked as automatic and does not end the customer's wait for a person.
• Send Email: emails your text to the contact's email address, with the subject "Message from support". It only works in inboxes that send through their own SMTP settings.

Many actions leave a line in the conversation that names the rule, for example "Conversation was auto-assigned to a team by automation rule" followed by the rule's name.

Edit, pause or delete a rule

The list on Settings > Automation shows each rule with its actions and an Active switch.

• Edit opens the rule with its event, conditions and actions. Change what you need and click Save.
• The Active switch pauses a rule without deleting it. Switch it on again when you need it.
• Delete removes the rule after you confirm.

A rule you brought in with an import can have a condition the form cannot show, such as another operator or several values. That condition carries the badge Imported, kept as is and stays exactly as stored until you change that row.

Who can manage rules

Administrators, and members whose custom role has the permission Manage automation rules. Custom roles come with the Enterprise plan.

When your plan no longer includes rules

After a downgrade, when a trial ends or when a subscription stops, every active rule is paused and every administrator gets an email. Your rules stay listed, so you can edit, switch off or delete them. Creating a rule or switching one on needs Startup or higher again, and nothing switches itself back on after an upgrade. More in paused features after a downgrade.

Frequently asked questions

Which plans include automation rules?

Startup, Business and Enterprise. The Hacker plan has no automation rules. There is no limit on the number of rules. A rule can have up to 50 conditions and 50 actions.

Do rules work on existing conversations?

Only when something new happens in them, such as a status change or a new message. Rules never go back over past events. To change many existing conversations at once, select them in the conversation list and use the bulk actions.

What if two rules match the same event?

Both run, the older rule first. If one assigns the conversation to team A and the next to team B, it ends up with team B. Rules cannot be put in a different order, so keep their conditions from overlapping.

Why didn't my rule run when I added a label?

Adding or removing a label does not start a rule. Conversation Updated runs for changes such as a new status, priority, team or custom attribute value, and when a conversation is resolved or reopened.

Does a new conversation also count as a new message?

Yes. When a customer starts a conversation, rules on Conversation Created and rules on Message Created both check it.

Do rules work in every inbox?

Conversation Created and customer messages start rules in live chat, email and Telegram inboxes. Changes your team makes to a conversation and replies from the dashboard start rules in every inbox.

Can a rule start another rule?

Only one way: a rule that resolves a conversation counts as a conversation update, so rules on Conversation Updated check it next. Other actions do not start rules.

How do I test a new rule?

Create it with narrow conditions, then start a conversation from your own live chat or email that matches. Check the conversation for the action and the line that names the rule.

What is the difference between automation rules and macros?

Rules run by themselves when an event matches. Macros run only when an agent runs them in a conversation.

Can a rule call my own system?

Rules have no webhook action. Under Settings > Webhooks an administrator can send conversation events to your own server and run any logic there.