The Entry Rule on your automation is the first thing to set up—it determines which contacts enter your automation and receive your messages. Ask yourself: Who should receive this automation, and when should it start?

Entry Rules are usually based on an action, like completing a first visit or purchasing a 5-class pack. They can also be based on inaction, such as not visiting for 30 days. Choosing the right Entry Rule sets your automation up for success.

If you haven’t created your automation yet, click here to learn how. Once your automation is created and named, you’ll be prompted to set your Entry Rule by answering: Who should enter this automation?

Your conditions will determine who enters the automation. Click +Create in to access the conditions.

Each Condition has a series of drill-down options. This allows you to get specific about who you are targeting with your automation. Each Condition can be drilled down with its unique filters.

Once you've finished customizing your Entry Rule, click Save in the bottom left corner, and your Entry Rule will display the conditions. If you click close in the top right corner, it will not save, and you will need to recreate the rule.

Combining multiple Conditions can be helpful when trying to accomplish a specific automation or add a restriction for another Condition.

When we add multiple Conditions, the Entry Rule shows this as an AND scenario:

Since automations are forward-looking, if you want to capture past contacts, use Segments. Segments, unlike automations, can capture contacts retroactively. Read more about creating segments and how you can incorporate them into existing automations.

If you edit your enrollment rule after an automation has been started, this will not impact the contacts currently in your automation. Once you restart your automation, only contacts who meet the new enrollment rule will be entered into the automation.