Understanding Triggers, Filters, and Actions in Automation

An event that happens as a result of an action group running.

An example of an action is an automated email send.

A set of actions grouped together to accomplish a desired result.
Action groups can be saved independently and attached to one or more triggers in a visual workflow.

A set of triggers and filters that is attached to one or more action groups. An automation includes at least one trigger, and can
optionally include filters and actions. 

A collection of actions created for use within a visual workflow or action group that branch out from the action group and are dependent upon additional criteria  in order to function.

A modifier that determines how a trigger fires:

• The exactly condition means the lead must activate the trigger
  an exact amount of times for the trigger to fire.
  
  
• The or more condition means the lead must activate the trigger at
  least a set amount of times. If a lead activates the trigger fewer
  times than the set amount, the trigger will not fire.
  
  
• The or less condition means the lead can activate the trigger up to
  the set amount of times. Any more than the set amount, and the
  trigger will not fire. 

An optional part of a trigger that is used to narrow the scope of triggers. Filters are only evaluated when triggers are fired.

An example of a filter is when a contact has the industry field equal to Marketing.

An action group that can be scheduled more than one time to the same
lead and automatically repeatedly activates recurring action groups.

The collection of conditions that modifies a trigger within a filter:

• The when all condition is required if every rule in the group should
  be true to satisfy the criteria.
  
  
• The when any condition is required if any of a number of rules in the
  group should be true to satisfy the criteria.

A lead action or change on the contact record that fires a workflow. Only triggers can start a workflow, and at least one trigger is necessary for workflows to fire.

An example of a trigger is when a contact fills out a form.

A workflow is a sequence of triggers, filters, and actions. This is represented in the same manner as a flow chart. Automation workflows
come in two varieties: visual and opportunity.

A trigger is required to start a workflow.

yes / no branch

A yes/no filter branch is a branch that evaluates if a specific criteria is met or not, then filters down to its own Yes and No action groups.

When a lead clicks on a link in a specific email and is directed to a page on your site where tracking is established within Lead Gen & CRM.

• can choose a number of times for the visit from the specific email
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount
  
  
• can optionally specify which link must be clicked 

When a lead has not opened a specific email that you have identified.

• n/a

When a lead has been sent a specific email that you have identified.

• n/a

When a lead has not been sent a specific email that you have identified.

• n/a 

When a lead has opened a specific email that you have identified.

• n/a 

When a tracked lead clicks a link in any email and is directed to a page on your site with Lead Gen & CRM tracking code.

• can choose a number of times for visits from any email
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount 

When a tracked lead visits any tracked page from any email that includes the tag selected from the drop-down menu.

• can choose a number of times for visits from any email
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount 

When a lead has a contact engagement score of four or less (not including zero).

• n/a 

When a lead has a contact engagement score equal to zero.

• n/a 

When a lead opens the specified email.

Activates at least five minutes after the lead opens the email.

• n/a 

When the lead opens any email sent to them.

Activates at least five minutes after the lead opens any email.

• n/a 

As a trigger: When a lead has a field (can be either a standard field or any custom field you create) that is changed and saved to a specific value.

As a filter: When a lead has the field (can be either a standard field or any custom field you create) that contains a specific value.

• exactly
• not equals
• or more
• or less
• included
• in multiple values
• not in multiple values

When a lead as their lead score hit a designated value.

Lead score decay is a natural event, not a save event. As such, lead scores that fit criteria through decay will not trigger dynamic lists or workflows.

Lead scores that are updated through lead actions (such as a site visit) will fire. However, if someone's lead score naturally decays past a threshold designated in a trigger, then the trigger will not fire.

• exactly
• or more
• or less

When a lead is assigned to a designated user of your platform (such as a Salesperson).

• n/a

When a lead has a specific date field (such as Contract Renewal Date or Last Customer Meeting Date), change to any value.

• n/a

When a lead is not assigned to a designated user of your platform (such as Salesperson).

• n/a

When a lead has opted in through any of five specific methods. This rule will prompt you to choose at least one method.

• n/a

When a lead has not opted in through any of five specific methods.

• n/a

When a lead is assigned the persona as selected from the drop-down menu.

• n/a

When a lead visits a specific page that you have identified as an important page in your VisitorID settings.

• can choose a number of times for that page visit
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount

When a lead visits any page that you have identified as an important page in your VisitorID settings.

• can choose a number of times for that page visit
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount 

When a lead returns to a page for any of your tracked sites in Lead Gen & CRM.

• after a day elapsed, all the way until after twelve months elapsed

When a lead visits any page of your site with Lead Gen & CRM tracking code.

If you are tracking multiple domains, you can choose the specific domain here.

• can choose a number of times for that site visit
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount 

When a lead visits a specific page of your site with Lead Gen & CRM tracking code.

You can also specify a referring URL, which does not need to be a Lead Gen & CRM tracked URL.

• can choose a specific number of times for that page visit
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount 

When a lead has not seen a specific page of your site with Lead Gen & CRM tracking code.

• n/a 

When a lead does not complete checkout for a shopping cart transaction in a certain amount of time (where the time frame is set in Site Settings).

If you have multiple domains with shopping carts, you can choose the specific option here.

• n/a 

When an opportunity has a specified field that you select from a drop-down menu.

• options vary based on selected field
  
  
• checkbox option to only schedule actions to the opportunity's primary contact

When an opportunity is assigned to an owner that you specify from a drop-down menu.

• checkbox option to only schedule actions to the opportunity's primary contact

When an opportunity is not assigned to an owner that you specify from a drop-down menu.

• checkbox option to only schedule actions to the opportunity's primary contact

When a contact is added to an opportunity.

• n/a

When a contact is added to an opportunity.

• n/a

When an opportunity has a specific pipeline opportunity stage.

• options vary based on selected fields
  
  
• can be exactly or not equal
  
  
• can specify which contacts the actions will be scheduled to

When an opportunity is set to Open, Won, Lost, or Archived.

• checkbox option to only schedule actions to the opportunity's primary contact

When a lead belongs to an account that has a specified field that you select from a drop-down menu.

• options vary based on selected field

When a lead belongs to an account that is assigned to an owner that you select from a drop-down menu.

• n/a

When a lead belongs to an account that is not assigned to an owner that you select from a drop-down menu.

• n/a

When a contact is added to an account.

• n/a 

When a contact is added to an account that has a specific tag. 

• n/a 

When a lead is referred (using referral fields) on a specific form that you are currently tracking in Lead Gen & CRM.

• n/a 

When a lead submits a specific form that you specify in the text input.

The form must be a tracked form in Lead Gen & CRM (including native and third-party forms that have been tracked).

• at any time
  
  
• during business hours
  
  
• during non-business hours

• can choose a number of times for any form submission
  
  
• can be exactly, greater, or less than that amount

• n/a

When a lead is assigned
to a specific campaign that
you identify.

• checkbox option to include secondary campaigns

When a lead is not assigned
to a specific campaign that
you identify.

• checkbox option to include secondary campaigns

When a lead is assigned a campaign with a tag.

You select the specific tag
with a drop-down menu.

• checkbox option to include secondary campaigns

When a lead is not assigned
a campaign with a tag.

You select the specific tag
with a drop-down menu.

• checkbox option to include secondary campaigns

When a lead is not the member of a specific list that you identify.

• n/a

When a lead is not the member of a list with a specific list tag.

Select the list tag by choosing from a drop-down.

• n/a

When a lead interacts with a specified social account.

• n/a 

When a lead has not viewed a specific item from your Media Center.

• n/a 

When a lead views a specific item from your Media Center.

• n/a 

When a lead books any meeting that is owned by a specified user.

• n/a

• n/a 

• n/a 

When a lead clicks an ad.

• n/a 

When a lead is making its way through a specified visual or opportunity workflow's path.

• n/a

• n/a 

• n/a 

When a lead is part of a specified action group.

• n/a

• n/a 

• n/a 

Values

Value listed must match value in field in order to meet the criteria. Text fields are not case-sensitive.

Value listed must not match value in field in order to meet the criteria.

Acceptable:
Bob

Unacceptable:
Test

Value listed must match value in field or be higher. Uses alphanumerical order. This only operates with numerical text input.

Acceptable:
100, 101

Unacceptable:
99, 20

Value listed must match value in field or lower. Uses alphanumerical order. This only operates with numerical text input.

Acceptable:
100, 56

Unacceptable:
101, 145

Acceptable:
test@gmail.com

Unacceptable:
testing@hotmail.com

Value listed must not contain the characters in the field. This is not case-sensitive. This comparison is available in the workflow builder, but it is unavailable in the list builder.

Acceptable:
emailtest@hotmail.com

Unacceptable:
test2@gmail.com

At least one of the values in the comma separated list must match exactly to the value that is stored in the field.

When a contact has the field First Name with one of the following values: Bob, Tom, Sue

None of the values in the comma separated list should match exactly to the value that is stored in the field.

These action groups are comprised entirely of after events. This means
that an action occurs, and then action group events happen after that action. These actions can happen immediately after, a day after, a week
after, or any other denomination of time after the action. These action groups can be scheduled to an individual lead, a list of leads, or attached
to an action group.

These action groups are reliant on actions that will recur in a specified frequency—be it either weekly, monthly or yearly—based on the value in a Date or Date/Time field.

Where event-based action groups can only be scheduled a single time to a lead, repeatable action groups can be scheduled as often as we like. A lead will only be ineligible to receive a repeatable action group if they get excluded from the action group.

When clicking the checkbox in an action group for repeatability, the action
group will have the ability to be applied to the same lead more than one
time. However, if there is an email, the email has to be repeatable as well.

With repeatable branches, it is important to know why you
are making the branch or action group repeatable. As an example,
when triggering automation, the action group will continue to apply as
many times as the automation was triggered. Consider form fills sending
notifications with messages of thanks. Every time the user fills out a form,
they need to get a confirmation.

These action groups utilize Custom Date/Time fields that you can create.
To create a time-based action group, you first click the checkbox in the action group section, and then choose the specific Custom Date/Time
field you will build the action group around.

The timing of events in time-based action groups are based on the value
in the Custom Date/Time field, and not on when the lead was added to
the action group. This allows for you to create events before the Custom
Date/Time Field if that value is in the future.

Sends a specific email to the leads added to the action group.

Select the email by searching for the email's name in the text box.

• checkbox to send
  during next available
  business hours

Sends a notification to a specified email address.

This email does not need to be associated with a user in Lead Gen & CRM.

• checkbox to send to
  lead owner instead,
  when available

Sends notification to a specific user in Lead Gen & CRM.

The notification is sent to the email address for that user.

• checkbox to send text message as well
  
  
• checkbox to send to
  lead owner instead,
  when available

• n/a

Sends a specific email to the referrer for the lead that triggered the action group.

Select the email by searching in the text box.

• checkbox to send
  during next available
  business hours

• n/a 

Adds the lead to a specific list in Lead Gen & CRM.

Select the list by searching in the text box.

• n/a 

Adds the lead to lists with a specific list tag.

Select the list tag by choosing from a drop-down.

• n/a 

Removes the lead from a specific list in Lead Gen & CRM.

Select the list by typing in the text box.

• n/a 

Removes the lead from lists with a specific list tag.

Select the list tag by choosing from a drop-down menu.

• n/a 

Removes the lead from a specific action group.

Select the action group by searching in the text box.

Removing a contact from an action group two separate times results in the contact being considered as excluded. Excluded contacts cannot be added to the action group again.

• checkbox to exclude
  this lead from being
  re-added to the action
  group in the future

Removes the lead from a visual workflow.

Select the visual workflow by searching in the text box.

• n/a

Assigns the lead to a specific campaign.

Select the campaign by searching in the text box.

Organic campaigns (Google Search, Word of Mouth, Direct Traffic, etc.) cannot be assigned via automation.

• checkbox to override
  existing campaign,
  if one exists

Assigns a lead owner of your choosing.

Also includes an option for round robin assignment.

• checkbox to override
  existing lead owner

Changes a specific lead field (standard fields, as well as Custom Fields) to a value that you designate.

• n/a 

Increments a specific text field by a value that you set.

This can be used to trigger additional automation.

• option to choose the incremental increase
  (1, 2, 3, etc.)

Decrements the text field by a value that you set.

This can be used to trigger additional automation.

• option to choose the decremental decrease
  (3, 2, 1, etc.)

Allows for you to change the lead status across the options:

• Open
• Unqualified
• Qualified
• Contacts
• Customers

• n/a

Allows for you to change the lead persona from those that have been created.

• n/a 

Assigns a lead tag to the lead, which will group the lead with any number of others together under the same tag.

• n/a 

Removes the lead tag assigned to the lead.

• n/a 

Assigns the lead to an account.

Begin typing the name of the desired account owner in the text field. The field will populate available users for you to choose from.

• checkbox to override the existing account assignment, if one already exists

Assigns an Account owner and populates the Account field “Assigned To”.

Begin typing the name of the owner in the text field. The field will populate available users for you to choose from.

• checkbox to override the existing account owner

Updates account system fields or custom fields, as long as the field is one of the following field types:

• Text input 
• Drop-down Select 
• Boolean 
• Bit
• Phone Number 
• URL 
• File Upload
• Attachment URL
• Text Area
• State
• Country 
• Checkbox Group
• Radio Group
• Date Picker 
• Date/Time Picker

• Enter the date/time value of when the workflow was triggered
• Enter a specific date/time value. 

Adds a single tag to an account that is associated with the lead who is scheduled to the workflow or the action group.

Begin typing the tag in the text field to search existing tags. 

• n/a

Removes a single tag from the account that is associated with the lead who is scheduled to the workflow or the action group. 

Begin typing the tag in the text field to search existing tags. 

• n/a

increment
the account
counter
field 

Increments a specified Account field by a given number.

Begin typing the field name to search existing account fields.

• Option to choose the incremental increase (1, 2, 3, etc.)

decrement
the account
counter
field

Decrements a specified Account field by a given number.

Begin typing the field name to search existing account fields.

• Option to choose the decremental decrease (3, 2, 1, etc.) 

account
post back

•  n/a

Assigns the lead to an account.

Begin typing the name of the desired account owner in the text field. The field will populate available users for you to choose from.

• checkbox to override the existing account assignment, if one already exists

• n/a

• checkbox to assign to
  lead owner when
  available
  
  
• checkbox to send
  calendar invite
  
  
• checkbox to require
  Smart Mail
  personalization

Creates a sales task. Sales task is assigned to a specified user once conditions are met. Sales task is displayed in the Task Manager.

• checkbox to assign to
  lead owner when
  available
  
  
• checkbox to send
  calendar invite
  
  
• checkbox to require
  Smart Mail
  personalization

Changes an opportunity's field based on interactions. Tracks and changes content based on who interacts with it in a specific manner.

• n/a 

Changes when and how opportunities can move across stages within a pipeline.

• n/a 

Changes opportunity status to won or lost, depending on interactions.

• n/a 

Assigns an owner to an opportunity.

• checkbox to override
  existing opportunity
  owner

Removes sales tasks from leads that have already been processed.

• n/a