General Rules FAQs

• Can you combine multiple actions into one rule?
• Is there a specific order that the actions within one rule will run?
• Can a rule trigger for any of a group of products that are associated with a category?
• Can I add more than one trigger in a rule?
• What is a condition?
• Can I have multiple conditions?
• Can you use a rule to update contacts for an action where the trigger happened in the past?
• My rule is not working, why not?

Can you combine multiple actions into one rule? 

Yes, you can combine several actions within one rule. For instance, one rule can add a contact to a member group, subscribe them to a sequence, and register them for an event all based on the purchase of one product. There is no need to create multiple rules if the trigger is the same for all the actions. Combining several actions into one rule can help with managing and maintaining your rules over time.

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Is there a specific order that the actions within one rule will run?

Yes, the system will go through the actions in one rule in the order that they appear in the rule editor. Most of the time it may not matter what order the actions occur, but there may be times when it makes a  difference to your end goals, so just be aware that this is the case and think through the sequence and logic of the actions as you create the rule.

Note: if you are using the action to send contact to a web page on completion of a form, you will need to ensure that is the last action if placed in a multi-action rule.

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Can a rule trigger for any of a group of products that are associated with a category?… I have several products that are all related and all need the same rule actions.

Yes, if you have a group of products that qualify for the exact same rule and you do not want to needlessly create one rule for each product, use the “Any Product in a Category” option in the menu that appears after you select any of the triggers associated with Products.

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Can I add more than one trigger in a rule?

Yes, you can add multiple triggers, however, be aware it will be an “or” statement—meaning it will be Product A or Product B or Product C that triggers the rule. This can be helpful if you have a small handful of objects that require the same rule, but you do not want to use a common category to group them together as described above.

What is a condition?

A condition in a rule is pretty much what it sounds like, you can think of it as an “only if” statement. So for instance you may want to have a rule that has a trigger to send a contact to an upsell Sequence A, but only if they have not already purchased Product B that is being sold in that sequence. (As there would be no need to market to them if they have already purchased Product B. )This filleter would be put into a rule as a condition, so it is a qualifier that stands between the trigger and the action. It is not always necessary to use this, but it is there if needed.

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Can I have multiple conditions?

Yes, but realize that when you add more than one condition, it will be an “and” statement—so this means that all conditions must be met for the rule to run.

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Can you use a rule to update contacts for an action where the trigger happened in the past?

In many cases yes. If we record the trigger, such as the purchase of the product, or the assignment of a category or member group, yes you can use that as the trigger and go back in time to update the contact record.

To do this, set whatever actions you need to have happened into a rule based on the relevant trigger, visit the Execute to the Past section of the rule editor, and follow the instructions there. You will be asked to set a date to go back to for the update, so be sure to review that before you execute to the past.

Tip: The rule you create to bulk update to the past, is often still needed for any future actions, so it will likely be used going forward.

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My rule is not working, why not?

The most common reason a rule does not trigger is because the status is not set to active, so be sure your rule is set to active.

Another setting to look at if your rule is not working,  the “Active Starting On” date and ensure it is a relevant date.

Also review the “Set Active Until Date”-- if it is set for the past, the rule will not run.

Next if the above all seem correct, review that the trigger the rule is set for is in fact the trigger the contact performed. For instance, there is a difference between purchasing a product with an invoice and purchasing a product with a sales receipt, so we have them separated out, but we also have a combined trigger of: Purchased by Sales Receipt or Has Been Invoiced. Even if this is not your specific trigger, the idea is to ensure that when you suspect your rule is not working, ensure the trigger is exactly what you see in the rule editor.

Finally, occasionally a rule trigger or action is shown in the menu but is not completely wired up for all areas of the system where the trigger can take place. If you find that you’ve reviewed and tested all the settings for your rule and it still did not run as expected, please report this to your Full Partner Support Technician for additional help.