Trigger Rules

Triggers consist of three parts. Frequency, Rules, and Actions. In this guide we'll be reviewing Rules.

Every Trigger needs a set of Rules, which are used to set the conditions which need to be fulfilled before the Trigger takes Action.   When the Rules are satisfied, Triggers can update important fields, send emails to your clients and managers, create tasks for your team and update the status of your Requests, Sales, Projects, Tickets and Retainers.  Your Trigger's Rules must be configured before Actions can be configured.

This powerful tool is only available for Premium users as part of the Business Progression & Fields.

Using this guide, you can:



Creating a Rule

To Create a Rule, click the Rules tab of your Trigger.  Click the blue +New Rule button to add a new Rule to your Trigger, pictured here.

add ruleEach Trigger can have an infinite amount of Rules added to more specifically define the situation which you'd like automation to occur.  All of the Trigger's Rules must be be satisfied in order for the Trigger to run.

  

Activity Rules

Activity Rules are used to monitor the types of Activities which are being logged against each piece of work, and the delay between each Activity.  Activities encompass the internal notes which your team logs, the time which they record, emails and meetings which are sent and received, and call notes which are recorded.  In this example, we'll be looking at a Project's Activity Rules.

trigger project activity 

  • Days: This variable sets the threshold for the number of days which the Trigger will check for..

  • Condition: These conditions track the different kind interaction which can occur as part of your work, and specifically tracks interactions which are logged against that piece of work. This is an important detail because, for example, emails which are sent to your client from the company page will not affect your Project's Triggers.

      • Since Outbound Interaction: This would be measured by the last time which you interacted with your client as part of that work, and includes sending an email or scheduling a meeting.

      • Since Inbound Interaction: This is measured by the last time which your client contacted you as part of that work, and includes receiving an email or a meeting invitation. 

      • Since Last Staff Activity: This would be measured by the last time any activity was recorded as part of that work, and includes internal notes, sending an email and recording a phone call.

 

Module Field Rules

Module Fields are fields which are unique to that module, including Sales, Projects, Tickets and Retainers.  In this example, we'll be reviewing the unique fields for Tickets..

All Triggers can use Company and Contact fields in their Rules.  For example, a Ticket Trigger can include Rules based on both the Ticket's fields, and Company fields which it belongs to.

module fields 

Virtually every field which you find when viewing and editing a Ticket (or other type of work) can be used as a Rule.  This includes default fields like the Ticket's Priority, as well as custom fields which you've added to your Ticket Type.  The total number of fields, and the type of those fields, varies from object to object depending on. For example, Priority is not an available field for Projects, but it is for Ticket. Regardless of the object which you're configuring Rules for, the available options will be the same:

  • Field: This is the field which your Trigger will be monitoring. 

  • Condition: Sets the condition which the Trigger will be monitoring for, and includes standard options such as "Has a Value Set", "Does Not Have a Value Set", "Is" and "Is Not".  Depending on the type of field which you're monitoring, special conditions will also be available:

    • Text Fields: Special conditions include Contains and Doesn't Contain.  Great for checking for key words in the Ticket's description.

    • Numbers: Special conditions include Greater Than, Less Than and Equal To.  Great for checking for Rates under a certain threshold.

    • Dates: Special conditions include Past/Future: More Than, Past/Future, Less Than and Is Today.  Great for checking for Tickets which have passed their due date.

    • Select: Special conditions include Is One Of and Is Not One Of.  Great for checking for Tickets with an urgent priority.

 

Financial Rules

Billable work (including Projects, Tickets, and Retainers) have an additional type of Rule which can be used, called Financial.  

financial rule 

Financial Rules all offer the same special conditions which are available for number fields, and are especially useful for creating sending alerts when budgets are exceeded, and when the profit margin begins to slip.

Financial Rules are not available for non-billable objects, including Companies, Contact, Sales and Request.

Now that you've configured your Trigger's Rules, you can begin creating Trigger Actions.

 

Sale Trigger Rules

  • Sale Activity - select the number of days since Any Outbound Interaction, Any Inbound Interaction, or Last Staff Activity.

  • Sale Field - select a condition for:

    • Title

    • Comments

    • Status

    • Probability

    • Success

    • Assignee

    • Rating

    • Created

    • Actioned

    • Won date

    • Lost date

    • Abandoned date

    • Due

    • Value

    • Progress

    • Closing Reached On

    • Days For Client To Review Quote

    • Days Spent As A Qualified Lead

    • Days Spent As An Unqualified Lead

    • Days To Create The Quote

    • Lead Entered On

    • Lead Qualified On

    • Lead Temperature

    • Product (Custom Field Example)

    • Quote Begun On

    • Quote Sent On

    • Object

  • Company Field - select a condition for:

    • Name

    • Website

    • Comments

    • Company Status

    • Standing

    • Last Interaction

    • Company Division

    • Platforms Used

    • Type

  • Contact Field - select a condition for:

    • Firstname

    • Surname

    • Phone

    • Email

    • Contact Status

    • Position

    • Last Interaction

    • Contact Division

Project Trigger Rules

  • Project Activity - select the number of days since Any Outbound Interaction, Any Inbound Interaction, or Last Staff Activity.

  • Project Field - select a condition for:

    • Title

    • Comments

    • Status

    • Engagement Table

    • Manager

    • Modified

    • Start

    • Due

    • Test Profile

    • Object

  • Company Field - select a condition for:

    • Name

    • Website

    • Comments

    • Company Status

    • Standing

    • Last Interaction

    • Company Division

    • Platforms Used

    • Type

  • Contact Field - select a condition for:

    • Firstname

    • Surname

    • Phone

    • Email

    • Contact Status

    • Position

    • Last Interaction

    • Contact Division

  • Financial - select a condition for:

    • Price Budget Used

    • Price Budget Forecast

    • Hours Budget Used

    • Hours Budget Forecast

    • Current Profit Margin

    • Forecast Profit Margin

    • Non-billable Time Logged

    • Billable Time Logged

    • Total Time Logged

    • Billable Value Logged

Ticket Trigger Rules

  • Ticket Activity - select the number of days since Any Outbound Interaction, Any Inbound Interaction, or Last Staff Activity.

  • Ticket Field - select a condition for:

    • Subject

    • Description

    • Resolution Notes

    • Engagement table

    • Class

    • Status

    • Priority

    • Rate

    • Assignee

    • Resolution Type

    • Submitted date

    • Open date

    • Resolved date

    • Closed date

    • Created

    • Due Date

    • Rate charged

    • Retainer

    • Service Level Agreement (SLA) - Time to close

    • Waiting Reason

    • Origin 

    • Test

    • Object

  • Company Field - select a condition for:

    • Name

    • Website

    • Comments

    • Company Status

    • Standing

    • Last Interaction

    • Company Division

    • Platforms Used

    • Type

  • Contact Field - select a condition for:

    • Firstname

    • Surname

    • Phone

    • Email

    • Contact Status

    • Position

    • Last Interaction

    • Contact Division

  • Financial - select a condition for:

    • Price Budget Used

    • Price Budget Forecast

    • Hours Budget Used

    • Hours Budget Forecast

    • Current Profit Margin

    • Forecast Profit Margin

    • Non-billable Time Logged

    • Billable Time Logged

    • Total Time Logged

    • Billable Value Logged

  • Ticket Tasks - select a condition for Status.

Retainer Trigger Rules

  • Retainer Activity - select the number of days since Any Outbound Interaction, Any Inbound Interaction, or Last Staff Activity.

  • Retainer Field - select a condition for:

    • Title

    • Manager

    • Commenced

    • Expiry

    • Auto Renew

    • Send invoice

    • Retainer Status

    • Object

  • Company Field - select a condition for:

    • Name

    • Website

    • Comments

    • Company Status

    • Standing

    • Last Interaction

    • Company Division

    • Platforms Used

    • Type

  • Contact Field - select a condition for:

    • Firstname

    • Surname

    • Phone

    • Email

    • Contact Status

    • Position

    • Last Interaction

    • Contact Division

  • Period Field - select a condition for:

    • Duration type

    • Budget type

    • Allowance type

    • Current Period Status

    • Rate charged

    • Commenced

    • Expiry

    • Usage percentage

    • Duration percentage

    • Value usage

    • Time used (hours)

    • Duration (days)

    • Usage % - Duration %

Accelo uses cookies to give you the best possible experience - by clicking 'Continue' you agree to our use of cookies. Refer to our Privacy Policy for details. Continue