Overview
Creating a Rule is a multi-step process that involves the initial creation, then adding steps and actions, and finally, fine-tuning it by adding specific conditions and triggers to make it work the way you need.
In this article, we will break down the creation of a Rule into eight steps.
Create a Rule
Add the First Step + Action
Add Additional Actions
Set Condition(s)
Add Additional Steps
Finish Rule
Activate Rule
Add Trigger or Set Schedule
Before You Begin
📖 Read the following articles to gain a basic understanding of Workflows + Rules:
✍️ Map out your Rule on paper or in an outline.
Step 1: Create a New Rule
Navigate to Data + Automations > Workflows > Rules.
Click the + New Rule button
in the top right corner of the header. Give your Rule a Name.
Provide a brief description of what the Rule will do.
Select a Type:
Triggered: Enrolls Contacts based on a characteristic or Action taken. For a list of actions and descriptions, review our article, Actions.
Scheduled: Enrolls Contacts based on a schedule and specific conditions. The actions for a Scheduled Rule are limited to Create Login Token, Create Profile, Validate Phone Numbers, or Run Rule.
Click Save in the top right corner.
You will be taken to the edit page for your new Rule, where you can configure and define what it will do.
Step 2: Add the First Step + Action
After completing step one, you are taken to edit your new Rule. This screen will appear when you open your Rule to edit, run, or view activity.
How to Add a Step + Action
Click the + button
to open the Action side sheet, allowing you to select an action.Click Select Action to pick an action from the list. For a complete list of actions and descriptions, view our help article on Actions.
After selecting the Action, you'll be prompted to select a corresponding value. For example, if you choose Send Communication as your action type, you must select which campaign you wish to send.
After clicking save, your first step will automatically be created using the Action you chose.
Step 3: Add Additional Actions
You can add more than one Action to a single step. This flexibility lets you handle different tasks simultaneously.
How to Add an Action
Click the play button
under the first Action on the Step.Then, follow the same process outlined in Step 2.
Step 4: Set Condition(s)
Click the condition button
on the right side of your Rule. 
The Set Conditions form will open, allowing you to select a condition type: date condition, user segment, or user segment reference. For more information on these condition types, visit our help article on conditions.
You must add a filter for the date condition and user segment types. You must load a segment if you use the segment reference type. For more information on condition properties and operators, visit our help article on conditions.
When you are finished adding your filters for the first condition, you have two options:
Option 1: If you are finished and do not need any other conditions added, you can save and return to your Rule:
Click the X in the top right corner of the Set Conditions form
Option 2: If you need to add another condition for more complex and refined targeting, you can add another condition (any of the three types) within this condition. For instance, you might have a Date Condition to check if the day is within a particular period and a User Segment Reference to target a specific group of Contacts. To add another condition:
Click the Add Condition button
Once you are finished adding your conditions, click the X in the top right corner to close the form and return to your Workflow.
Configure your YES + NO paths created by the condition:
YES + NO Paths
After saving your condition, you will see it has been added to the step, and there are now visible 'YES' and 'NO' paths. Now, you will need to determine what you want to happen next for the Contacts in each path. Note that the condition you added defines the action of the 'YES' path, and you will see that action under the green YES bubble.
Option 1: Proceed to the next step (if you plan to have another step)
The Contact will automatically move to the next Step if no additional action is added. Therefore, leave the end of the path as-is (play button visible).
Option 2: Finish the Rule (the Contact will exit the Rule and not proceed to any subsequent steps)
Click the Add Action play button
at the end of the pathSelect and add the Finish Workflow action from the list
Option 3: Execute another action (add another action for this Contact)
Click the Add Action play button
at the end of the pathThen, follow the same process outlined in Step 2 to add a new action
Step 5: Add Additional Steps
Do you need to add additional steps/actions to your Workflow?
🟢 Yes: Follow the steps outlined in Steps 2-4 for each step you need to add. Then, when finished, proceed with Step 6.
🔴 No: Proceed to Step 6.
Step 6: Finish Rule
If you add conditions to your Rule, you likely already did this. However, it is best practice to add one final Action to your Rule, Finish Workflow. This indicates that it is the final step of the Rule.
Add an action to your final step (as demonstrated in Step 3).
Click Select Action to select Finish Workflow as the Action.
Click Save.
Step 7: Activate Rule
As the final step before determining how Contacts will enroll in your Rule, you'll need to activate your Rule.
Navigate to the drop-down menu, Inactive, located to the right of your Rule name.
Click the drop-down and select Active.
Step 8: Add Trigger or Set Schedule
Lastly, it's time to configure how Contacts will enroll in your Rule. This step depends on whether you selected Triggered or Scheduled as the Rule Type in Step 1.
Triggered Rule
Click Add Trigger.
Click Select Trigger to pick a trigger from the list. For a complete list of triggers and descriptions, visit our help article on Triggers.
After selecting the trigger, you'll be prompted to configure the properties/settings for that specific trigger. For example, if you choose Form Submitted as your trigger, you must select which form you want the trigger to use.
Add additional triggers if needed. Note: You can have multiple triggers, and they operate independently. This means that a person only needs to meet the criteria of one trigger to be enrolled in the Workflow.
Click Save in the top right corner.
Scheduled Rule
If you selected Scheduled Rule:
Click Set Schedule.
Set the schedule for when you want the Rule to run.
Add a date and time if you want the Rule to run once.
Use the Repeatable toggle if you want the Rule to run more than once.
When finished, click Done.
Manage Your Rule
Once you've completed step 9, you're finished! You can now edit or monitor your Rule to see how Contacts move through it (where they are exiting, who has finished, etc.).