Goal

To connect multiple automations to create multi-step automation programs.

Background Information​

You can combine any number of automations to create completely automated, multi-step workflows. This means that when a first job finishes, a second job automatically executes. There is no limit to the number of jobs that can be connected in this way.

Example 1

A first time-based automation with the job ​Import Contacts​ imports contacts to Engage from a CSV file. A second automation has the event + job combination ​Event-based Automation Finished (S/C) + Send Prepared Message to Group (S)​. This automation sends the weekly newsletter immediately after every import finishes. The email is sent to the newly imported contacts as well as existing members.

Example 2

A first event-based automation ​Conversion Registered (C)​ + ​Send Prepared Message to Contact (C)​ sends a confirmation message to a contact after he signs up for an event. A second automation has the event + job combination​ Single Message Sent (C)​ + ​Store Data in Profile Attribute (C)​. The automation stores the date when the confirmation mail was sent in the contact's profile.

You may find it easier to create multi-step automation workflows on a whiteboard. The new Whiteboard has a user-friendly visual interface that makes it easier to combine multiple automations. See Whiteboard​ NEW.

The initial automation that starts the workflow can be a time-based job or an event-based job. The second job is always an event-based job. You can create an unlimited number of event-based automations that react to a first finished automation. You can also create a chain of event-based automations that is unlimited in length.

Engage offers two events that react when a first automation finishes.

However, almost every job has a corresponding event. For example, for the automation ​Import Contacts​ has the corresponding event ​Contact Import Finished​. To create a chain of automations, you can follow the automation ​Import Contacts​ with either of the following:

  • Event-based Automation Finished​ or

  • Contact Import Finished​
    In this case you have to further specify the event. Otherwise the event-based automation will execute in response to all events of this type, and not just to events related to the preceding automation.

If there is a fatal error and the initial automation does not execute, Engage will not execute the follow-up automation.

Procedures

  1. In the ​Main Navigation​, click ​Automation​.
    ⇒ The ​Whiteboard​ window opens.
  2. Click the ​Event-based​ tab.
    ⇒ The ​Event-based Automations Overview​ window opens.
  3. Click the ​New Automation​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Edit Event​ window opens.
  4. Enter a name and description for the automation.
  5. From the drop-down list ​Event​, select ​Event-based Automation Finished​.
  6. From the drop-down list ​Event-based Automation​, select the first automation in your multi-part series. Only automations with the status ​Running​ or ​Scheduled​ can be selected. If there are no active automations in your system, an error message appears.
  7. Click the ​Edit Job​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Edit Event-based Job​ window opens.
  8. Select the job.
    • If the first automation in your multi-part series is a (C) automation, select a (C) job as the following job.

    • If the first automation in your multi-part series is an (S) automation, select an (S) job as the following job.

  9. Enter the desired settings for the job. The settings depend on the selected job.
  10. Click the ​Time Frame​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Define Time Frame​ window opens.
  11. Define the time frame.
  12. Click ​Save & Activate​ to immediately activate the automation. Click ​Save & Close​ to save the automation without activating it. Only active automations are executed by the system.
    ⇒ The automation is saved and activated. The automation has the status ​Activated, Running​ if the start date is immediate and ​Activated, Scheduled​ if the start date is in the future.
  1. In the ​Main Navigation​, click ​Automation​.
    ⇒ The ​Whiteboard​ window opens.
  2. Click the ​Event-based​ tab.
    ⇒ The ​Event-based Automations Overview​ window opens.
  3. Click the ​New Automation​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Edit Event ​window opens.
  4. Enter a name and description for the automation.
  5. From the drop-down list ​Event​, select ​Time-based Automation Finished​.
  6. From the drop-down list ​Time-based Automation​, select the first automation in your multi-part series. Only automations with the status ​Running​ or ​Scheduled​ can be selected. If there are no active automations in your system, an error message appears.
  7. Click the ​Edit Job​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Edit Event-based Job​ window opens.
  8. Select the job.
    • If the first automation in your multi-part series affects individual contacts, select a (C) job as the following job.

    • If the first automation in your multi-part series affects the whole system or a whole group, select an (S) job as the following job.

  9. Enter the desired settings for the job. The settings depend on the selected job.
  10. Click the ​Time Frame​ button.
    ⇒ The ​Define Time Frame​ window opens.
  11. Define the time frame.
  12. Click ​Save & Activate​ to immediately activate the automation. Click ​Save & Close​ to save the automation without activating it. Only active automations are executed by the system.
    ⇒ The automation is saved and activated. The automation has the status ​Activated, Running​ if the start date is immediate and ​Activated, Scheduled​ if the start date is in the future.