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Automation Overview & Basics

Introduction to Automations​

Automations in SendSquared are workflow sequences that trigger specific actions based on predefined events or conditions. They allow you to send the right message, to the right person, at the right time—without manual intervention.

Key Benefits​

  • Save time: Set up once and let the system handle routine communications
  • Improve consistency: Ensure all guests receive the same high-quality communications
  • Increase engagement: Connect with guests at critical moments in their journey
  • Boost revenue: Promote additional services or encourage repeat bookings
  • Reduce manual errors: Automate repetitive tasks for greater accuracy

Getting Started with Automations​

Creating New Automations​

Method 1: Using Templates​

  1. Navigate to Automations in your dashboard
  2. Click + Create New Automation
  3. Browse the template library and select a template that matches your needs
  4. Click Use Template to create a copy of the template in your account
  5. Customize the automation Actions and content to fit your specific requirements
  6. Give your automation a descriptive name
  7. Click Save and then Activate when ready

Method 2: Building from Scratch​

  1. Navigate to Automations in your dashboard
  2. Click + Create New Automation
  3. Select Start from Scratch
  4. Add a trigger Action to define when the automation should start
  5. Add subsequent Actions (wait, conditions, actions) to build your workflow
  6. Connect the Actions in a logical sequence
  7. Configure each Action with the appropriate settings
  8. Give your automation a descriptive name
  9. Click Save and then Activate when ready

Automation Canvas Navigation​

The automation canvas is where you build and edit your workflows:

tip

Actions are items that fire when the trigger is true. The Action that doesn't have any flow lines is called the root Action. You can only have one root Action, and all following must have flow lines identifying how they are connected.

  • Zoom: Use the controls in the bottom-right corner to zoom in/out or fit to screen
  • Pan: Click and hold anywhere on the canvas to move around
  • Select: Click on an Action to select it and view its properties
  • Connect: Click and drag from one Action's connection point to another to create a link
  • Add Action: Click the "Add Action" button that appears when hovering over connection points
  • Delete Action: Select an Action and press delete or use the "X" icon in the properties panel

As shown in the screenshot, the automation canvas visually displays the flow of Actions in your automation. Blue boxes represent email Actions, green boxes represent SMS Actions, and yellow boxes represent wait Actions.

Action Types and Configuration​

Wait Actions​

Wait Actions create delays in your automation flow:

  • Fixed Time: Wait for a specific number of minutes, hours, or days
  • Until Specific Date: Wait until a calendar date is reached
  • Until Specific Time: Wait until a particular time of day
  • Relative to Date Field: Wait until a date stored in a contact or reservation field

In the screenshot, you can see yellow wait Action boxes like "21 Days before Arrival", "Check-in Date", and "2 Days" that create the appropriate timing between communications.

Conditional Logic​

Conditions allow your automation to take different paths based on specific criteria:

Available Operators​

  • Equal to / Not Equal to: Exact matches
  • Contains / Does Not Contain: Partial text matches
  • Greater Than / Less Than: Numerical comparisons
  • Is Empty / Is Not Empty: Check for null values
  • Starts With / Ends With: Text pattern matching
  • Before / After: Date comparisons

Condition Types​

  • Contact Properties: Filter based on contact information
  • Reservation Properties: Filter based on reservation details
  • Lead Properties: Filter based on lead information
  • Segment Membership: Filter based on segment inclusion/exclusion
  • Tag Presence: Filter based on whether specific tags are applied
  • Custom Field Values: Filter based on values in custom fields

Action Configuration​

Actions are the operations your automation performs. In the screenshot, you can see how Actions are configured in the right panel.

  • Send Email: Deliver an email using a selected template (blue boxes in the screenshot)
  • Send SMS: Send a text message to the contact's phone number (green boxes in the screenshot)
  • Add/Remove Tag: Apply or remove tags from contacts
  • Add to Segment: Include the contact in a specific segment
  • Remove from Segment: Remove the contact from a specific segment
  • Update Contact Field: Change values in contact record fields
  • Create Task: Generate a task for your team in the CRM
  • HTTP Request: Send data to an external system via webhook
  • Assign Lead: Allocate a lead to a specific team member

Managing and Optimizing Automations​

Enabling/Disabling Automations​

  1. Navigate to Automations in your dashboard
  2. Find the automation you want to manage
  3. Toggle the status switch to enable or disable the automation
    • Enabled automations will process new triggers
    • Disabled automations will not process new triggers, but in-progress workflows will continue

Testing Automations​

  1. Create your automation flow
  2. Click the Test button in the top-right corner
  3. Select a sample contact, reservation, or lead to test with
  4. Choose whether to send actual messages or just simulate them
  5. View the test results to verify the automation functions as expected

Auditing Automations​

SendSquared provides tools to monitor and audit your automations:

  • Automation History: View a log of all automation runs

    1. Navigate to Automations > History
    2. Filter by automation name, date range, or status
    3. Click on any entry to see detailed execution information

  • Performance Metrics: Analyze effectiveness

    1. Navigate to Automations > Analytics
    2. View completion rates, action success rates, and timing statistics
    3. Identify bottlenecks or issues in your automation workflows

  • Contact Journey View: See a contact's automation history

    1. Open a contact record
    2. Navigate to the Automations tab
    3. View all automations that have included this contact

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

  • Automation Not Triggering

    • Verify the automation is enabled
    • Check that contacts/reservations meet all condition criteria
    • Ensure date calculations are correct
    • Verify that triggers have the correct configuration

  • Email Deliverability Issues

    • Check spam score of email templates
    • Verify sender reputation and authentication settings
    • Review bounce logs for specific delivery problems

  • SMS Delivery Problems

    • Confirm phone numbers are in the correct format with country code
    • Verify opt-in status for all recipients
    • Check character count to ensure messages aren't being split

  • Performance Concerns

    • Review execution times for complex automations
    • Consider splitting very large automations into smaller, linked workflows
    • Check for redundant conditions or unused paths

Advanced Automation Techniques​

  • A/B Testing: Create parallel automations with different content or timing to test effectiveness
  • Progressive Profiling: Use automations to gradually gather more information about contacts
  • Cross-Channel Coordination: Synchronize messaging across email, SMS, and other channels
  • Dynamic Content: Use conditional logic to display different content based on customer attributes
  • Segmentation Integration: Combine automation workflows with dynamic segments
  • Behavioral Triggers: Create automations that respond to website or app interactions
  • Automation Chaining: Use the completion of one automation to trigger another

Need Help?​

If you need assistance setting up or customizing your automations, our support team is ready to help. Contact us at support@sendsquared.com or call +1.855.340.7363.