How do I start an automation on a specific date?

In this article, you will learn how to start an automation on a specific date. There are three ways to start your automation on a specific day:

There are three ways to start your automation on a specific day:

• 'Do not start automation until date MM/DD/YYYY'
• 'Do not proceed in automation until date MM/DD/YYYY'
• 'Date-based automation' based on a start trigger
  
  

'Do not start automation until date MM/DD/YYYY'

With this option, you ensure that contacts only enter an automation when they meet a specific (date) condition.

Please note: Contacts will only proceed through the automation if they meet the segment conditions at the moment they reach the start of the automation through the trigger. If they do not meet the conditions, they will not wait.

1. Add a start trigger to your automation.
2. Under advanced, click on 'Segment the contacts entering this automation'.
3. In the segment builder, choose 'Select a condition' from the 'Date & Time' category. To specify a specific date and time, you need to enter each condition (for month/day/time) separately and ensure that the 'AND' option is selected. See example below:

'Do not proceed in automation until date MM/DD/YYYY'

With this option, contacts enter the automation but then you make them wait in a wait step until they meet a specific (date) condition. You can add this option at the beginning of your automation or somewhere in the middle if you want to temporarily pause the automation.

1. Add a start trigger to your automation.
2. Add a wait step (under 'Conditions and workflow').
3. Click on 'Until certain conditions are met'.
4. In the segment builder, choose 'Date & Time'. Enter the date of your choice here (as shown earlier in this article).

'Date-based automation' based on a start trigger

With the 'date-based' start trigger, contacts from your list are automatically added to the automation once they meet the date conditions you have set in advance. The automation can start before, on, or after a specific date. This trigger is suitable for events such as birthdays or weddings. It can also be used for recurring transactions, such as subscriptions. You set the trigger as follows:

1. Select the 'Date based' start trigger when creating a new automation.
2. Specify whether the automation should start before, on, or after the specific date.
3. Select the list on which the automation is based.
4. Indicate whether the system should check daily, only on weekdays, or only on weekends to see if the contact's date field matches the conditions. Also, specify the time.
5. Specify whether only the day and month should match, or if the year should also match. For example, the year is important for a wedding, but not for a birthday.
6. Click on 'Add a start'.

Once you have completed the rest of the automation and set it to 'Active', contacts in your list that meet the criteria will automatically be added to the automation.