Guide to Automation Flows

When you set up your automation flow, adding specific properties can determine what event adds subscribers to the flow, how often they can enter a flow, and when to remove a subscriber from a flow. Automation Properties also offer ways to fine-tune both the trigger event and filter specific subscribers in or out of a flow.

1. Define the automation trigger. A trigger is an action that will begin the automation flow. In the example above, the flow will send to a subscriber who starts the checkout process.
2. Add trigger filters. Trigger filters can help you fine-tune when an automation is triggered. The example above will only send to a subscriber whose abandoned cart subtotal is more than $100.
3. Add Subscriber filters. User filters can help you narrow down which subscribers can receive an automation. The flow above will only send if the subscriber has previously placed 2 orders.
4. Add a subscriber frequency filter. The subscriber frequency filter allows you to choose how often a subscriber can enter a given automation flow for a certain period of time. The example above will only allow subscribers to enter this flow every 30 days.
5. Add a cancellation trigger. The cancellation trigger tells Postscript when to remove a subscriber from an automation flow. In the example above, a subscriber will be removed from receiving this automation if they place an order.
6. Save. Don't forget to save your automation properties by selecting Save in the bottom-right. 

Reconnecting splits allow you to send targeted messages or test out different strategies with splits reconvening at the end of the flow. All branches in Flow Builder will always reconvene at the endpoint in the flow. While splits will reconnect, you can still add actions (Delay, Send Message, A/B splits, Wait for Event Splits, Trigger Splits within automation flows, etc.) to each split before the connecting endpoint.

Within nested branches, the parent split has reconnecting branches, then all child splits will also have reconnecting branches.

How Reconnecting Splits Work

Within automation flows, your splits reconnect at the end of the flow. Let's take a look at an example. In the flow below, the brand sends the initial message to the entire segment. Depending on subscriber replies (or lack thereof) to the initial message, they could be funneled down one of two branches - branch A or branch B. 

Subscribers in this flow will be removed from the campaign once they create an order. In the first message, subscribers are asked if they want early access to an upcoming launch.

If a subscriber replies with Yes/Yeah/Yep/Etc., they are funneled into Branch A which includes a confirmation message that they'll be notified before everyone else and a password to access the product page.

If they reply with anything other than Yes/Yeah/Yep/Etc. or do not reply at all, they are funneled down Branch B which includes confirmation that they'll be notified when everyone else is.

Branch A notifies subscribers on March 1st that the new product is live on a password-protected webpage. A day later, on March 2nd, branch B notifies subscribers that the new  product is live on their site.

At the end of this flow, the branches reconnect and send a final message to both parties nudging them to purchase.

With our Delay action, you can choose from three types of delays that will allow you to perfect the timing of each individual message within a flow to your subscribers. Learn about each type below or, for a deep dive into message scheduling, check out this article.

1. Delay your message for an amount of time. This option allows you to send your message after a specific interval of time (e.g. Delay sending this message until after a 5-minute delay or after a 5-week delay). 
2. Delay your message until a specific date allows you to choose the exact date and time that you'd like to send each individual message (e.g. Delay sending this message until December 20th, 2022 at 4:00 PM). 
3. Delay your message until a certain time of the week allows you to choose a day of the week and a time of day that you'd like to send each of your flow messages (e.g. Delay sending these messages until Sundays at 2:00 PM). 
4. Save. Once you've added your message delays, don't forget to save!
5. Duplicate your Delay action to make building out a flow of messages more efficient. 
6. Delete your Delay action by selecting this option or clicking Delete Step in the upper-right corner of the Delay editor.

Optimize your message conversions by finding the best combination of timing, images, message copy, and incentives for your brand all through A/B testing in Flow Builder! Not sure what to test? Check out the four A/B tests every SMS Marketer should be running. 

1. Auto Balance automatically sets your branches to an even distribution.
2. Designate Branch A's distribution by adding the percentage of subscribers you'd like to have your Branch A experience (this includes messages, delays, etc.).
3. Designate Branch B's distribution by adding the percentage of subscribers you'd like to have your Branch A experience (this includes messages, delays, etc.).
4. Save. Once you've customized your A/B Split distributions, don't forget to save!
5. Preview or add to your Branch A's experience by dragging and dropping flow actions to the Drag action here placeholder. 
6. Preview or add to your Branch B's experience by dragging and dropping flow actions to the Drag action here placeholder. 
7. Delete your A/B Split action by selecting this option or clicking Delete Step in the upper-right corner of the Split editor.

With Wait for Event Splits, you can time and send automated messages to subscribers based on their actions or inactions. For example, you can send a Welcome Series and then split responses based on if the subscriber purchased from your Welcome Series. Take a deep dive into this tool by checking out this article.

1. Add an event to your flow. This indicates that you intend to branch subsequent messages based on this event. For example, create branches based on if a subscriber creates an order after receiving the previous Day of the Week automation message.
2. Add the Max Wait Time that you will allow for subscribers to complete the event. For example, wait 24 hours for subscribers to create an order after receiving the first message in your flow.
3. Create your branches and select specific properties of each branch. In the example above, we will branch the flow based on if the subscriber creates an order using the Shopify discount code SHOPIFYDISCOUNT or not.
4. Wait for Event branching will always include a none of the above or event never occurred branch to capture any events that do not match the specifications and subscribers who do not respond within the Max Wait Time.
5. Add a new branch by selecting this option.
6. Save. Once you've customized your Event Splits, don't forget to save!
7. Preview your branches.
8. Delete your Wait for event split action by selecting this option or clicking Delete Step in the upper-right corner of the Split editor.

With this tool, you are able to update subscriber profiles with tags based on their actions following a previously-received message within your flow. This lets you craft more personalized and hyper-targeted flows in the future. For a deep dive, take a look at this article. 

1. Add or remove a subscriber tag based on which path the subscriber takes. In the example above, subscribers will be tagged as conditioner or shampoo based on their response to the Wait for Susbcriber Response Split.
2. Save. Once you've added your subscriber tag, don't forget to save!
3. Preview the Update Subscriber action.
4. After tagging a subscriber, you may consider sending them a follow-up message. In the example above, we send a shampoo recommendation to those who responded to our first message with the word shampoo.
5. Duplicate your Update Subscriber action to make building out a flow of messages more efficient.
6. Delete your Update Subscriber action by selecting this option or clicking Delete Step in the upper-right corner of the editor.

The Add to flow action in Flow Builder allows you to add subscribers to another automation flow that is triggered by an Added via Another Flow trigger event. You can move subscribers from a campaign flow or an automation flow into a new automation flow.

To use the Add to flow action, you'll need to create a "child flow", or a flow that uses the Add via Another Flow trigger. Once you have a flow that uses the Add via Another Flow trigger, you can link a flow within a flow.

Check out this Guide to Add to Flow Action in Flow Builder for a deep dive of this action.

Link a Flow Within a Flow

1. Select Messaging on the left-side navigation panel of your Postscript Dashboard.
2. Select Automations then select Create Automation in the upper right corner.
3. Select the Create Automation Flow option, then choose Create a new automation. Select Create flow in the bottom right of the module. 
4. Set your automation properties by selecting when a subscriber should be added to this flow and other filters (note: you cannot link a flow within a flow if you have transactional triggers or cart recovery triggers).
5. Under Flow Actions, select and drag Add to flow into your flow. You can choose to have a subscriber continue down the parent flow by adding more actions (Delay, Send Message, Wait for Event Split, etc.) after the Add to flow action. Alternatively, you can end the parent flow with the Add to flow action if you'd like the subscriber to subsequently receive the child flow only.
6. You can select Save Changes if you'd like to continue editing to your flow at a different time or select Schedule or Activate in the upper-right area of Flow Builder if you are ready to activate the flow immediately or schedule the flow to activate at a certain time.

Key Information