Automation Triggers + Conditions: Full Reference

What this is for#

This is the power-user reference for AcelleMail's automation system — the catalog you skim when designing a flow, not a how-to walkthrough. If you're just starting with automations, read Build a Welcome Email Series first; come back here when you need to know what trigger to pick for a specific scenario.

All 12 built-in triggers#

These are every trigger card on the Create Automation page:

Trigger anatomy#

Every trigger you configure has the same three pieces:

Every trigger fires once per subscriber per qualifying event. AcelleMail prevents re-firing on the same subscriber while they're in the flow — to re-enter, they need to be removed from the active session first (via Contacts → Delete trigger on the automation's Contacts tab).

The CONDITION node — the branching workhorse#

The CONDITION node creates a YES/NO split in your flow. It's how you build "if engaged, do X; if not, do Y".

CONDITION evaluates against four kinds of facts#

For each fact, AcelleMail offers operators appropriate to the data type:

Build a CONDITION node#

In the flow builder:

1. Click + on the downstream arrow where you want the split
2. Pick CONDITION from the node picker
3. The side panel opens with three dropdowns: Field → Operator → Value
4. Configure your check
5. Two arrows appear from the new node: YES (top) and NO (bottom)
6. Build the downstream flow on each branch

Multi-branch via chained CONDITIONs#

The YES/NO split is binary. For more than two outcomes, chain CONDITION nodes:

CONDITION → Has tag `vip`?
            ├─ YES → SEND EMAIL: VIP exclusive
            └─ NO  → CONDITION → Has tag `customer`?
                                  ├─ YES → SEND EMAIL: Customer offer
                                  └─ NO  → CONDITION → Engagement-warm?
                                                       ├─ YES → SEND EMAIL: Warm nurture
                                                       └─ NO  → SEND EMAIL: Cold-list welcome

4 branches built from 3 CONDITIONs. Each YES/NO is one decision; the chain reaches every outcome.

The OPERATION node — mutate the subscriber#

The OPERATION node is how a flow changes the subscriber's data, not just sends them email. Five operation types:

The Update field operation can take a literal value (Plan = enterprise) OR a formula referencing the current value ({{subscriber.lead_score}} + 25). Formula support makes OPERATION the engine of any points-based scoring system.

The WAIT node — pause the flow#

WAIT pauses the subscriber's journey for a configurable duration before the next node fires.

WAIT pauses persist across automation pauses — if you pause the automation, all WAIT nodes hold their place; un-pausing resumes from where each subscriber was. This is critical to know if you're iterating on a flow in production.

Designing multi-trigger flows#

Sometimes one automation isn't enough. Common patterns:

Pattern 1 — One canonical flow, multiple entries#

Build one "customer nurture" automation with a Tag based trigger on customer-new. Then build:

• Pre-purchase flow → adds customer-new tag → enters nurture
• Post-purchase flow → adds customer-new tag → enters nurture (via the same trigger)

The nurture flow doesn't care HOW the subscriber became a customer — it just sees the tag.

Pattern 2 — Coordinated trigger pairs#

For a 2-stage funnel:

Automation A — Welcome series
  TRIGGER: Welcome new subscribers
  …5-email flow…
  Final OPERATION: Add tag `nurture-eligible`

Automation B — Long-tail nurture
  TRIGGER: Tag based: nurture-eligible
  …monthly content + offers…

Two automations, one handoff. The first ends with a tag operation; the second triggers off that tag. Clean separation, easier to maintain than one giant flow.

Pattern 3 — Exit-on-tag-set#

Any automation can exit early if a sentinel tag appears. The pattern:

… (any path) …
CONDITION → Has tag `exit-now`?
            ├─ YES → END
            └─ NO  → continue

Place these checks before each SEND EMAIL. Useful for "stop sending if customer complained" or "stop sending if customer converted".

Anti-patterns#

Performance notes#

• AcelleMail evaluates trigger conditions on a polling basis (typically every minute for tag/attribute changes, daily for date triggers). Don't expect sub-second responsiveness.
• A subscriber can be in multiple automations simultaneously — each automation tracks them independently. Watch for cross-automation send overlaps.
• The Contacts → Trigger all subscribers action on an automation fires the trigger for every subscriber on the list at once. Use sparingly on large lists (10k+).

Related articles#

• Build a Welcome Email Series in AcelleMail (Visual Flow Builder)
• Tag-Based Re-engagement Pattern
• Lead Scoring in AcelleMail
• Using API Triggers for Custom Automation Workflows