Definition
An automation condition is a rule within an email workflow that evaluates a subscriber's characteristics or behaviour and determines which path to follow next. If the condition matches, the workflow takes one route; otherwise it follows another.
Conditions are the logic behind branching. They check things like whether a subscriber opened, clicked, bought, completed a form or has a certain tag, then route them accordingly. Combining conditions lets you build genuinely personalised automated journeys from a single workflow.
Common Automation Conditions
| Condition | What It Checks |
|---|---|
| Opened an email | Whether an open happened |
| Clicked a link | Engagement with content |
| Made a purchase | Conversion status |
| Has a tag or segment | Known attributes |
| Form completed | Expressed interest |
Each condition routes the next step.
Why Conditions Matter
- Drive relevance: Each subscriber gets what fits them.
- Automate decisions: The workflow decides, not the sender.
- Reduce manual work: One flowed handles many cases.
- Improve conversion: A personalised path performs better.
How to Build Good Conditions
- Keep logic clear: Use simple, readable rules.
- Define the fallback: Always set what happens if no condition matches.
- Test each path: Verify every branch behaves correctly.
- Combine thoughtfully: Chain conditions where you need specific journeys.
Related Glossary Terms
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is a triggered message sent to online shoppers who added items to their cart but did not complete the purchase.
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who added items to their online shopping cart but left without completing the purchase. It is one of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce.
Back-in-Stock Email
A back-in-stock email is a triggered message sent to shoppers who requested notification when an unavailable product becomes available again.
Batch Sending
Batch sending is the practice of delivering a single email campaign to a large list in groups or waves rather than all at once.
Behavioral Email
Behavioral email is a message triggered by a subscriber's action, inaction, or engagement pattern, making it more relevant than scheduled broadcast sends.
Behavioral Segmentation
Behavioral segmentation is the practice of grouping subscribers based on their actions, such as opens, clicks, purchases, browsing and engagement patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
An automation condition is a rule in an email workflow that checks a subscriber's data or behaviour and decides which next step to take, enabling different subscribers to follow different journeys.
Conditions drive branching. A branch evaluates one or more conditions to decide which path a subscriber takes, so behaviour and attributes lead to personalised next steps rather than a generic sequence.
Anything your platform stores: whether the subscriber opened or clicked, purchased, completed a form, or holds a tag or segment, and things like time elapsed or frequency. That data decides the appropriate next step.
Always define a default or fallback path. Subscribers who meet no condition should still receive a sensible next step, so the workflow stays complete and everyone in the journey is handled rather than dropped.