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Time-based Email Marketing Automation Process

Time-based automations allow you to create one or a series of emails based off a specific day like birthday, order date, or customer anniversary. Your emails will automatically send based on the timing you specify in the automation.

This step by step tutorial walks you through how to create time-based automations in DirectLync.

  1. Log in to your DirectLync account
  2. Head to the Email Marketing module
  3. Select + next to Email Campaigns on the top navigation of your module
  4. Select Time-based Automation as the email format

Great! You have selected your email type. You will now be directed to create a new email automation: time-based.

Build your Time-based Automation

Step 1: Enter your details

  1. Enter your email automation name
  2. Select a Date Field*
  3. Choose or create a Category (optional)
  4. Select your Recipient Group for the time-based automation
    • Recipient groups for time-based automations are dynamic meaning any new contacts added to the group after the automation launch date will be included in the automation
  5. Click Save & Next to continue

*Note: the date field must be created as a custom field. Visit our custom field FAQ for more on setting up and managing your custom fields.

Step 2: Build your email or email series

You can build an automation with one email or a series of emails based on your date field.

  1. Click Create Email
  2. In general info, enter Subject, Sender Name, and Reply-to Email Address for this email
  3. Select a Schedule option
    • Day of - Email will be sent on the day of the date in the field selected for this automation
    • Day(s) Before - Specify the number of days the email will be sent before the date in the field for this automation
    • Days After - Specify the number of days the email will be sent after the date in the field selected for this automation
  4. Select the Time the email will be sent on that day
  5. Click Save & Next

Time based automation setup

  1. Select a Template, Layout, Clone an email, or Start from Scratch
  2. Compose your email contents
  3. Click Save & Next

If you are creating an automation with a series of emails, click + Add Another Email at the top of the email box. Then, repeat the same email building process for the remaining emails.

Time based automation Emails View

To delete an email, click the Trash Can Icon on the right of the email box.

Launch your Time-based Automation

To launch your automation, all emails need a green check on the right side. If you see a red x, you are missing information within that email.

  1. Confirm all emails are complete
  2. Click Launch → Confirm

Time based automation Emails View

Delete a Time-based Automation

You can only delete a time-based automation that is a draft.

To delete a draft:

  1. Go to your Email Marketing module
  2. Click Email Campaigns
  3. Refine by Email Type → Time-based Automation on the left
  4. Find the automation you'd like to delete in the list
  5. Click the action icon (•••) → Delete Campaign → Delete

To stop an automation that is current launched and running:

  1. Go to your Email Marketing module
  2. Click Email Campaigns
  3. Refine by Email Type → Time-based Automation on the left
  4. Find the automation you'd like to stop on the list
  5. Click the action icon (•••) → Archive Campaign → Archive

Once the automation is archived, it will no longer send emails to your contacts. You can still access your email activity reports by clicking Show Archived Emails at the bottom of the refine results side bar.

Edit a Launched Time-based Automation

  1. Go to your Email Marketing module
  2. Click Email Campaigns
  3. Refine by Email Type → Time-based Automation on the left
  4. Find the automation you'd like to delete in the list
  5. Click the action icon (•••) → Pause and Edit → Pause Email

Time based automation Actions View

Once you have paused the automation, you can edit/remove emails, update information, or change the group.

Edit an email

  1. Click Save & Next on the General Info page
  2. Select the Edit Email button on the email you would like to edit
  3. Make your changes in the email
  4. Click Save & Next
  5. To relaunch your automation, Select Resume → Confirm

Edit general info

  1. On the Manage Automation Page, click the Pencil Icon next to date field on the top left
  2. Edit any of the General Info
  3. Click Save & Next
  4. To relaunch your automation, Select Resume → Confirm

To delete an email

  1. On the Manage Automation Page, click the Trash Can Icon on the right of the email box
  2. To relaunch your automation, Select Resume → Confirm

View your Time-based Automation Report

Once you have launched your automation, your activity report is dynamic. It will continue to update the statistics of your automation as it is running. To view your activity report:

  1. Go to your Email Marketing module
  2. Click Email Campaigns
  3. Refine by Email Type → Time-based Automation on the left
  4. Select the Time-based Automation you would like to view
  5. The activity report will open
  6. To view the full report, click View Report on the bottom right

Time based automation Report View