Automation Rules: Overview

Automation Rules

Quick Summary: Create rules that automatically perform one action when an order meets the conditions you set. For: Clients Level: Beginner

Overview

Use Automation Rules to handle repeated order decisions. Each rule follows an IF/THEN pattern: when the order reaches the action's trigger point, the Portal checks your conditions. If they match, the Portal runs the action.

For example, a rule can assign a courier and location when an order uses a particular shipping option and ships to a selected country.

Note: Your account may use Shipping Options instead. The Portal shows one of these pages according to the shipping setup enabled for your account. Contact your Account Manager if you need to change the setup.

Before you start

  • Confirm that Automation Rules appears in the client menu.
  • If you can view rules but cannot save or activate them, ask your company administrator for the appropriate access.
  • Have the courier, location, packaging product, address, or other value required by your action ready.
  • Review Matching Orders before you activate a rule that changes workflow fields.

Quick start

  1. Open Automation Rules.
  2. Select the + button.
  3. Enter a unique Rule Name.
  4. Select an Action. The action sets Execute at and reveals the fields to complete.
  5. Add conditions as needed to identify the orders the rule should affect.
  6. Select Add to save the rule.
  7. Open the saved rule, review Matching Orders, then select Activate.

New rules are saved inactive. They do not process orders until you activate them.

If you need a start, end, or priority, open Timing and priority while editing the rule.

When the list is empty, select Create.

How a rule runs

Each rule performs one action. The Execute at row shows when that action is considered. Examples include if courier not set, after order lines saved, approve type selection, Order create or update, and everyday.

The available actions and conditions depend on the selected action, your account features, and whether the rule affects an order or a return item. The form shows only the options available for the current selection.

Timing and priority

Use Timing and priority when a rule should apply only during a defined period.

  • Starts uses your current timezone. The start time is included.
  • Ends uses your current timezone. The end time is excluded.
  • An active rule outside its period does not process orders.
  • Higher explicit Priority values run first among rules for the same action. Rules without a priority follow explicit priorities in creation order.

The timing summary remains visible when the section is collapsed. A rule with no start or end has no time limit.

Overlapping rules

Several rules may match the same order, and priority and timing affect the result. Matching Orders shows the selected priority outcome for your rule and identifies overlapping rules as winning, partially shadowed, shadowed, or outside their active period.

Tag actions can add multiple tags to the same order, so tag rules do not displace each other in the same way.

Actions and conditions

An action defines what changes. Conditions define which orders or return items qualify. Add conditions only after selecting an action, because the available condition list changes with the action.

Reference: common actions and conditions ### Actions | Area | Action | What it does | |---|---|---| | Courier and location | **Set Courier and Location** | Assigns a courier and a location | | Packaging | **Assign Packaging** | Assigns the selected packaging product to matching orders | | Approval, tags, and insurance | **Override Approval type** | Sets the approval type for matching orders | | Approval, tags, and insurance | **Add tag to Order** | Adds a tag for filtering and reporting | | Approval, tags, and insurance | **Insure Order** | Sets insurance status when insurance is enabled for the account | | Customs and addresses | **Set Reason of Export** | Sets the customs reason on matching orders | | Customs and addresses | **Add on document attachment and printing** | Adds the selected document to the order | | Customs and addresses | **Assign Importer Address** | Assigns a saved importer address | | Customs and addresses | **Assign Exporter Address** | Assigns a saved exporter address | | Customs and addresses | **Assign Customs Broker Address** | Assigns a saved customs broker address | | Area | Action | What it does | |---|---|---| | Courier and location | **Change Warehouse And Courier When Out Of Stock** | Moves matching orders to a fallback warehouse and courier when stock is insufficient | | Courier and location | **Set Fastest Courier** | Selects the fastest eligible courier from the couriers configured in the action | | Courier and location | **Set Courier and Location for return RMA** | Assigns a courier and warehouse or location to return orders | | Approval and returns | **Override Return Order Approval type** | Sets the approval type for matching return orders | | Return disposition | **Restock Return Items** | Sends matching returned items for restocking | | Return disposition | **Quarantine Return Items** | Sends matching returned items to quarantine | | Return disposition | **Dispose Return Items** | Marks matching returned items for disposal | > **Note:** **Quarantine Return Items** skips a return item when no **Condition of return item** is recorded. > **Note:** Each rule performs one action. Create separate rules when matching orders need multiple changes. ### Common order conditions The names below are common examples. A condition appears only when the selected action supports it. | Condition | What it checks | |---|---| | **Shipping Option** | Shipping method or option on the order | | **Destination Country** | Destination country | | **Source Country** | Country from which the order ships | | **Destination State** | Destination state or province | | **Order Value** | Order or return-line value | | **Order Weight** | Order or return-line weight | | **Package Dimension** | Package dimensions | | **Single SKU** | One product SKU and its quantity comparison | | **SKU List** | A set of SKUs and quantity comparison | | **Order content** | Items and quantities in the order | | **TAGs List** | Tags on the order | | **Shopify Location List** | Shopify fulfillment location | | **Days since delivery** | Time since delivery | | **Batteries** | Whether the order has battery items | | **Battery type** | Battery type in the order | | **Liquids** | Whether the order contains liquids | | Condition | What it checks | |---|---| | **Warehouses List** | Warehouse associated with the order | ### Return item conditions These conditions can appear for return disposition and return-routing actions. | Condition | What it checks | |---|---| | **Condition of return item** | System or custom condition assigned to the return item | | **Return Item SKU** | SKU of the returned product | | **Reason for return** | Return reason recorded for the order | | **Return Item Value** | Value of the returned line | | **Return Item Weight** | Weight of the returned line | | **Return Item Batteries** | Whether the returned item has batteries | | **Return Item Battery type** | Battery type in the returned item | | **Return Item Liquids** | Whether the returned item contains liquids | | **Origin of return** | Country from which the return ships | | **Number of days spent at 3PL** | Time elapsed since the return item was created | | **Warehouse / 3PL location** | Warehouse holding the return | | **Days since delivery of Return Item** | Time since delivery of the return item | > **Note:** A **Restock Return Items** rule creates a **Restock ASN** with the **RASN** prefix at the next scheduled processing point. See [ASN Overview](https://floship.helpscoutdocs.com/article/212-client-asn-overview) for more about ASN types.

Combining conditions

Use AND to require every condition in a group. Use OR to allow any one of several condition groups. The form shows the current grouping so you can check it before saving.

The rules list

Use the search and filter controls to find rules.

Column Description
Name Rule name
Priority Explicit execution priority, when set
Courier Assigned courier, when the action sets one
Ship From Location Assigned warehouse or client location, when available
Events Trigger event
Action Selected action
Status Inactive, Active, Scheduled, or Expired

The status shows Scheduled before the start time and Expired after the end time. A rule with no time limits shows Active while it is enabled.

Filters

Filter rules by Action, Event, Courier, Destination Country, or Status. The Status filter uses Active and Inactive.

You can also filter by Warehouse or Order Type. Order Type separates Normal Orders from Return Orders. Because Scheduled and Expired come from timing, they appear in the Status column but are not separate filter values.

Managing rules

Activate or deactivate

Open a saved rule and select Activate or Deactivate. Only an active rule within its start and end period can process orders. Deactivation does not undo a change that the rule already made.

Copy

Use Copy to create another rule from the current settings. Give the new rule a unique name and review its action, conditions, timing, and priority before saving it.

Matching Orders

Select Matching Orders to review the orders or return items that currently meet the rule's conditions. The preview also compares overlapping rules and explains whether a higher-priority rule affects the result.

This preview helps you validate a rule. It does not apply the action to existing orders.

History and delete

Select the history button to review changes made to the rule.

To delete a rule, deactivate it first, then use the delete button on the saved rule.

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Solution
Automation Rules is not in the menu The account uses Shipping Options, or automation access is not enabled Contact your Account Manager
Rule cannot be saved or activated Your user has view-only access, or the control is read-only Ask your company administrator for the appropriate access
Rule does not process orders The rule is inactive, scheduled, expired, or its trigger point has not occurred Open the rule and check Status, Starts, Ends, and Execute at
Wrong orders match Conditions are too broad or grouped incorrectly Adjust the conditions and use Matching Orders to review the result
Another rule wins Priority or timing causes an overlapping rule to affect the same orders Review both rules, their priority, active period, and the Matching Orders preview

FAQ

Can I perform multiple actions with one rule? No. Each rule performs one action. Create separate rules with the same conditions when matching orders need multiple changes.

Do rules change existing orders immediately? No. A rule acts when its Execute at event occurs. Matching Orders shows current matches but does not apply the action.

What happens when I deactivate a rule? The rule stops processing new matches. Changes already made to orders remain.

How do overlapping rules behave? Priority and timing affect how Matching Orders ranks overlapping non-tag rules. Depending on your account configuration, more than one matching non-tag rule can apply. Use the preview to see whether your rule wins, is partially shadowed, or is shadowed. Tag actions can add multiple tags.

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