Automations send an email when a selected event occurs, such as an upcoming visit, a payment, a pet birthday, or a client's first service. You choose the event, timing, services, and message once; the portal then sends the message to each qualifying client.
Common uses
Remind clients about an upcoming appointment or trip.
Send preparation instructions before the first visit in a group of visits.
Follow up after a client's first service.
Thank clients after a payment.
Send pet birthday or birth-month messages.
Ask clients to schedule again after their last grouped visit.
Create an Automation
Go to Communication › Automations and click New Automation.
Under Trigger, complete the timing:
When to Send – enter a number and select Hour(s), Day(s), Week(s), or Month(s).
Direction – select Before or After.
Event – select what the timing is based on.
Service(s) – for visit-based events, select All or choose the services that should use this Automation.
Send Time – for timing measured in days, weeks, or months, select the time of day the email should be sent.
Under Content, enter the email Subject and Body.
To reuse saved wording, click Responses in the editor. To insert a client's name, click Personalize.
To add an optional button to the email, enter CTA Text and CTA Link.
Click Preview to review the email.
Set Status to Active and save.
Event options
Any Visit – sends for each qualifying visit.
First Grouped Visit – bases the timing on the first visit in a grouped set.
Last Grouped Visit – bases the timing on the last visit in a grouped set.
Any Payment Received – sends after each qualifying payment.
Pet Birthday (if known) – sends using the birthday saved in the Pet Profile.
Pet Birth Month (if known) – sends using the birth month saved in the Pet Profile.
First ever Visit – sends once for a client, based on the client's first qualifying visit.
First Payment Received – sends once for a client, based on the client's first payment.
Responses and Personalize
Responses insert saved, reusable content into the Subject or Body. Personalize inserts a placeholder such as First Name or Full Name; the portal replaces it with the recipient's information when the email is sent. Pet Name is also available for Pet Birthday and Pet Birth Month Automations.
Always use Preview before activating an Automation, especially when it contains personalized fields or a call-to-action button.
Reviewing an Automation
The Automations table shows how many times each Automation has been sent and when it was last sent. Set an Automation to Inactive when you want to stop future sends without deleting its setup.
Automation Analytics and Lifecycle Conditions are available separately through PPC Labs. They are not required to use public Automations.