The Date type trigger allows you to start an automation workflow based on a contact’s date-related attributes, such as their birthday, email subscription date, or customer creation date.
This trigger is commonly used for scenarios such as birthday greetings, subscription anniversaries, or customer anniversary campaigns. By automatically triggering messages based on important dates, you can maintain consistent engagement with your customers.
| Note: Automation trigger features are available for Free Trial and Paid stores only. |
Understanding the Trigger Logic
The Date type trigger activates an automation workflow based on the value stored in a contact’s date field.
Supported Date Fields
You can choose from the following date attributes:
- Birthday
- Email subscription date
- SMS subscription date
- Customer creation date
- Custom date attributes collected through pop-up forms
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Notes:
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Configuring the Date Type Trigger
By configuring the trigger timing, repetition rules, filters, and exit conditions, you can automatically start workflows based on important dates related to your contacts.
To access and configure a Date type trigger, follow these steps:
- Go to Automations > Marketing Automation.
- Create a new automation, or select an existing automation task from the list.
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In the automation editor, select Date type as the Trigger.
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Select the date field used to trigger the automation, such as Birthday, Email subscription time, SMS subscription time, or Customer creation time.
Then follow the sections below to complete the automation configuration.
Setting the Trigger Timing
For each selected date field, you can configure when the automation should be triggered:
- Before the date (e.g., 1 day at 00:00)
- On the date
- After the date (e.g., 1 day at 00:00)
The trigger time follows the time zone displayed in the system.
To trigger the automation, the contact must have a value stored in the corresponding date field. For example, only contacts with a recorded birthday can enter a birthday-triggered workflow.
Once configured, the system automatically reads the date value for each contact and triggers the workflow at the appropriate time. This enables automated and personalized interactions based on each contact’s specific date.
Configuring Repeating Triggers
You can choose whether the trigger should repeat:
- Do not repeat
- Repeat monthly
- Repeat annually
Monthly Repetition
When Repeat monthly is selected, contacts will enter the workflow on the same day each month. If the specified date does not exist in a particular month, the trigger will be skipped for that month.
Example: If the trigger is set for the 30th of every month, the workflow will skip February, which only has 28 days.
Annual Repetition
When Repeat annually is selected, contacts will enter the workflow on the same date each year.
| Tip: Annual repetition is commonly used for birthday campaigns. |
Example: If a contact’s birthday is May 20, the workflow will trigger every year on May 20.
Applying Filter Conditions
You can apply additional filters to control which contacts enter the automation workflow.
The available filtering options include all condition types supported by the SmartPush Audience Segmentation feature.
This allows you to further narrow down the contacts who qualify for the automation.
Setting Exit Conditions
This trigger supports the following Exit condition: Order number within a certain period
Available time range options include:
- From the start of the process
- The last N days
- Cumulative total
When a contact meets the defined exit condition, they will automatically exit the workflow.
Example Use Case
Suppose you want to send a birthday greeting email one day before a customer’s birthday.
You can configure the trigger as follows:
- Select the date field Birthday.
- Set the trigger timing to 1 day before the date.
- Create a birthday greeting email in the automation workflow.
The system will automatically send the greeting email one day before each contact’s birthday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What happens if the trigger rule is updated after the automation has started?
If the trigger rule is changed after the automation is already running, the system will apply the existing rule to contacts who have already met the original condition, while contacts who have not yet reached the trigger point will follow the new rule.
Example
Assume today is January 5, 2026, and the automation is initially configured to trigger 3 days before a contact’s birthday.
- Contacts with birthdays on January 8 have already met the "3 days before birthday" condition and will continue to follow the original rule.
Later on January 5, the trigger rule is changed to trigger on the birthday.
- Contacts whose birthdays fall on January 6 or later will follow the new rule and enter the workflow on their birthday.
As a result, contacts with a birthday on January 8 may receive two emails:
- One email 3 days before their birthday
- One email on their birthday
This happens because the contact meets both trigger conditions.