Using the Set Event Start Date Action in Workflows
About the Set Event Start Date Action
The Set Event Start Date action allows you to define a specific future moment within a workflow. This designated date and time becomes a reference point that other workflow steps can use to schedule automated communications and tasks. It's a powerful tool for managing time-sensitive processes like event reminders, renewal notifications, or promotional campaigns.
Benefits of Setting an Event Start Date
Using this action provides several key advantages for automation:
- Automated Scheduling: Eliminate manual calendar tracking by having your CRM automatically trigger actions at precise times relative to an event.
- Improved Timeliness: Ensure reminders, follow-ups, and announcements are sent at the most effective moment, such as days before a webinar or on a customer's renewal date.
- Flexible Triggers: The action can use a fixed date or pull from a custom date field on a contact's profile, enabling personalized timelines for birthdays, contract anniversaries, or trial expirations.
- Structured Follow-ups: Easily build sequences of communications that occur both before and after the defined event start time.
Common Use Cases
Here are practical examples of how to use the Set Event Start Date action:
- Event Reminders: For a webinar, set the start date. Then, use Wait for Event/Appointment Time steps to send reminder emails 7 days, 1 day, and 1 hour before it begins, and a follow-up email with resources 1 day after.
- Subscription Management: Use a contact's custom Renewal Date field as the event start. Schedule automated emails reminding them to renew 30 days, 7 days, and 1 day before that date.
- Promotional Campaigns: Set a product launch date as the event start. Schedule teaser content to go out in the week leading up to the launch, the official announcement at launch time, and a follow-up campaign starting the day after.
- Customer Milestones: Use a contact's Birthday field to send an automated birthday greeting and special offer exactly on their birthday.
How to Configure the Action
Step 1: Add the Action to Your Workflow
In your workflow editor, locate and add the Set Event Start Date action from the list of available steps.
Step 2: Configure the Date and Time
In the action's settings, define the event start. You can choose to:
- Set a specific, fixed date and time.
- Use a dynamic value, such as a date selected from a custom field on the contact's profile.
Step 3: Schedule Subsequent Actions
After setting the event start date, add one or more Wait for Event/Appointment Time steps to your workflow. In each wait step, you can specify a period (e.g., 2 days, 1 hour) before or after the event start date you just set. The workflow will pause at each wait step until that calculated time arrives, then proceed to the next action, such as sending an email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this action for recurring events?
Yes. The action itself sets a single date. For recurring events like weekly meetings, you would typically configure your workflow to reset or trigger anew for each instance, often by having contacts re-enter the workflow for each event cycle.
Can I set multiple event start dates in one workflow?
A workflow can only have one active Set Event Start Date action set per contact at a time. Setting a new date will override any previously set date for that contact within that workflow.
What if a contact enters the workflow after the event date has passed?
The workflow logic will evaluate based on the current time. If you have a Wait for Event/Appointment Time step set for a time that is already in the past, the workflow will typically skip that wait step and proceed immediately to the next action.
Do I have to use a 'Wait for Event/Appointment Time' action with it?
While not strictly required, the primary purpose of setting an event start date is to enable the use of the Wait for Event/Appointment Time action. Without a subsequent wait step, setting the date alone doesn't create a delay or schedule other actions.
How does contact time zone setting affect this action?
If your workflow is configured to respect contact time zones, the Set Event Start Date action will schedule the event based on the time zone associated with each individual contact's profile. This ensures reminders for a 10 AM event, for example, are sent at 10 AM in each attendee's local time.