Automation Rules for Enterprise Customers
With automation rules in Account Engagement, you can create repeatable, criteria-based rules that find matching prospects and apply actions to them. If you have millions of prospects in your database, use these tips to ensure the best performance.
Required Editions
| Available in: All Account Engagement Editions |
When you create an automation rule and click Resume Automation Rule, Account Engagement checks each of your prospects to see if the rule applies to them. When a prospect matches the rule criteria, the rule’s action is applied. This initial process can take several hours if you have millions of prospects in your database.
Automation rules continually check for updated prospects. When a prospect's information changes, an automation rule checks if the rule applies to them. When prospect information changes frequently, it can take several hours for a rule to run on an updated prospect.
System Resources
An automation rule consumes system resources the first time it runs. The amount of system resources initially consumed is related to the number of prospects in your system. Automation rules also consume system resources when your prospect information changes, because rules check to see if the changes require action. The amount of system resources consumed is related to how frequently your prospect's information changes, and how many automation rules that you have. For example, these activities can cause prospect information to change:
- An email is sent to a prospect
- A prospect submits a form
- Information is synced from Salesforce
Best Practices for Automation Rules
Using automation rules wisely can help deliver great performance, even when your database has millions of prospects.
- Give Previews Time to Run
- Previewing an automation rule takes the same amount of time and resources as running an automation rule.
- Verify Automation Rule Logic
- It's a good idea to check your automation rule's logic before you preview it, because previews consume system resources. Accidentally using Match Any when you mean to use Match All can create an automation rule that unintentionally matches millions of prospects.
- Use Default Fields on Default Salesforce Objects
- Where possible, use default fields on default Salesforce objects in your automation rules. Account Engagement can evaluate default fields and default objects more quickly than custom fields and custom objects. For example, a prospect’s title or name are evaluated quickly, because these fields are default fields. Checking a field on a custom object, such as a custom purchase order object, takes longer.
- Avoid Changing an Existing Rule
- Creating an automation rule is faster than changing an existing rule. If you make a mistake or change your mind, it’s faster to start fresh with a new rule.
- Remove Unnecessary Automation Rules
- Periodically check your automation rules and remove the rules that you no longer need. If you created an automation rule for a campaign, remove the rule when the campaign is over.
