How do I manually add or remove a contact(s) from an automation?

Contacts will enter your automations as soon as they match the triggering conditions you define, and will proceed through your workflow until they reach the last step in your automation. However, there may be times when you wish to manually add a contact(s) to an automation, or end their workflow before they reach the last step in the automation.  

How to manually start an automation for a single contact

To manually start an automation for a contact is to add them to it. There are two ways to do this:

From the Automation:

1. Click Automations on the left menu.
2. Locate the automation you want to add the contact to and click the automation name to open it.
3. Turn the automation to Active. You cannot add a contact to an Inactive automation.
4. Click “Add contacts to this automation” at the top of the Automation Canvas, next to the trigger.
5. Click “Add specific contacts.”
6. (Optional) Use the Search bar to narrow down your contacts.
7. Click the checkbox next to the contact(s) you want to add.
8. Click “Add contact(s).” The contact(s) will immediately be added to your automation. This action cannot be undone.

From the Contacts Overview:

1. Click Contacts on the left menu.
2. Locate the contact you want to add to an automation, then open their profile record.
3. Scroll down to the "Automations" section of the contact's record. 
4. Click the "+ Add" button.
5. A modal window will appear and display active automations. Select the automation you want to add the contact to, then click "Okay."
6. The contact will immediately be added to your automation. This action cannot be undone. 

How to manually end an automation for a single contact

Ending an automation early for a single contact is also completed from the contact's profile page. When you end an automation, the contact will not complete the rest of the actions (if any). They are also given a "Completed" status for your automation.

1. Click Contacts on the left menu.
2. Locate the contact you want to add to an automation, then open their profile record.
3. Scroll down to the "Automations" section of the contact's record. 
4. Click the automation name that you want to end for the contact.
5. Click the "End" button. 

The contact will be removed from your automation. This action cannot be undone. 

How to add a group of contacts to an automation

In this section, we'll show you how to start an automation for a group of contacts manually.  To manually start an automation for contacts is to add them to it. There are two ways to do this:

From the Automation:

1. Click Automations on the left menu.
2. Locate the automation you want to add the contacts to and click the automation name to open it.
3. Turn the automation to Active. You cannot add contacts to an Inactive automation.
4. Click “Add contacts to this automation” at the top of the Automation Canvas, next to the trigger.
5. Click “Use a segment of contacts.”
6. The segment builder will appear. Create conditions to find the group of contacts that you'd like to add to the automation and click “Next.”
7. (Optional) In the “Add contacts to this automation” modal, the two options below are turned on by default. Click the checkbox next to the option to turn them off:
   
   • Do not add contacts who have ever entered this automation
   • Do not add contacts who are currently in this automation
8. Click “Add contact(s).” The contacts will immediately be added to your automation. The contacts will immediately be added to your automation. This action cannot be undone

From the Contacts Overview:

This section shows you how to conduct an advanced search and use the bulk editor so you can start an automation for a group of contacts.

1. Click Contacts on the left menu.
2. Click into the search field and click "Advanced Search."
3. The segment builder will appear. Create conditions to find the group of contacts that you'd like to add to the automation and click “Search.”
4. When the contacts appear, check to make sure it's the right group of contacts, and then click “Edit All” to display the Bulk Editor.
5. A modal window will appear. Click "Add to an Automation" and select the automation you wish to add them to from the dropdown that appears. 
6. Click the “Add” button.
7. Click the "Apply" button to begin processing your contacts. 
8. The contacts will immediately be added to your automation. This action cannot be undone. 

How to bulk remove a group of contacts from an automation

In this section, we'll show you how to conduct an advanced search and use the bulk editor to manually end an automation for a group of contacts. When you end an automation, contacts will not complete the rest of the actions (if any). They are also given a "Completed" status for your automation.

1. Click Contacts on the left menu.
2. Click into the search field and click "Advanced Search."
3. The segment builder will appear. Create conditions to find the group of contacts that you'd like to end the automation for and click “Search.”
4. When the contacts appear, check to make sure it's the right group of contacts, and then click “Edit All” to display the Bulk Editor.
5. Click "Remove from an automation" and select the automation you wish to end from the dropdown that appears.
6. Click the "Remove" button.
7. Click the “Apply ” button to begin processing your contacts.  

The contacts will be removed from your automation. This action cannot be undone.