Use custom objects with automations

With ActiveCampaign, you can use custom object data to build automations. Doing so can help tailor your workflows and customize your customer experience. This article will show you what to expect when building automations once you have created custom object templates.

Take note

• Required: You need to create a custom object to use these features. You can create a custom object schema with the ActiveCampaign API or your account's “Manage Data” page. Some integrations, like Zendesk Support and Calendly, support custom objects
• All ActiveCampaign plans have access to custom objects through supported apps and integrations that import a custom object. These triggers will appear in the “Apps” section of the trigger modal
• Enterprise plan customers can create custom objects via the API. These triggers will appear in the “Objects” section of the trigger modal
• Automation triggers for Deal and Account custom objects are not available at this time

Custom Object Automation triggers

You can use custom objects to trigger an automation. However, you can only use one custom object trigger with your automation and no other triggers.

As Contact custom object templates are added to your account, two automation triggers will be available for you to use. These two triggers are:

• "[Custom object] Created"
  The related contact is pulled into the automation whenever a new record is created for the object.
• "[Custom object] Updated"
  The related contact is pulled into the automation when a custom object field you specify is updated from one value to another. With this trigger, you can choose "Any" or a specific starting value and "Any" or a specific final value.

If you create a custom object using the API or the "Manage Data" page in your account, the trigger will appear under the "Objects" section of the trigger modal.

If a supported third-party application or integration imports a custom object, the triggers will appear in the "Apps" section of the trigger modal.

Use the "[Custom object] Created" trigger

This trigger starts an automation when a custom object is created for a contact. In this trigger, you will choose which object records will be included. Note that this trigger is set to run "Multiple Times." This cannot be adjusted.

You can only use one custom object trigger with your automation and no other triggers.

• All [Custom object] records
  This option will trigger if any record under the specified [Custom object] is created.
• Segment [Custom object] records
  This option allows you to further filter the trigger to give you more control over who can enter your automation. Note that only fields related to the custom object can be used to filter here.

Use the "Segment [Custom object] records" option in the "[Custom object] Created" trigger:

1. Click Automations to go to the Automation Overview page. 
2. Click "Edit" for the automation you want to update, or click "Create an automation."
3. Add the "[Custom object] Created" trigger to your automation.
   • If this is a new automation, the trigger modal will open automatically:
     
     • A modal window will appear. Click "Objects" > your preferred object
     • Choose "[Custom object] Created"
   • If this is an automation you're editing:
     • Click "Add a start trigger"
     • A modal window will appear. Click "Objects" > your preferred object
     • Choose "[Custom object] Created"
4. A modal window will appear where you can configure the trigger. Click the “Segment” option.
5. The modal will expand, and you'll see the segment builder with options related to your custom object. Use the builder to create a segment. As a reminder, only contacts who meet your trigger and segment conditions can enter your automation. When finished, click "Save."

Use the "[Custom object] Updated" trigger

This trigger starts an automation when a custom object field is updated from one value to another. As a reminder, you can only use one custom object trigger with your automation and no other triggers. 

Use the "[Custom object] Updated" trigger:

1. Click Automations to go to the Automation Overview page. 
2. Click "Edit" for the automation you want to update, or click "Create an automation."
3. Add the "[Custom object] Updated" trigger to your automation.
   • If this is a new automation, the trigger modal will open automatically:
     
     • A modal window will appear. Click "Objects" > your preferred object
     • Choose "[Custom object] Updated"
   • If this is an automation you're editing:
     • Click "Add a start trigger"
     • A modal window will appear. Click "Objects" > your preferred object
     • Choose "[Custom object] Updated"
4. A modal window will appear where you can configure the trigger:
   
   • The custom object field - Specific field or "Any" field
     • If you choose "Any," you then choose how often the automation will run for each contact and can segment contacts entering your automation
   • "From" value - select from "Any" or a specific value. This appears if you select a specific field instead of "Any" field above
   • "To" value - select from "Any" or a specific value
   • Runs - choose to run once or multiple times
   • Segment contacts entering the automation through the trigger
   • Click the “Segment” option
   • Click “Save”

Using custom objects in automation actions

You can use custom object fields with the following automation actions:

• If/Else 
• Goal
• Conditional wait