Creating & Managing Rules

This page covers creating rules (from scratch or from a template), using the Flow Editor, and managing the rules you already have.

Creating a New Rule

There are two ways to create a rule: start from scratch by picking a trigger, or start from a pre-built template.

Option A: Start from Scratch

1. Open the Rules page

   Go to Automation > Rules from the sidebar.

2. Click ”+ New rule”

   The New Rule dialog appears with available triggers.

   

3. Pick a trigger

   Choose the event that should start your rule. Use the category chips (All, Orders, Inventory, Purchase Orders) to filter triggers.

   The most common trigger is Before Import Order, which runs before an order is imported from a sales channel and supports the widest range of actions.

4. Build your rule in the Flow Editor

   The Flow Editor opens where you can add actions and conditions. See Using the Flow Editor below.

Option B: Start from a Template

1. Scroll to the Templates section

   On the Rules page, scroll down past “Your Rules” to see the Templates section.

2. Browse or search templates

   Use the search bar or filter by category (All templates, Order Routing, Order Modification, etc.) to find a template that matches your use case.

3. Click a template card

   A preview dialog opens showing the template steps, trigger type, and a description of what it does.

4. Click “Create Rule”

   The Flow Editor opens with the template’s trigger and steps pre-configured. You can customize everything from there.

When to use templates

Templates save time for common setups like routing to a specific warehouse or sending order confirmation emails. You can modify everything after creation.

Using the Flow Editor

The Flow Editor is where you build and wire up your rule. It’s a drag-and-drop canvas with a sidebar of available actions on the left.

Editor Layout

The editor has three main areas:

• Top toolbar — Rule name (editable), undo/redo, zoom controls, fit-to-view, auto-arrange, Validate, Preview, and Save
• Action sidebar (left) — Lists all available actions grouped by category. Click or drag an action to add it to the canvas
• Canvas (center) — The visual workspace where you build and connect your flow

Action Sidebar Categories

Actions in the sidebar are grouped by category:

Conditions

Add IF / THEN / ELSE branching logic. Check order fields like total, country, SKU, or tags — then run different actions based on the result.

Routing

Route to Warehouse, Route by Inventory, Closest Warehouse, Route by ZIP Code, Route by SKU, and Address Match.

Modify Order

Change Shipping Method, Change Shipping Details, Change Order Status, Modify Order Data, Add Charge / Discount, Add SKUs to Order, and Find & Replace.

Notifications

Send Email with customizable templates and recipients.

HTTP Request

Webhook / HTTP Request to send data to external systems.

Inventory

Select Warehouses to control which locations push inventory data to a sales channel.

Building a Flow

Here’s what a more complex rule looks like in practice:

This rule adds SKUs to the order, then checks inventory. If stock exists, it routes to the closest warehouse; if not, it sends to a specific one. Error paths trigger email notifications. A second condition branch handles additional logic further down.

1. Add an action from the sidebar

   Click any action in the sidebar to add it to the canvas, or drag it to a specific position.

2. Connect nodes

   Drag from an output handle on one node to the input handle on the next. The connections set the execution order.

3. Configure each action

   Click a node on the canvas to open its configuration panel. Fill in the required fields (e.g., select a warehouse for “Route to Warehouse”, enter email recipients for “Send Email”).

4. Add conditions (optional)

   Click Condition in the sidebar to add IF / THEN / ELSE logic. Connect the THEN branch to one set of actions and the ELSE branch to another.

5. Validate your rule

   Click Validate in the toolbar to check for errors. The editor will highlight any missing connections or configurations.

6. Preview your rule

   Click Preview to simulate how your rule would process a sample order. Worth doing before you activate anything.

7. Save your rule

   Click Save to save your rule. You can choose to:

   • Save & Activate — Save and immediately start running the rule
   • Save as Draft — Save without activating (rule stays disabled)

Toolbar Controls

Control	Description
Rule name	Click the pencil icon next to the name to rename your rule
Undo / Redo	Reverse or replay your last changes (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y)
Zoom controls	Zoom in, zoom out, or fit the entire flow to view
Auto-arrange	Automatically reposition all nodes for a clean layout
Validate	Check the flow for errors and missing configurations
Preview	Simulate the flow with sample data to verify the logic
Save	Save the rule and optionally activate it

Managing Existing Rules

Enabling and Disabling Rules

Each rule has a toggle switch on the right side of its card. Flip it to turn a rule on or off.

• Active — Green dot next to the name. The rule runs when its trigger fires.
• Disabled — “Disabled” label. The rule is saved but does not run.

Integration-Linked Rules

Rules linked to active integrations cannot be deactivated from the toggle. You need to unlink the rule from the integration first.

Editing a Rule

Click the pencil icon or click directly on the rule name/description to open it in the Flow Editor. Make your changes and click Save.

Deleting a Rule

Click the trash icon on the rule card. You’ll get a confirmation dialog before anything is deleted.

Last Rule Protection

If a rule is the only one in its trigger category, the delete button is disabled. This prevents accidentally removing the only rule handling that trigger.

Searching and Filtering

Use the controls at the top of the “Your Rules” section:

• Search bar — Type to filter rules by name
• Category dropdown — Filter by trigger type (shows “All rules” by default)
• Status dropdown — Show only “Active” or “Disabled” rules (shows “All statuses” by default)
• Sort dropdown — Order by “Newest first” (default), “Oldest first”, “Name A–Z”, or “Name Z–A”

The rule count at the bottom updates to show “Showing X of Y” when filters are active.

Understanding Rule Priority

When multiple active rules share the same trigger, the primary rule runs first. That rule gets a “Default” badge in the list so you know which one takes priority.

Rule Ordering

The rule marked as Default is the primary rule for its trigger event and runs first. Deactivate rules you don’t want to run.

Best Practices

Start simple

One action per rule at first. Once it works, layer on conditions and extra actions.

Preview before activating

Click Preview to test with sample data before turning a rule on. Catches config mistakes before they hit real orders.

Name rules clearly

“Route US orders to Miami warehouse” is better than “New Rule”. You’ll thank yourself when you have 20 rules in the list.

Save as draft first

Save new rules disabled. Test with a sample order, then activate once it’s doing what you expect.

Common Use Cases

Route Orders to a Specific Warehouse

Use the Before Import Order trigger with a Route to Warehouse action. Select the destination warehouse in the action configuration.

Route by Customer Location

Add a Condition node to check the customer’s state, ZIP code, or country. Connect different Route to Warehouse actions to the THEN and ELSE branches.

Add Free Gift for High-Value Orders

Use a Condition to check if the order total is above a threshold. If true, use Add SKUs to Order to insert a gift product, then route the order.

Send Confirmation Email on Import

Add a Send Email action after the trigger. Configure the template, subject line, and recipients in the action panel.

Control Inventory Sync

Use the Inventory Sync trigger with a Select Warehouses action. Only the warehouses you select will push inventory to the sales channel.

Webhook to External System

Use the PO Complete or PO In Transit trigger with a Webhook / HTTP Request action. Configure the URL, headers, and the fields you want to send.

Troubleshooting

Rule not running

Make sure the rule is Active (green dot). Also check the trigger: “Before Import Order” only fires on sales channel imports, not manual order creation.

Validation errors

Click Validate in the Flow Editor. Usually it’s an unconnected node, an empty action config, or a missing warehouse selection.

Can't deactivate a rule

The toggle won’t work if the rule is linked to an integration. Unlink it from Integrations first.

Can't delete a rule

Delete is disabled when it’s the only rule for that trigger. Create another rule for the same trigger first, or just deactivate this one.

Related pages:

• Rules & Automation Overview
• Integrations Overview
• Warehouses Management