Control which contacts receive automation messages based on subscription status with Workflow Channel Settings.
This helps you stay compliant with regulations, avoid sending marketing messages to contacts without consent, and ensure that transactional messages (such as order, shipping, or cancellation confirmations) reach all necessary contacts.
Before You Begin
Add a message block first: Workflow Channel Settings only appear in the Trigger block after you've added at least one email, SMS, or push notification message to your workflow.
Understand subscription statuses: Contacts can be subscribed, non-subscribed, or unsubscribed for each channel. Learn more about Contact Subscription Statuses.
For full workflow setup, see Set Up Automation Workflow Settings.
Custom event automations behave differently. Automations triggered by custom events send to all contacts by default, including non-subscribed and unsubscribed contacts. Always review Workflow Channel Settings to avoid sending to unsubscribed contacts unintentionally.
Access Workflow Channel Settings
Step 1. Go to Automations. Open an existing automation or create a new one.
Step 2. Open the Trigger Block
Click on the Trigger block at the start of the workflow.
You’ll see the Workflow Channel Settings section.
Step 3. Customize the Settings
Click Customize to adjust message-sending logic based on subscription status.
Select the appropriate subscription level for each messaging channel: Email, SMS, and Push notifications.
Available Subscription Settings for Each Channel
Email Messages
Subscribed – Send only to contacts who opted in to marketing. Use for newsletters, promotions, and product updates.
Subscribed and Non-Subscribed – Send to all contacts except those who unsubscribed. Use for order-related emails like abandoned cart reminders, checkout reminders, post-purchase updates with shipping info, or upsells tied to previous purchases.
Any Subscription Status (Transactional Messages) – Send to all contacts, including those who unsubscribed. Use for order confirmations, shipping notifications, and account updates.
⚠️ Note: Transactional emails should only contain essential non-promotional information (e.g., order, shipping, and cancellation confirmations). To stay compliant, avoid promotional content in these messages. Always follow GDPR, TCPA, and CAN-SPAM regulations when sending messages.
SMS Messages
Subscribed – Send only to contacts who opted in to marketing. Use for special offers or event reminders.
Subscribed and Non-Subscribed – Send to all contacts except those who unsubscribed. Use for service notifications, such as appointment reminders or security alerts.
Any Subscription Status (Transactional Messages) – Send to all contacts, including those who unsubscribed. Use for critical transactional messages such as order confirmations or shipping updates that must reach everyone.
⚠️ Important: Due to U.S. regulations, SMS can only be sent to subscribed contacts in the U.S.
Push Notifications
Push notifications are only sent to subscribed contacts. Use them for updates like order status changes, engagement-driven messages, or time-sensitive alerts.
Key Considerations
Full Control Over Sending Logic – You can decide who receives messages, ensuring compliance with regulations.
Visibility in the Flow Builder – Subscription settings are visible within the Trigger block and can be adjusted as needed.
Channel-Specific Rules Apply – If a workflow contains only email messages, settings apply only to email. SMS settings won’t appear unless an SMS block exists.
No Messages = No Workflow Channel Settings – If a workflow contains only webhooks or tag actions without actual messages, this setting won’t appear.
By properly configuring Workflow Channel Settings, you can optimize your automation workflows to ensure marketing compliance while maintaining effective communication with your contacts.
FAQ
Why did my automation send to 0 contacts even though my segment has 97 contacts?
Your segment count includes all contacts, but automations only send to contacts whose subscription status matches your Workflow Channel Settings. If your settings are "Subscribed" and all 97 contacts are non-subscribed, 0 emails will be sent. Check Automation Reports for "Contacts skipped." To include non-subscribed contacts, go to your Trigger block → Workflow Channel Settings → change to "Subscribed and Non-Subscribed Contacts."
Why do I see different settings for different workflows?
If a workflow only includes email, SMS settings won’t appear. You will only be able to see settings for the channel that's included in your workflow.
If a workflow has no message blocks (e.g., only webhooks or tags), the settings panel will be empty.
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