You can use Custom events to trigger custom automation workflows through API. Every custom event can have a list of the custom fields for any additional information that could be used in the Automation workflow content.
In this article, we will check how you can use Custom events for your automations triggering.
Contents
Before you start
When you integrate your store with Omnisend, we get a set of standard events, including Signup, Placed Order, Abandoned Cart, etc. events. If you wish to set up the workflow for a different type of event, a Custom Event should be created.
Custom Events can be added to your account after integrating Omnisend with the 3rd party application or created manually. Some examples of Custom Events created by 3rd party apps include:
AfterShip Info Received — triggering the workflow when the order is shipped. Custom fields include the tracking number and tracking URL.
Intercom Review Created — triggering the workflow when the contact leaves a comment for the support agent's assistance. Custom fields include the rating and review content.
growave-wishlist-back-in-stock — triggering the workflow when the product added to the client's wish list is back in stock. Custom fields include information about the product.
Junip - Review Created — triggering the workflow when a new order is placed in your store. Custom fields include information about the product and the link to the review submission page.
Please note that you will not be able to edit or delete any custom field of a custom event once the event is enabled.
Setup Process
For the Custom event to start working, you will need to add the event to your Omnisend account and set it up on the 3rd party side.
Creating an Event in your Omnisend account
To start Custom Events setup from the account side, go to Store Settings→ Custom events:
1. Add a new custom event. Click Create event to begin the process, add the name of your custom event, and hit Save. You can repeat these steps as many times as you need for every single custom event you need.
2. Add custom fields. Once you have your custom event, you can add custom fields (up to 100 fields per event). To set up a custom field, you will need to add the following:
Custom field name — this name will only be seen on your account and can be adjusted later.
Custom field system name is the system name used while passing data through API. This field cannot be adjusted later on.
Custom field type — defining how your data should be interpreted. You can choose from a list of field types (more about them below).
This custom field is required — it allows you to choose whether this particular field is essential and should be passed each time through API.
Custom field types:
Integer - should be used to pass number values only.
Float - should be used for numbers with a floating point.
Boolean - should be used for true or false values.
String - should be used to pass any string of characters that should only be used as values and not for calculations.
Email - should be used to pass an additional email address. If you don't need a second email address, you don't need to use this field.
URL - should be used to pass links.
Date - should be used to pass date information.
DateTime - should be used to pass time information.
We'd like to encourage you to consult with your website developer or refer to the 3rd party integration to define the appropriate data format.
3. Enable and disable your custom events.
To turn on and disable custom events, use the toggle next to the event in question. Once activated, custom event settings, such as custom field system name, custom field type, and required checkbox, cannot be edited. The internal name of the field can still be changed.
If you choose to Disable the Custom event, it will stop working even if you are pushing the data through API. All of the automations with this event in the trigger will be discontinued.
Note: re-enabling a custom event doesn't automatically turn on the previously disabled sequence. You will need to re-enable the workflow manually.
4. Pass the Event ID to your developer.
Event ID is what your developer will need to pass custom event information through API. Setup from the account's end is finished here, and the development process should now move to the API end. You can find it next to the Custom Event name on the Custom Events page:
API setup
Once everything is set up from the account's end, you can move to the API setup. You may find the instruction in our API documentation if you wish to create your own custom event. If you are integrating Omnisend with the 3rd party integration, the custom event will be created automatically, or you may also find the instruction in the integration guide.
Custom Event in Automation
To create a custom event, go to the Automation tab → click Create workflow → Custom Workflow:
In the Automation workflow trigger, along with other Standard options, you can find the Custom Events you created.
Once you add the Custom event to the Automation trigger, all other settings (Trigger filter, Split block, Personalization menu, etc.) will be populated with the information this event carries.
You can also add this information to the content of the message (Email, SMS, Push Notification).
In the Email message, you may make your content even more interactive, for example, by adding the Tracking Link to the button.
Unsubscribing from Custom event
If you are using a custom event for the automation workflow triggering, in the footer content block, you will have an unsubscribe link for your customers. We encourage you to add this link to all messages, but if you send a transactional message with the information about the order the customer placed, this is not obligatory.
Note! Automation workflows based on custom events will send messages to unsubscribed contacts. If you don't want to send messages to unsubscribed, make sure to add an Audience filter to exclude unsubscribers (Segment is NOT unsubscribers). Also, add an exit condition 'Contact enters a segment - Unsubscribers'. So, if anybody unsubscribes while in this workflow will exit it immediately.
Have any additional questions? Talk to us at [email protected].
